Plum
If Rassie doesn't know which of the older players will be up to in 2 years time, well then actually has his answer...they need replacing now.
Agree with you in this case. However to repalce th em with for isnatnce a 31 year old dud that has never proved himself on test level is not advisable - we must look at younger players capable of even further improvement,
"If Rassie doesn't know which of the older players will be up to in 2 years time, well then actually has his answer...they need replacing now"
You play your best while they are your best. You don't replace them now because they might not be the best in two years time...you don't pick your current team on the projected form over two years...you pick the best team and gradually replace injured and retired players when needed...while also not overpaying your stalwarts...it's called responsible player management...like having some of your stars play in Japan...thinking outside the box and keeping the opposition guessing...
Moz, I think the French in Paris in a knockout was a much bigger challenge and the stats show we had to show real grit to pull through...in that lies the real gold.
Rassie said back in 2023 that Eztebeth will not make the 2027 World Cup. However, Eztebeth might - therein lies the problem for Rassie. Steph DuToit is another player who could break down before the World Cup, as he and Eztebeth appear to be becoming more injury-prone and spending less time playing rugby.
However, they are also both still first-choice players, so it is worth the risk of keeping them in the squad.
I don't know what the likes of Koch and Reinach are doing in the team, given their age, and that they were never first-choice players. With Edwill Van Dermerve a certainty, it might make sense to also drop Mapimpi to find a 4th choice winger. Mapimpi will be 37 before the next World Cup, and his pace is going to go any day now, and he got caught from behind instead of finishing the try yesterday.
It looks like Erasmiss is betting on some of the older guys to make it to 2027…
But seriously how will they perform with there best years behind them?
He has definitely waited to long to rebuild his core group of players. Even this season so far there are just to many older players around.
Still he is forsaken to rebuild and just play with with younger guys. Instead he is desperately hanging on to players that is just over there best…
He needs to just throw in the new potential candidates and play with them only.
This way they can get familiar with there new positions and grow in confidence.
Moz I’m starting to think less and less of how much you actually know about the game - especially when it comes to scrumming
Ok so tactically Rassie and co looked to make the best of the situation given the loss of Wiese
Scrums psychologically play a huge part in the game - with no 8 and a non specialist loosehead on the field, the Boks were left potentially vulnerable in the scrums.
Best way to counter that is to replace the non specialist with the best loosehead in the game thereby mitigating the potential scrum vulnerability
Ox is as good in general play and defensively as Thomas plus he has test experience which Thomas does not
So it’s bloody obvious - you get your best loosehead on to ensure the scrums stay solid and he contributes in general play as much as Thomas would have
But regardless of the obvious above - Rassie himself gave this very reason for the substitution himself - straight from the horses mouth
Nonsrnse my arse - ignorance on your part as always is more like it
Thomas was solid in the scrums up to the substitution and that is a fact - he was subbed for tactical reasons which was both obvious and confirmed by Rassie
Rassie is not Jake White, so it is not like he is going to say something like:" Hey, we only had 7 forwards, so we needed to bring on a test standard prop at loose head to replace the failed experiment"
Fuck you are seriously stupid
it obvious that Erasmiss won’t dump on Thomas in public… Ox is 1,70m tall and Wilco 1,84m, where Tank is 1,90m ….
He is a bit on the tall side for a TH or LH prop…But besides that Erasmiss does not pick him that often, which is quite strange.
Most probably because of his lack of Scrum abilities…..what else can it be?? As his general play is good.
I really don’t know if he can crack it at test level, especially because the lack of trust from Erasmiss in picking him to start or even of the bench….
A good start would be is to replace Koch permanently with Tank….just let him play as much as he can, with the hope that he will get better and better.
Erasmiss reluctance to pick him in the starting 23, he is a big problem for his future….he simply just does not play enough!!
Fucking idiot
I agree you are a fucking idiot, David Searle….!!
Re Wiese:
the parable of the scorpion and the frog, in which the scorpion, while being ferried across a river by a frog, stings it, thus killing the frog and drowning himself in the process:
"Logic, cried the dying frog as he started under, bearing the scorpion down with him, there is no logic in this! I know, said the scorpion, but I can’t help it. It’s my character. Arkadin then exhorts his entourage, “Let’s drink to character.”
Lets hope Rassie picks his top 23 next week. ABs ... 54 days away
"You play your best while they are your best. You don't replace them now because they might not be the best in two years time...you don't pick your current team on the projected form over two years...you pick the best team and gradually replace injured and retired players when needed...while also not overpaying your stalwarts...it's called responsible player management...like having some of your stars play in Japan...thinking outside the box and keeping the opposition guessing..."
I disagree.
The majority of the older guys will be just about hanging in when the WC comes.
So I would have started right now in picking my team that I expect to play the WC. And. I would have the old guys warming the bench. And, for the two AB games and the French game this year, I might start some of the older guys(Eben, Pollard, Mostert, PSDT, Kriel...maybe Willie). But for all of the rest of the games, and all the games next year, I would be starting my younger WC team and have the older guys come off the bench. And if the some of the older guys stop performing off of the bench then I'd be replacing them.
The advantage being that you are saving the older guys while keeping them involved and you are working out what your best starting team is and getting them used to starting and playing together.
Every other team in the world, including the teams we only beat by 1 point in the WC, use this approach because it's obviously the correct way to do things. Play your best team because synergy is EVERYTHING, always.
Against Georgia I'd like to see
9) Williams 10) Sacha 11) Edwil 12)AE/Hooker 13) Moodie 14) Arendse 15)Fassi
23) Willemse
If it were me, I then simply sub Willemse in for the guy having the worst day...anywhere from 10 to 15.
Nope against Georgia it needs to be
15 Fassi 14 Kolbe 13 Moodie 12 Willemse 11 Arendse 10 Sacha 9 Williams
with vd Bergh / Pollard / Hooker on the bench
Pack needs to be
1 Ox 2 Marx 3 Wilco 4 Eben 5 RG 6 Kolisi 7 PSDT 8 Roos
Bench Wessels / Boan Venter / Thomas / Cobus Wiese / Kwagga
So, Saffex, you have dropped Thomas Du Toit, or are you expecting him to be sanctioned and get a suspension?
15 Fassi 14 Kolbe 13 Moodie 12 Willemse 11 Arendse 10 Sacha 9 Williams
Ag Jirre, dats hitting dem with de kitchen sink.
Saying that, there's almost no use in putting out the above team...because after Georgia it's gonna be Oz and then the ABs.
Against the ABs we are gonna go with with Faf, Pollard, DDA, Kriel, Kolbe, Arendse, Willie.
So may as well let them play these next three games together then. Because if not, when will they get a combined hit out before the AB games?
Um Shark what part of Thomas on my bench are you missing huh?
Willie won’t start ahead of Willemse or Fassi at 15
Last season Sacha was ahead of Pollard
Williams will be ahead of Faf
Let's see, but I have a feeling Rassie will fall back on the older guys for the Kiwi games.
Off course Erasmiss will fall back on the Old WC winning squad….
until one day when it backfires completely and they get there arses kicked!
Hopefully we see some wholesome changes, but I guess not….How can it be possible that a brilliant Cameron Hanekom is not playing regularly already??!!
Plum
I do not know why rugby idiocy hs taken over your brain - if you want rhwe 31 year-old never-has been icluded in the Sprigb ok team at 12 we are not foinf rio get to hee play-offs, , St E never made a single notable contribution to te match - no try, no line breaks and some ineffective crashballing made up 99,5% of his game.
The following statement clearly explains where Erasmus is at....
'With the Rugby Championship on the horizon and a tough tour schedule looming, it's clear Erasmus is playing a sophisticated game of chess, moving his pieces strategically to build a team that's not just about star power but depth and versatility.'
In fairness I understand the frustrations of some when he selects average players like Moerat when there's better around and then to add insult to injury makes him the captain as well
.
.Dom Jasper