Put your scrummies in order of merit for performances over the past year in tests - bearing in mind that Du Preez had no test games since November last year and was out of rugby since June this year. Please provide motivation for your rating based on performances over the last 15 months - not on reputation.
My rating without regard to reputation would be as follows:-
1 Reinach
2 Du Preez
3 Pienaar
4 Hougaard
The motivation would eb as follows:-
Reinach came form the bench in two tests and started in one test. He did very well in both tests coming from the bench - especially against the Aussies. In that test he only had six minutes playing time - yet he made a decisive break and he timed his pass to Lambie extremely well - creating a small space which enabled Lambie to score his try in that test. He did well again on Saturday especially insofar as scoring of the try is concerned and his kicking game - especially relieving kicks were excellent insofar as both distance and accuracy was concerned. There were some negatiives - but overall a very good performance.
Du Preez had comparatively litte game time in tests. He was largely invisible in the home tests of the RC last year and since then only played in four test matches during the 2013 EOYT and in June this year. Against Wales last year he was good - against Scotland invisible. His performance in the June home tests against Wales was average in the first Wales test - especially bearing in mind ball possession losses stemming from his performance. He was injured in the second Wales test after a very questionable performance in that test. Based on the latest performances - I cannot rate him better than Reinach.
Pienaar in recent tests showed that he is a journeyman - very much a stand-in type of player doing a satisfactory job. he is more of a kicking scrummie - but can pass the ball accurately. His negatives have been that at times he arrived late at breakdown points and is not always there to receive balls when coming back to the Springbok side. He also have some problems in defending around the fringes.
Hougaard has largely been a sub until the injury of Pienaar in the All Black test in Wellington when he came on at minute 35. There were some problems with his kicking game - too many kicks were the starting point for AB counter-attacks - and a few passes were also inaccurate. He was more effective in the Ellis Park test, but put in a questionable performance in the irish test, whic h cost him his starting selection last week and may have a dampening effect in future tests. Not much to choose from between him and Pienaar though.
