Should make it over and under 30. The debate is always whether a 30 year old player holds any value.
And if you really want to talk about age then we need to look at over 35.
Kolisi and Etzebeth are between 30 and 31. Willie is 32/3. But most of our bok will be over 30 at next years World Cup.
But, we need a better blend of youth, late 20s and some sprinkles of 30+
Player under 25 recover much faster and has better endurance. Players over 30 takes longer to come back from injury and even longer to get match fit, but they are also smarter players and know how to conserve energy and make telling players.
Morne Steyn and Sexton are good examples, Wyn Jones is another. But I believe Locks and Flyhalfs can stay in the game longer even though playing Lock is more physical, it doesn't require so much movement or tackles.
Wings have the shortest life spans, then its flankers followed by centers.
Full Backs can also play until a later age.
Then some props like Os were able to play well past 35.
However, some would Argue that Matfield was passed it but then he was 37 and were out of the game for a while.
The way I see it is on the position and whether it requires pace, mobility and durability.
Look at a guy like Van Staaden, 26 but he already had so many head injuries that Leicester decided to let him go. If you look at how many hits he take in a ruck. Then you have Kolisi. can be physical in a tackle but only if there is another player next to him. He can poach like he did last week but only if the ruck clearing is poor. Where Van Staden would take the hits, Kolisi jumps back and runs to the side lines to avoid contact.
Back to flyhallf, you also need an experi ence flyhallf. We saw Willemse put a poor grubber through over the weekend when he should have just dropped the ball short or step inside and to try and setup the next phase. However, if I look at how Wielie played by kicking when there were a clear 4 on 2 I wonder if it came from the coaches.
Maybe Saffex should pick and over 30s instead
