The Boks team and tactics are up for grabs

 With the advent of Willie Le Roux and JJ Engelbrecht  the Boks tilt towards a more attacking style. But do we have the players to pull it off? Morne is a kicking flyhalf, we have no real running loosies in the Big Joe/Bobby Skinstad mode, and our tight forwards are  poorer on the run than our opponents. 

I doubt we will achieve critical mass this year.The Cheetahs show the way in many games.....but at best there will be two Cheetahs in the  Bok team...Willie and Strauss. Not enough. For the Bok style to change we need a feeder team  with many more test class players dedicated to the running game. If the Sharks or Stormers had embraced a similar playing style....maybe.

So what we are asking Meyer to do is take essentially the same players, and produce a playing style far more aggressive than the component unions. I'd like to believe this is possible, but my instincts tell me it's more likely that known defensive frailties will derail Willie and JJ.....and the Boks will revert to kicking, mauling and tackling.

And how successfull was Skinstadt?

We can't take on the AB trying to beat them at their own game. Nothing was wrong with the Boks game plan. Just the implementation of it wasn't spot on.  

 Mike, Morne has been miles better than Lamebie this year, he has scored more tries and has created more. Lamebie has shown zilch, hopefully Brenden Venter sorts him out but this is the year of Morne.

 Nope I'm on about all throughout the Bulls campaign there has been assist to tries from Morne dotted about, not that frequent but more than Lambie has done throughout the year. Lambie has shown nothing of this attacking flair since the RWC 2011.

Moz I dont understand how you can say Lambie cant make a break when we have seen many breaks ftom the lad throughout his career. He has been a bit short on breaks this year but thats a Sharks team thing.

Lambie is a class act, who proved his metal and ability seasons ago. He has had an average season much like Dagg has and to be fair Cruden has not set the world alight this year either, in fact bar the semi where I cant say I thought he was that good but others thought differently, he has been pretty average. His name has not featured that often if at all in the S15 team of the week if memory serves me correctly.

Sorry Moz, Lambie over Morne is a no brainer for me.

As for the Kiwi tightforwards, I cant say I see likes of Krockott, Franks, Woodcock, Hore, Romanoa, Retalick or Whitelock looking any more impressive with ball in hand than our boys, not by any stretch

Mike get this into your head, I dont care what you think about Hougaard, I have seen him all season and had no issue with his game at all. A fit Hougaard walks my side at 9, no questions asked.

Why on earth would I want old man Jean in my backline when I have Serfontein, Serfontein is better and thats a fact......so, no Jean does not make my side, I have long moved on from Jean. My centres are Serfontein and JJ and they are there to stay for the duration. There is just no way in hell I could bring myself to selecting Jean ahead of either Serfontein or JJ, not in a million years.

The selection of my centres is one of the easiest selections I would have to make.

Cruden had a very good game against the Stormers and I think he made the team of the week back then, but that was at the start of the season. Carter was obviously the pick of the 10's the last couple of rounds, but that's par for the course. 

Cruden is a quality player, like Lambie but both have had average seasons by their standards.

Difference being that Cruden has been playing in a winning side, Lambie not

Dave I honestly  can't remember Lambie making any break from 10....but plenty from 15 where he cuts well onto a popped ball. How is he going to beat the defence at 10? Step....nope. Pace ....nope. Power...nope. Face it, he's just pretty ordinary ball in hand.

But more than that he is mentally shot.....much like Hougaard. They have both lost enormous confidence, and I can't see a test against NZ as the place to regain it. They are much like Rory McIlroy.....totally confused.

Both those chaps are going to  have to rebuild at provincial level

Have to disagree here Moz, I dont recall a particular break, but I know Lambie has made a few from 10. His pace is good enough to execute a break, he has a good eye for a gap and has always had a good step. 

There is just no way I could select Morne ahead of Lambie, for we will never challenge seriously with Morne at 10. While Lambie has not set the world alight I cant say he has been poor, much the same with Hougaard.

I would play Lambie at 10 as I just could not bring myself to selecting Morne at 10 - its just not going to happen.

Moz, you shortsighted biased twit with absolutely no rugby understanding - Lambie is a much better attacking flyhalf than Steyn - there is just no comparison. Please take a look at the stats from this years S15 that expose your obvious lack of objectivity:

Tries: Lambie 1, Steyn 2

Try Assists: Lambie 3, Steyn 5

Line breaks: Lambie 3, Steyn 4

Tackles bust: Lambie 11, Steyn 10

Line breaks created: Lambie 5, Steyn 8

Go-forward: Lambie 36, Steyn 38

Offloads: Lambie 7, Steyn 2

Moz - come now, be honest .... clearly you can see that Steyn has no idea how to offload - this proves Lambie's vastly superior attacking prowess.

It doesn't matter that Steyn's kicking percentage was higher for the season because in his last two Super Rugby games Lambie ended on a real confidence boosting hot streak only missing 9 from 15 attempts, while making an impressive 6. We have no reason to fear that he will lose his nerve in the Rugby Championship. The hopes of a nation are well placed in his trusty right boot

I hope you can see my point Moz.

Damn, I've been exposed again by  a pesky stat. Ja I can see clearly now, Morne crumbles under pressure. He has no attacking nous....whereas Lambie slips tackles like Houdini. I'm totally persuaded by  your arguments....I'm for Lambie and freedom from the tyranny of the boot.

 In all seriousness - LeRoux joining the line has helped a lot of our attacking deficiencies. His timing and passing are just awesome at times. I hope the game planning to get him involved continues.

It will be interesting to see how LeRoux handles the pressure of the RC and how Meyer handles the mistakes that LeRoux is bound to make  - how much of a leash will he get?

Le Roux is something we haven't had for a long time...and I'm not very confident Meyer will live with the inevitable miscues. Which is one of the reasons I felt a Campese style wing role might be best. A major mistake at fullback has pretty much always been terminal in Bok rugby.

They should make me the Bok coach

First prize: Bust the line.
Second prize: Build momentum.
Third prize: Squeeze a penalty.