The brilliance of Quan Horn

This guy produces some magical moments and seems to be a great all round rugby player.

Yip. Been saying it for a while now.

He is proper.

not sure about flyhalf, but he’s a really really good fullback.

Looking forward to seeing him at 10 Chippo along with the other newbies.

Chippo

We have a flyhalf problem with Sacha injured and Pollard seemingly on the way down. I am not sure of the goalkicking of Horn This is an effort to strengthen the flyhalf siltuation. Another potential candidate barely out of school - Yaqeen Ahmed - is also on display playing for the A team..

Where is Manie?

In Japan - hopefully he stays there.

Manie will be dearly needed without Sacha ...and sorely missed if not there ...

Manie is with the squad, he is being "managed" after his long Japan season so not starting against the Barbies.

It's nice to see that even when you are playing for an underfunded team and live the underdog life, you can still get noticed.

Kudos to the Boks for noticing and selecting him.

I wonder whether it is worth looking at our flyhalf stocks. Clearly the bok coaches don't rate Willemse as a 10. Given it was then who used him at 15 while he was still playing at 10 and 12 for the Stormers.

Sasha has been hot and cold and takes on to much, breaks the line, scores amazing solo tries but how much problems does he create.

Manie game management has improved a lot but his BMT has always been a problem, either missing easy kicks that cost a match against Argentina or the count down clock getting to him. He is also a poor tackler and often loses the ball in contact but have also two of the greatest recent book results against the all blacks. He is a fantastic exhibition player but then chokes in Semi and finals or when the game is on the line. Does Cassie have patience to put him in those positions when we continue to lose.

Pollard has been a sad story over the last 5 years. Yes, his kicking won both world cups but it is his general play. The boks are not able to get any meaningful backline play going, doesn't help having dud and Jessica as centres and Willemse chicken step to nowhere as your outside backs. Willie has been the only creative spark that brings players like Arendse and Kolbe into play. He is throwing more and more intercept passes and his touch finders are not great either. Relies heavily on his cross field kick, all over the field and just breaks down momentum and don't allow proper attack platforms. Opposition always ends up with a low tackle count given how often he kicks good possession away.

Then there are other 10s in SA right now. Hendriks has gone from bad to worse.

So I guess it is Juan to the rescue. Will be interesting ??

"Manie game management has improved a lot but his BMT has always been a problem, either missing easy kicks that cost a match against Argentina or the count down clock getting to him. He is also a poor tackler and often loses the ball in contact but have also two of the greatest recent book results against the all blacks. He is a fantastic exhibition player but then chokes in Semi and finals or when the game is on the line. Does Cassie have patience to put him in those positions when we continue to lose."

Unfortunately all true...

When last have you, watched a rugby test objectively? Ask yourself how many tries have been scored by the Springboks using a combination of loose forwards in scoring of tries,

How many tests did the Springboks won and how many tries been scored, Compare that to what happened before Easmus was appointed.

The Springbok team has matured playing a style of rugby the AB's played for decades. How many times have you and others criticized for instance Du Toit because he was where you believe he should not be.

Kicking is part of the game of rugby and the issue is whether the team benefit from the kicks, I will give you an example - Carter kicked more balls than Morne did - but Carter's kicks were strategic and was part of the AB attacks. and put pressure on opponents - Morne's kicks were aimless and inaccurate putting his own team under pressure,

Sacha started of better than he is at present - but I do not blame him - blame his clueless franchise coach.

, .

1 word

Vusi Moyo…

That's two words, MicroChip.

But I do agree, he looks a real talent.

Thanks Draad, for the call out.

Chipps, Moyo looks good, real robust player, like his frame, tough as nails, has great presence. However, still think he has another junior World Cup in him.

As for the Junior boks, it will be how well they perform, actually can they win the Junior World Cup two years in a row?

Lots of talk "hype" on the junior boks. Just hope we don't keep falling into SA's trap of always chasing the next young talent and use the players that we have invested. However, knowing Rassie, I don't think that will be a problem given how well he knows all the players and that fact that he keeps players like Faf around

I know I'm victim to confirmation bias but I can't get behind Manie.

And it's bloody terrible because I know for a fact he is as clean as a whistle. The most consummate of consummate professionals.

Roos basically blew the Stormers chances of a home semi in that game where he imploded and handed the win to the opposition. But somehow I can see myself gaining confidence in him again if he pulls himself together.

But Manie makes a few mistakes at the wrong times and I've lost faith in him forever and there is apparently no possible redemption.

It's weird.

Anyway, I'm glad the Boks are finally starting to select for IQ.

Rassie is putting together a group of backs that are proper game readers.

When you look back at the great AB team and the clever backs they had, the current Boks look like they could match them man for man in terms of smarts.