Team Selection - Rugby Championship - Round 2

South Africa  vs  New Zealand
South Africa 
15  Willie le Roux, 14  Cornal Hendricks, 13  Jesse Kriel, 12  Damian de Allende, 11  Bryan Habana, 10  Handre Pollard, 9  Ruan Pienaar, 8  Schalk Burger (c), 7  Francois Louw, 6  Heinrich Brussow,  5  Lodewyk de Jager,  4  Eben Etzebeth, 3  Jannie du Plessis, 2  Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Rplacements ;
16  Adriaan Strauss, 17  Trevor Nyakane, 18  Vincent Koch, 19   Flip van der Merwe, 20  Warren Whiteley, 21  Cobus Reinach, 22  Patrick Lambie,  23  Lionel Mapoe

New Zealand
15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Charles Piutau, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read. 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 James Broadhurst, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Tony Woodc ock
Replacements :
16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crocket, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Sam Whitelock, 20 Victor Vito, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Beauden Barrett, Malakai Fekitoa  
Argentina  vs  Australia

Argentina 

15 Santiago Cordero, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Javier Ortega Desio, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustin Creevy (captain), 1 Marcos Ayerza

Replacements :

16 Santiago Iglesias Valdez, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Matias Diaz, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino

Australia

15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Poc ock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Stephen Moore (c), 1 James Slipper

Replacements :  

16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Dean Mumm, 20 Michael Hooper, 21 Nic White, 22 Quade Cooper, 23 Kurtley Beale

 SA Team updated - please note changes as a res ult of the injury to JP Pietersen,

Australia Updated

Thanks Brycy
AB's updated  

 Hansen taking some risk to give some new guys a chance.good on him.

Our B team should be good enough to see off the Yarpies.

 Ka Mate 
Is this an excuse to be raised if the AB's loses on Saturday, because it is the B-team of the AB's?
Lets look at the team.  There are two players in that team that has not been regular AB players - namely Sopoaga and Broadhurst.  Is that enough to grade the team as a B-team of the AB's?  I do not think so.
If you add Charles Piutau - who has not been a regular player for the AB's but already had played in 16 test matches to the above - this is probably for the rest is an experienced AB team that has been around for years.  If that team lose on Saturday - it should be a warning sign - since they are playing a team which in the main has far less experience.   
So lets look at the various players:-
No 15  =  Israel Dagg             -   48 tests              Willie le Roux          -   26 tests
No 14  =  Conrad Smith          -   85 tests              Jesse Kriel             -    1 test
No 13  =   Ma'a Nonu             -   95 tests              Damian de Allende   -     4 tests
No 11  =   Charles Piutau        -    16 tests              Bryan Habana         -   107 tests
No 10  =   Lima Sopoaga         -      -                Handre Pollard         -     10 tests
No 9    =   Aaron Smith           -    38 tests               Ruan Pienaar          -    81 tests   
Backline Players - total caps:- 
All Blacks      =      282 capsSpringboks    =      251 caps

No 8   =    Kieran Read          -     74 tests               Schalk Burger       -     76 tests
No 7   =    Richie McCaw       -     139 tests               Heinrich Brussow   -      20 tests
No 6   =    Liam Messam        -      40 tests               Francois Louw      -       35 tests
No 5   =    James Broadhurst  -        -               Lodewyk van Wyk -       10 tests
No 4   =    Brody Retallick      -       35 tests               Eben Etzebeth      -       34 tests
No 3   =    Owen Franks        -       69 tests               Jannie du Plessis   -       63 tests
No  2   =   Dane Coles           -      27 tests               Bismarck du Plessis -     71 tests
No 1    =   Tony Woodc ock    -     112 tests          =   tendai Mtawarira    -       65 tests Forwards - total caps
All Blacks       =   496 testsSouth Africa   =   380 tests
Whole Teams - total caps  All Blacks       =    778  testsSouth Africa   =    631 tests
Looking at the above figures there is no doubt that this is an experienced team with 2 players with no caps.  No excuse to call this AB team a B-team at all      
 

 Well I woulden't call any AB team a B team. But this Ab team is missing Carter, Savea, SBW, S Whitelock e.t.c. Besides I don't think amount of caps prooves either way a B team. It is more the quality of the player. It is perceived to be a B team. Seeing got a debut flyhalf, and a lock Broadhurst. Considering the Abs supeior win/loss record over the boks recently, I don't think it matters haha. 

 Luke
It is either SBW or Nonu - not both - so that is not a factor.  The other three could make a difference - but not very much.   Once they decided not to play Carter at Ellis Park - Barrett was not in the picture to start.  I know he scored a try in 2013 at that venue - but since then he was very pedestrian playing against the Springboks and he is a bit of a defense liability.  Fear of De Allende may have influenced that selection though.
 With all due respects the AB's have at best two international locks available - but neither are really good in Tight 5 play - more so in open field play and Broadhurst is the same - so no big difference in that case as well.     
I am not so sure the AB's are going to win tomorrow.  I think that there  may be a problem for them in the midfield.  Whatever people may think of Hansen - he identifies threats well.  Last year he said he is worried about Pollard - and Pollard scored two tries.   This year he mentioned Pollard, De Allende and Kriel as threats and he may be right again.  
      

 New Zealand Updated

 
From the talent available to the All Blacks, this is very much an experimental side, looking toward their options.

The mere fact that they've decided to select this b side against us shows us the amount of respect they have for us ... none!!!l

They have nothing to lose ... the pressure is on us ... I would not be surprised if Meyer develops a nervous tick before long.

We have a midfield with potential and a 10 that can tear anyone a new one ... the rest of the side are old, tired, conservative and by a long shot not our best.


 

 I think Hansen has put getting info. on his marginal players as the priority as part of the prep. for the RWC. He still wants to win this game so I don't think there is any disrespect intended.
Meyer is also experimenting a bit & there is no disrespect their either.

 
The difference between the two Just Win is that Hansen deliberately chose to select these fringe players ... he genuinely wants to have a look at them ... whereas Meyer's selection is a matter of having his hand forced due to injury.

Also, Hansen may not be disrespectful to us but what he definitely is, is confident that his experimental side can beat Meyer's so called best.

That must install a great deal of confidence within his team ... having the coach's full support and belief behind them.

Seeing him sitting back ... relaxed as though he was about to enjoy a tasty meal.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is a Meyer nervously pacing up and down, worried, fearful, desperate ... see the difference?

 Problem in the midfield lol? Please. Nonu and Smith have been the best centre pairing of the past decade. I think they would have no problem dealing with tbh at times static De Allende, who can be good but is very inconsistent. Brodie was world player of the year last year. He has prooven his worth in the core roles, so has broadhurst, so they are fine their. 

Clean Cut, the players that are ones Meyer wants to know more about IMO are:
Hendricks; J. Kriel,  Brussow, Lood, Koch, Flip, Whitely, Mapoe.

I agree most are forced by injury but it is still good that they get a run because Meyer has to know about them before the RWC. They reason doesn't mat ter.
AB are testing: new players: Sopoaga; Broadhurst; Codie Taylor ; and backups: e.g. TJ, Vito, Fekitoa.
COuld be argued that a couple of these are also related to injuries, e.g. Sopaga; TJ. But I agree most of the AB selections are resulting from a need to know not injuries.
Both teams are experimenting and want to learn more about players. No disrespect on either side.

No way this NZ team is experimental or a "B" side.
500 caps in the forward pack, 320 in the backline, 217 on the bench.
Sopoaga will be playing next to his mate Aaron Smith, would probably have been my pick over Barrett, and I suspect may have been Hansen's as well.
Broadhurst has been the form NZ lock in Super Rugby, esp with Whitelock and Jaws out hurt for several weeks. Not much of a risk at all.
Only real differences from Hansen's full strength side:
10 - Carter4 - Whitelock11 - Savea6 - Kaino
Either way - going to be an epic match. Two best rugby teams in the world head to head in what is surely a preview of the WC semi-final !

its not a B team, but its definitely not our strongest team. the core remains solid though and i understand hansens need to experiment, but against the Boks in south africa, in ellis park??? o_O

i was like oh no, when they didnt take carter but i sh!t my pants when sopoaga was named to start, far too big a gamble for such a crucial position.
aaron smith will help with their strong highlanders connection and tj perenara will maintain will keep the familiar combo going thnx to their time with the lions.
nonus the form 12 in the world at the momemnt, so were all good there too.
but a test debut, for a team with the highest standards in the world against the toughest opposition??? i feel like its mistake, but i hope sopoaga proves me wrong.

 Limas either going to fail misearbly, or thrive. I hope its the latter, but I agree my friend Naru haha I think it maybe a mistake. Maybe thats just the cynic in me. Although Barrets a super sub at Test Lvl, I might of started Barrett, more prooven. Lima off the bench. Putting Lima in the firing line like this, Hanson is very bold. Broadhurst I understand, but at Ten your the decision maker. Either way I am picking NZ by 8. 

 The weather is bloody miserable all over the country and so is Eskom.  They are load shedding in the Southern Cape from 16:00 to 18:00 - so no electricity as well.  Won't effect me - I have a suitable generator to keep the electricity in the house going - but most people does not have that luxury at all.      

 Cc is talking nonsense We have a significant number of players out who could make the match 22. Kitshof, Du Toit, Vermuelen and Cietzee. Backs - Faf Du Preez, Jean. Guys who should be there. Kriel Virster and Combrinck. A full strength Bok side properly selected should win the RWC