The facts on Age and Bok rugby success

 Mozart Nice stats, but age is not the only factor of importance - the real asset test is performance by players irrespective of age. however, there is with rare exceptions a tendency that as players get older - there is a downward slide in performances. That trend is particularly noticeable in the squads that is unable to repeat WC wins. Nobody - bar perhaps Saffex - want players like De Villiers and Habana out of the team for the next WC - when they would be 33 years of age - because their present performance is extra-ordinary and exceptional. However, the players - like Morne Steyn, Kirchnr, Jannie, and Alberts will all be 32 by the time the WC comes around and if their performances follow the normal trend noticeable in older players - their contributions - already seriously questionable at this stage - will be downright poor by that time., At their age - there is NO REASON to expect that from average test players they would become good ones. That is the main reason why those players should be identified and phased out now - to allow for their successors to gain experience. There are only three international series before 2015 WC and the best solution should be to bring in new players now and not wait till the last minute and be forced to bring in completely inexperienced players then . There could also if necessary be adjustments in the June series if new players do not make the grade and even in the next RC. By the end of the RC next year we should have the squad in place that would represent us at the WC. The whole process could obviously also be influenced by performances in the Super 15 next year - where players like Francois Steyn and Schalk Burger can come back into the mix depending on performances. Selection of players solely based on reputation is an absolute no-no and a recipe for disaster.

@mozter,

nice read, where did u get the average ages from???

IMO average age is not important a factor as others, like quality of players in actual teams, level of opponents in the RWC, venue and misc factors which are significant but could not be controlled.

in general i agree that age is irrelevant, as the modern day player only needs a lifespan of within 4 years which is the duration between RWCs.
it dosnet matter how old a player will be as long as hes not crazy old by the time the next RWC comes along, there will always be exceptions like thorn, but its a common rule of thumb, hence hore possibly playing in his final year as an All Black.

Boks are in a different position, after years of that spastic soccer game they have majored in, they are looking to break those 10 man shackles and embrace the attacking game which NZ rugby has long used to entertain the world a 100 times over while keeping up the second to none record.

i have seen the Boks play more attacking rugby in 2013 then i have my whole lifetime including past footage of years gone by. for the record it was 5 games by my count.
against lower caliber teams including a woeful coached wallabies, they were able to pull it of and make it almost look natural, but once they stepped into the lions cage with the All Blacks, they found out first hand why NZ is on top of the rugby food chain.

in eden park masked by poites incompetence, Boks were content with their mindless good for nothing kicks which netted them so much negative plays it wasnt funny.

in ellis park, the Boks tried to run everything, even when it clearly wasnt on. JDV and morne made error upon error which the All Blacks capitalised on saying see ya wouldnt want to be ya in the process.

the point is, are the older players in the Boks team who have spent a lifetime playing rugby with their bafana bafana impersonations, holding back the team???
should the Boks who want to embrace the more exciting brand of rugby which NZ have had trademark rights to for ever, get rid of the older players and their older habits and bring on the young guns who havernt been tainted by the old boring Bok formula, the likes of sefontein, lambie, du toit, lappies etc

IMO older players still have value if they contribute to what their teams end goals are, the All Blacks older players are a good example, the Boks older players are not.
theres always an exc eption to the rule of course, and habana is that one and only exception.

That's largely pablum OOM....if a player loses form, of course you don't select him. But all the RWC winning teams.... Poms in 2003, Boks in 07 and ABs in 2011... had strong contributors well into their thirties. Dave was apoplectic about Monty and Os in 2007, but they were crucial to our win....with Monty the player rated highest in either RWC final team, by Sporting Life. Older teams appear to be the norm. There is no reason for the youth brigade, unless you want to lose.

Sasu I calculated them....it's easy, add them all up and divide by 15. They do teach that in NZ ....right? When you change strategy you often have to change personnel. I have no problem with that. If Lambie really has his mojo back, I'd support playing him...but not based on his 2010 reputation. So yes I agree Morne may inhibit change to a running game, if that's what we want to do. Other older players like Habana and Jean actually advance the cause.

@mozter,

"Sasu I calculated them....it's easy, add them all up and divide by 15. They do teach that in NZ ....right?"
LMAO, come now mozter, its still way too early for u to be making mathematical jokes.

i think it would be fair to say that a running game is waht all the Bok fans want, and meyer is smart enough to know that too, considering his big tactic turnaround from 2012 to 2013.
u also only need to look at NZ rugby who brush their teeth in running rugby and all the success that has come with that crowd pleasing brand, its only logical for the Boks to want to imitate the better rugby product, 

if lambie has got his mojo back, then he is the better option for sure, but while lambie played great rugby last week, hes been shit all year.
goosen is the future, provided no one breathes on him as that will put him back on the injured list.
its quite shocking how goosen has played less then a sason in his first two seasons of professional rugby, hope hes not jinxed.

agree thata habana helps the cause, not so much with JDV though, JDV is at best a bench player for my Boks team, but then who to lead the Boks??? a very similar situation leading to the 2011 RWC with smit and eye gouging chest stomping bizzy,