The Pack behind the front row.

Let's assume it's as advertised by Gavin Rich:

Etzebeth, Kruger, Coetzee, Alberts....Sussspies(die Slim).

Where is the leadership in that group, where is the mongrel, where the experience. Some of this was unavoidable with Bakkies and Victor going. And I rate young Marcel Coetzee.....but given how his mates did in the U 20s, one has concerns. With two new locks, the tigerish Brussouw could have added a lot. Are we better off with Coetzee than Brussouw? I doubt it....Coetzee is a heady player, but is he physically up to tests at this stage.

We have all talked a lot about Aplon and de Jongh, but the absence of Brussouw may be a bridge too far.

It will be a damn good pack, how much more mongrel do you want than what Etzebeth gives us. Potgieter should be playing ahead of Alberts. Coetzee has been awesome all S15 and physically more than acquitted himself, he will be fine. We dont need experience we need players who will beat England who themselves lack experience - let me guess, you would have selected BJ and Johan Muller?

 Potgieter won't be playing come saturday. He still hurt. I think he will only be ready next week.

Moz please don't mention mongrel and victor in the same sentence!!!  poerhaps you ment only leadership - making the lineout calls - whether to throw to 4 or 5 etc. Only a genuis like matfield could do that. 

I have expressed doubt about Brussouw but  I think he should have been in the squad an dcould come on of fthe bench.

Just remember one thing, We will have two locks and not 1. That should help. We will miss the mongrel of Schalk and Duane for sure but it cant be helped. Surely Alberts will rise to the occassion. If not Jaque Potgieter could start in the second test. He is a good player.

Well I have seen very little of the Poms....so maybe they are weak as well. But that cadre of forwards behind the front row, has to be the most vulnerable since back to the Destroyli days.

 Mozart, I agree.  There must be some form of controlled agression (Not the Bismarck type).  I like Coetzee and you cannot fault his work-rate and defense, however the experience of Brussow will be missed.  I cannot quite get the "excuse" offered by Meyer that a fetcher has no place in the modern game.  Did Brussow fail for the Cheetahs?

Well, the loosies would be better if Schalk was available to cover and then Spies could carry the water.

Lunatic, Bissie's aggression is controlled. If the rest of the Boks forwards had his agro we would knock over other sides easliy. Bissie is at the cutting edge so obviously gets more penalties. He does the work of two in the tight loose.

If other Bok forwards took on the opposition like he does Bissie would have less penalties. Hence we need the real deals like Schalk and Duane in the side. Bissie is busy compensating for the previosly slap tight 5 or should say 4. 

Lunatic I like Marcel Coetzee and particularly Etzebeth.....but they are completely inexperienced as regards NH packs. Frankly I wonder if they're hard enough yet. It will be facinating.