When is it time to select players with a view the the world cup

 As it happens how many wont make it because of age. No too many actually. Jean and who else will be too old by then. Jannie looks a bit jaded. Habana may also be just about done by then?

Schalk perhaps but he has had a very long sabbatical - maybe a rejuvented man.Who really will be too old.

Basically Meyer needs to get his test team sorted out by the end of this year possibly. Know his core players etc.  Get his combinations right. To me this year he will go for results above everything knowing how fickle the fans are. He should have a great combo of youth and experience. Youngsters like Etzebeth, Arno Botha,  De Jager, Du toit, Malherbe, Kitshof, Serfontein,Elstadt, Kolisi, Reinach, Van Zyl, Lambie,JJ, Rhule, Coenie, Labachagne, Coetzee, Van Der heever,Willie le Roux, Taute etc, will be really on stream and the experienced guys guys like Vermeulen, Beast, Bissie, Strauss, Bekker etc etc will not be too old. 

What will we lose to age - nothing to serious?

We could have an extremely talented wc squad. Meyer needs to identify the guys and plan accordingly so they get a bit of test experience where possible.

The only experienced players we should be building a side around are JP, Habana, Frans, Pienaar, Beast, Bismark, Strauss, Flip, Alberts, Louw and Brussouw. Add to this young players that have test experience in Lambie, Hougaard, Coenie, Chiliboy, Etzebeth and Vermeulen.

The rest of the squad should be made up with the best of: Taute, W. le Roux, Visser, Rhule, v/d Heever, Petersen, Jordaan, JJ.Engelbrecht, de Allende, Serfontein, Frans Venter, Ebersohn, de Jongh, Sadie, Goosen, Jantjies, Catrakillis, Pollard, Reinach, v/Zyl, Groom, Kitshoff, Nkanyane, Mellett, Marcel v/d Merwe, Kirsten, Malherbe, Herbst ,Cooper, Fourie, Callie Visagie, Steph du Toit, de Jager, Willemse, Quinn Roux, Jandre Marais, Peet Marais, Ruan Botha, Jaques du Plessis, Kolisi, Arno Botha, Labascagne, v/d Walt, Coetzee, CJ Stander, Rhodes, D.Potgieter and Elstadt

 We are in a different position to the abs. Our senior guys left. Theirs remained and ou mcaaaaw and company aim to make the next world cup. Lets hope they succeed! Hahahahahahha

Beeno

A while ago I had a look at the Springbok team members as they were last year and then said that six of the team members at present 29 year old and older would have to be left out since they would be past their prinme by 2015.    Those 6 included at the time De Villiers, Bekker, Habana, Jannie Du Plessis, Kirchner and Morne Steyn..    There were also some borderline cases - all 28 years of age - like Alberts, - who last year was 28 years of age.

I really believe that players reach their peak performances at roundabout 28 to 30 years of age - thereafter decline sets in.   All the above will be 30 or older this year and some cases has shown up badly already.   Take for instance Du Plessis.  A while ago I saw a photo of a shirtless Jannie - he seems to carry a lot of flap - and that shows in his performances on the field of play.  Kirchner was hopeless this year thus far already.

The problem is that forwards as a result of aging really become ineffective earlier than backline players - who can last slightly longer.   Another problem is that older players get injured more frequently and takeslonger to recovrfrom injury than younger ones.  Burger is a typical example and Alberts seems to go the same way.    

However, age is one factor - performance is another.   Francois Steyn this year is 27 years of age - and he was pretty hopeless thus far this year.   What will he be like two year from now when he is 29?   At 27 he is playing on reputation only - and has is worse than De Villiers who is already 32 years of age.    Is he a player who peaked early and went into decline early?  He developed weight problems in France - and he still seems to have weight problems - even though he apparently came down from 118 kgs to about 110 kgs.

Anyway I looked at Saffex's list of players and in the main I agree with him on the age issue.   On the performance side there are serious questions around some of them.   Some has been bog ordinary ths year and some for a variety of reasons have been downright poor and ineffective and are definitely not international material.  

Mike I am not too sure that 31 is too old if the fire is still burning and the player is in good shape. But yes those guys would be the borderline ones if any are.

Backs age faster than forwards because speed is the factor. Strength and endurance are the forwards priority and that can last longer - witness older runners in the comrades and then think of the age of sprinters.

A few older heads in the squad will be a good idea as they will keep the squad heading in the right direction. 29 now and 31 at WC not too bad. A lot better than having mcaaaaw and Carter at what would it be 33 or 34.

I guess one will have to see how well they are playing in 2015. What is great is that this rich vein of youngsters will really be on stream by then.