Talent Pools

…..are not a constant. They change over time. Twenty five years ago Australia had 8 players who would have walked into the Bok team. Now they have literally none. What has happened to the Horan, Joe Cool, Herbert, Larkham, Latham, Gregan, Eales, George Smith crowd.

The current NZ team has some good players who might make the Bok team…Barrett, Mo’unga, Jordan, Lomax and Savea. But I’d only pick Savea. Mo’unga is a talent, Sacha could be better. Barrett is no Nonu or Umaga, a retreaded fullback, I’d rather have Kolbe than Jordan.

A huge part of our recent dominance is the decline of these two talent pools.

In the meantime our’s has exploded as the African community has fully embraced rugby. Twenty years from now we could see a few white locks in the Bok team, but that could be it. We will see our first all non white backline in the next few years. The front row is nearly there and Hanekom and Roos aside, the young back row talent also tends to be black.

At the same time France is finding a wealth of talent in countries they are affiliated with…giving them monster props and locks.

This talent pool phenomenon favors South Africa….the draw is now from 60 million, not six million. Young white kids are probably giving up the dream of being a Sprongbok, while young b;ack kids can see the pathway.

But will we ever see a lock like Eben Etzebeth again….I doubt it.

Mozart

Talent pools develop base on investment of money in Rugby development rom school age onwards It is here ehere SAis ears ahead of oher rugby plaing countries. The investment of voer R1,2 billion n development of rugby in schools lay th basis for fither develpment of playes playing Under 20 Rgby.

The Zanzaar under 20 RC sarts on Monday and that is where palye tht devlop as Springboks strt showig wat they can develop into. That is where I saw Willemse and Sacha the first time and they showed why they are aleady Springbks. That is also where I saw Esterhuizen the first ime and he was a poor skills player and hes till is still he same

However, the Zanzaar series starts on 1 May 2025 in PE and is to be played ibetween Argentina Australia, NewZealand and South Africa and played in Port Elizabeth. You should really rry to see those matctches and see what real talents are coming through on that level.

A oresent SA has limited ability as to flyhalfs - with Pollard not being the player in 2019 and with long injury absences. The only real back-ups are Wolhuter of the Lions and in ar more problems Goosen at the Bulls, The rest are bsically not up to standard as ws proven by Libbok and Hendriks of the Sharks, So what I am looking for is if here are a further flyhal coming though to halp filling that void,

. . , .

Disagree that the NZ talent pool has declined - Oz yes

But at the same time Ireland, France, Scotland, Argentina and Italy all have had boosts in their talent pools where said sides are the best they have ever been

But don’t you think Irelands team is getting to its natural end ? I don’t see too many players to step into the vacancies there surely will be.

Or I could be wrong !!

Argentina certainly has a lot of scope to extend the talent pool. Whether that will make them a WC contender remains to be seen. Scotland and Italy have been importing into key positions. I don’t see that as the same thing. And Ireland seems to be stagnant at best.

The weird thing about Eben, for me, is that he gets better every year.

At his size and with his reputation, you'd think he would slow down and rest on his laurels a little, but he doesn't seem at all interested in doing that.

There's a sort of recent interview where he tells Big Jim that "To play for the Springboks you must be willing to put your body on the line." And you can see by the look in his eyes when he says it. And then you look at how quickly he reacts when his teammates get into scuffles. There's no way anybody could be in the same team as Eben and not be inspired by what he brings and is willing to do.

100% a living legend.

Yes, Eben is one of our great locks - right up there with the likes of Bakkies, Victor and Frik . . . but nowhere near as important to the Springbok cause as the great warrior Pieter-Steph du Toit . . . two time World Rugby Player of the Year, Player of the Match in two RWC finals and the greatest Springbok of his generation.

There can be only one . . . and PSdT is the one!

There will never be another Eben

Becs I doubt Ireland are slipping - they were without Farrell as coach and Furlong at tighthead in the 6N and it showed

The way their young B Leinster side dealt with our provincial sides tells me they have some good youngsters coming through

NZ and England are shooting themselves in the foot not selecting overseas based players - it’s fucking archaic

We'll have to wait for his boys, nephews or cousins and their kids...thay lot are all freaks of nature...met his brother and a few of his cousins over the years...

RG Snyman is my nephews Afrikaans teacher at Helpmekaar...she's 6'7 lol

...so she's about 2'7 taller than Rooi

Plum, how tall are you?

Plum is a dwarf

I’m yet to be convinced by Ireland…….

As for us not picking from abroad, it’s just the way it is. At the moment there’s not a major amount abroad we’d be desperate to choose from anyway.

But the Afrikaans teacher probably weighs 120kgs less than Timestamp

Ireland does not become shit overnight

But they deserved to fall a little given the stupid call of Farrell not being involved

Dave,

I spent most of my adult life thinking I was 172cm...only to mess around with a measuring tape at the dinner table a while ago and find out that I'm actually just under 180cm.

I was pleasantly surprised...

I didn’t say Ireland were useless…..I said I think they are at the start of a downward trajectory from where they have been.

Farrell chose to take the Six Nations off.

We are similar heights then - I’m around that 1.8m mark

The last time my height was measured was probably in the Army - 1988

And I’m saying given the impressive showings of the Leinster B side this season, Ireland look anything but short of new talent coming through

...stop flirting with me, Dave.

Plum show me your tits

Does that work on those "Married Woman Near Me"?

Most likely.

Did it work on you, Becs?

I guess that beats ‘anal cleansing’ or whatever other shit pops up in my posts :)

That would be telling, Plum.

Telling as in indicative?

Nope.

Becs your boobs my hands

Lovely, Saffolk !

Just as long as it’s not Dave’s boobs in your’s Becs.

Becs love a bit of Dave twerking in his golden thong...

:)

I think those images are going to take a while to digest, chaps !!

Your boobs are lovely though

Your boobs are lovely though

Well I clearly misunderstood what the "Talent Pools" in the thread title was referring to.

Pakie…..I think we all did !

The ‘pools’ was the giveaway….coconuts (no pun intended) palm trees, flamingos, transparent green water, white sand……and talent.