Springbok wings.....an unsettled issue

Just watched a highlight clip of Duhan because I know nothing about him. Looks a strong runner, hard to bring down with a good turn of pace and a warrior with ball in hand. Not a half bad wildcard.

Well, no mention of Kolbe? I prefer him to Speckman.

I'd pick Mapimpi ahead of Speckman, though the latter is the more clinical finisher at present. Mapimpi does a lot for a pack that provides such a poor platform for the backs. He is a complete wing, with good hands and awareness and can create. Physical. 

On the EOYT, I didn't like Nkosi's defence. He was better under the high ball than Dyantyi though. If you can't give him space, he fades. 

I have only seen to games of Duhan, and a couple of highlights. Looks the strongest of the bunch, with good pace. He pops up all over the place. He is the closest thing to Habana II. I would love to see him have a shot with the Boks, but I won't get my hopes up. Wings are easy positions to boost quota representation, even if they are merit selections. 

I'd like to say that Hendricks has been playing quite well. He's gone a little under the radar, but I think he deserves a mention for coming back from such a dire set of circumstances and time out of the game. Very alert and much faster than some members claimed he was.  

Nkosi is clueless in defence, in the last week's game against the Bulls he was severely exposed.

You can see it, he just gives up.

100% Mapimpi

Nkosi is a horrid defender. Was on show again on Saturday. 

Dyanti still has basics to sort out as well. 

Still rate Ismael too. 

Yes, I agree ... our center pair and wings need to be looked at again ... desperately.

Dyantyi hit the field running ... but he seems to have stumbled ... and his lack of outright pace is worrying. There are too many things he needs fixed. His potential is amazing but one gets the feeling that he was never taught the basics of the game. It's like he's winging it (no pun intended) and it's caught up to him. 

Nkosi ... I still like him. He's strong and I can't help but feel he'll get better and better if left to mature. I'd keep him ... probably bring in another to push him to excel.

Speckman is a Kolbe type. He's illusive with a brilliant step on either foot. When he steps an opponent, I end up falling off my couch. I don't like him though. He's not a long term option in my opinion. I would prefer a chunkier, more solid wing than him.

Mapimpi is just another speedster with nothing else to offer. He's a poor defender and awful under the high ball. He's lazy and stays on his side of the field no matter what. I wouldn't consider him at all.

Ismael always impressed me. Big, strong, fast, solid under the high ball and a good defender. He also tends to look for work and can often be found in the mix when the game goes loose. He's more my kind of a wing.

What's happened to him though? He seems to have vanished from sight.

What about Combrinck? He's an option ... surely. He has pace, is solid under the high ball, has a educated boot, is a great ball carrier, hard to bring down, defends well and can shoot at goal from his own half.

As for those who have secured their spots, I would agree on them all, except for Vermeulen. He needs to get his fitness levels sorted and play for the entire 80. He's not the man he was and one feels that he'll go awol in the 2nd half. I have no confidence in him.

Funny that all those you've mentioned are ... dare I say ... white. Not a black man in sight. Leaves one to ponder how many would actually make the grade on merit ... 1 maybe 2??

I like Marco van Staden but he seems to be injury prone. Also ... the Du Preez brothers should be considered ... and the same can be said for Jaco Kriel, Ruan Ackermann and Augustus being brought in to challenge for positions in the back row.

Jaco would be my 6 and captain.

Nice post, Mozart ... for a change ... it's an interesting topic to discuss ... seems that lonely brain cell of yours has found a mate. Hope to see more like this.   

Amazing that you can see defensive weaknesses in Mapimpi but not in Nkosi. Matter of fact Nkosi is running up a resume on being a defensive sieve....have a look at last weekend's game for his latest.

It's actually easy to see the flaws in Mapimpi's game ... they're right in front of us, all the time.

You like him, Denny?

No matter, maybe I'm just bias ... so I'll go look again ... but bearing in mind that everyone has a bad day and that dropping a player on one poor performance isn't really fair.

Nkosi has a done a lot of good in my opinion to keep his spot as a Bok.

Sorry bud but his "lot of good" all comes undone when he drops his bundle like he did in last years tests. At international level there is no room for schoolboy weaknesses.

Haven't seen Mapimpi yet so I can't really say, I've gone off rugby a bit so I don't watch as many games as I used to but I'll keep an eye out for your bloke. Combrinck, a bit on the slow side if there's a weakness gets my vote as either a Bok fullback or wing.

Talking of "school boy weaknesses" ... there certainly is a lot of that in our current Bok set up.

We'd have to discard at least 80% of the players if we wanted to avoid that issue.

Ours is a double cross to bear......hell, you must be a fool to be a lifelong Bok fan. Unlike any other international team we not only have to beat the enemy within, which in all cases is the hardest battle of it all but then you have to win the game on the scoreboard playing with a dimished team.

Cut me some slack FFS.

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Nkosi was overhyped for walk over tries early last year, a couple of those being setup by Dyantyi. He lacked physicality on tour. Mapimpi is stronger, busier, has better skills and a more assertive presence. For the Boks, he was very clinical. Made far fewer mistakes than either Dyantyi or Nkosi. 

... yes and Mohoje is a better flank than McCaw ... Gerber is a sub standard center ... and Folau sucks at 15.

Ha! Mohoje a better flanker than McCaw. You are spending too much time in the company of Mike. First Damian is the GOAT of GOATS, now this? What next? 

I'll pretend I didn't see the other two. Let it not be said that I am kind of heart. 

Our biggest defence head ache has been our wings. Both Brian and JP were really solid defenders and excellent under the high ball. 

We simply need a tall winger that can anticipate the kick and who is brave under the high ball. 

Duhan should be a must on the sheet, but then Rassie will lose out on a prime quota place. 

Was it just me or did Jessie tore Am defence to shreds last weekend? 

CC

Ismaiel has not vanished - he ahs been injured for months.   After injury he played in one CC game last year and has not played in any game  since.  He seems to be injury prone.

Dave

Rassie is addicted to Rugby and  all the Edinburgh  matchs in the Champions Cup, as wella s some of their Pro14 matches have been on TV in SA,   Rassie would not have missed one of those and I am sure he has seen Van der Merwe as one of the circa 12 foreign club players he is following with a  potential Springbok selection ,      

He needs quotas, that means black wings, a black fullback, a black 13 and perhaps a non-white flyhalf. It would be quite something for José Erasmus to select Duhan.