The side that should be playing tomorrow and that would beat the Welsh comfortably:
15. Willie 14. JP 13. JJ 12. Serfontein 11. Habana 10. Lambie 9. du Preez 1. Beast 2. Bismark 3. Coenie 4. Etzebeth 5. Steph du Toit 6. Kolisi 7. CJ Stander 8. Vermeulen
16. Strauss 17. Kitshoff 18. Malherbe 19. de Jager 20. Coetzee 21. v/Zyl 22. Goosen 23. Frans
There's very little wrong with your choices, Saffex. If Jan Serfontein was in the under 20 team that won the Junior Rugby World Cup and played well for the Bulls then he's obviously good for a run...I believe in venture and risk...it's time for him to be blooded. That small opportunity when Bryan was injured was not a fair chance for him to really show himself. I agree with Saffex I think this boy has what it takes.
Furthermore there's nothing wrong with Willie @ Fullback...a heck of an approvement on Wooly Booly...and JP is a world class wing.
Seriously, even if one's intention was to hurry along change...you wouldn't do this. Let me take it case by case:
Willie at 15 I can live with, but it only makes sense if you are committed to an attacking game.
JP... fine
JJ.... a robotic sprinter, not quite as fast as play-alike Nokwe
Serfontein....needs game time at a lower level, outplayed by Ebersohn
Habana....Dave is finally over dropping him
Lambie... ready to do what Cooper did against the Poms, miss crucial kicks.
du Preez.. fine
Beast...fine
Bissie...if he can stay on the park
Coenie.... supposed to be ready in a few years
Etzebeth....more than fine
Stephanie....who starts a lock against Wales without any test bench time?
Kolisi....a non event, totally disappeared in the CC final
CJ Stander....Dave against the World
Vermeulen fine
This team would be a disaster. We may not beat Wales on Saturday, I have personally called the match dead even. But this team would have no chance. For example, Dave fails to name a captain for good reason, there are few experienced leaders in the team.
EASILY COUNTERED AS ALWAYS
Seriously, even if one's intention was to hurry along change...you wouldn't do this. Let me take it case by case:
Willie at 15 I can live with, but it only makes sense if you are committed to an attacking game. WELL YES WE WANT TO BE PLAYING ATTACKING RUGBY
JP... fine
JJ.... a robotic sprinter, not quite as fast as play-alike Nokwe. BULLSHIT, BEST ATTACKING PROSPECT WE HAVE HAD AT 13 SINCE GERBER, NO SA CENTRE HAS HIS SPEED OR FEET
Serfontein....needs game time at a lower level, outplayed by Ebersohn. CRAP THE LAST TIME EBERSOHN BEAT ANYONE WAS EARLY IN THE S15, SERFONTEIN HAS REAL CLOUT, WE NEED TO MOVE ON FROM THE OLD MAN JEAN, WHO PROVIDES THE SOLID. SOLID DOES NOT WIN MATCHES
Habana....Dave is finally over dropping him. YEP AND I CONCEDED AS MUCH ABOUT A YEAR AGO
Lambie... ready to do what Cooper did against the Poms, miss crucial kicks. OH YEAH NEXT YOU WILL BE TELLING ME MORNE IS A BETTER DEFENDER???? WE NEED A CREATIVE PIVOT – THEREFORE ITS GOOSEN OR LAMBIE. IF BOK RUGBY IS TO PROGRESS MORNE HAS TO GO
du Preez.. fine
Beast...fine
Bissie...if he can stay on the park
Coenie.... supposed to be ready in a few years. HAS BEEN SOLID COMING OFF THE BENCH FOR THE BOKS AT 3, SO TIME FOR HIM TO START THIS TOUR, WITH THE IMPRESSIVE MALHERBE AS BACK-UP
Etzebeth....more than fine
Stephanie....who starts a lock against Wales without any test bench time? YEP, SIMPLE CHOICE, HE IS A FAR BETTER PLAYER THAN FLIP AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE STARTING AGAINST WALES, WALES ARE HARDLY THE AB’S
Kolisi....a non event, totally disappeared in the CC final. HAS BEEN GREAT FOR THE BOKS COMING OFF THE BENCH MAKING MORE OF AN IMPACT THAN LOUW WHO HAS BEEN AVERAGE ALL YEAR
CJ Stander....Dave against the World. BEST YOUNG LOOSIE SA HAS, EVERYONE WILL TELL YOU THAT. MEYER IS AN IDIOT FOR MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT GIVEN HIS SELECTION RECORD, ITS HARDLY SURPRISING
Vermeulen fine
This team would be a disaster. We may not beat Wales on Saturday, I have personally called the match dead even. But this team would have no chance. For example, Dave fails to name a captain for good reason, there are few experienced leaders in the team. WE WILL LOSE TO WALES WITH THE PISS POOR SIDE MEYER HAS SELECTED, MY SIDE WOULD HAVE WON COMFORTABLY AS THE PLAYERS I SELECTED ARE BETTER THAN THE ONES MEYER HAS SELECTED, ITS THAT SIMPLE. DU PREEZ WOULD LEAD MY SIDE
Saffex
I have a few problems with your team _
* You cannot replace the in-form De Viliers without any sound reason - Serfonmtein is very promsising - but can co9me in later when circumstances change - he is at this stage not on par with De Villiers;
* Cj Stander would be a huge gamble - I know you like him, but he had no experience on Super 15 level and played mostly on lower levels. He has not proven anything on higher levels of the game up to now and I think the coaches are to blame for not creating opportunities for him to prove himself. However, any player of note will be better than Willem Alberts.
* Kolisi blew hot and cold - mostly cold - in the games he played in on test level thus far and I so not see him as any improvement on Louw at this stage of his career.
I suspect that Meyer believes that Malherbe is a stronger tighthead scrummager than Coenie is at this stage - but I really do not mind which of the two starts tomorrow.
Listen guys...you are always too one dimensional to criticise another mans choices...I for one don't always agree with Saffex's choices but one thing I do agree with him is promotion of youth and not to clip all young players wings...we have stuffed up far too much talent by keeping back young players and not letting them grow...they must be thrown in at the deep end...they are not... because deep in our traditions we are so fearful about a loss that we have become neurotic about it...we are cowards...nothing ventured nothing gained. We will make errors by venturing but it is the only way to grow.
I'm very concerned by our attitudes...I was very worried about Patrick Lambie and the way he has been kept back but at last he has been given the opportunity and that also must be applied to a whole host of other young men.
