So we have the old in
15 Willie
14 Kolbe
13 Am / Kriel
12 de Allende / Esterhuizen
11 Mapimpi
10 Pollard
9 Faf / Reinach
1 Kitshoff / Nyakane
2 Marx / Bongi
3 Malherbe / Koch
4 Etzebeth
5 Lood / Mostert
6 Kolisi / Kwagga
7 PSDT
8 Wiese
The new in
15 Fassi / Jordan Hendrikse / Gelant
14 Arendse / Tambwe
13 Julius / Henco v Wyk / Moodie
12 Willemse / Porn / David Kriel
11 Edwil vd Merwe / Green / Horn
10 Sacha / Libbok / Masuku
9 Williams / Jayden / Nohamba / vd Bergh / Papier
1 Ox / Steenkamp / Wessels / Mchunu
2 Dweba / AH Venter / Grobelaar
3 Wilco Louw / Thomas / Sadie /Hanro Jacobs / Klopper /Ntlabakanye
4 Ruan Vermaak / Jenkins / Moerat / Andre Smith / Cobus Wiese
5 RG / Ruben v Heerden / JF v Heerden / Rahl / Nortje / JD
6 Buthelezi / v Staaden / Theunissen
7 Ludwig / BJ Dixon / JL du Preez / Ruan Venter / Vincent Tsituka / Elrigh Louw
8 Roos / Hanekom / Dan du Preez / Manu Tsituka / Horn
The art is striking a balance between the young and the old
The non negotiables amongst the old are
Kolbe / Pollard / Marx / Eben and PSDT and of the young ones Fassi / Arendse / Moodie/ Willemse / Sacha / Williams / Ox / Wilco Louw / Thomas / RG / Elrigh Louw / Hanekom and Roos
That gives you a core of 18 - should the rest of the squad be made up of the young or a mix of young and old
Who of the old should still be considered valuable and viable for the next WC? Wiese and Kwagga for sex - maybe Esterhuizen and Am
Of the young the likes of Jordan Hendrikse,, Edwil vd Merwe, Libbok, Jayden, vd Bergh, Wessels, Steenkamp, AH Venter, Grobelaar, Moerat, Nortje, Buthelezi, BJ Dixon, JL du Preez and Dan du Preez have had tastes of test rugby
Personally I’d like to see the younger players added to the core of 18