15. Willie

14. Kolbe

13. Kriel

12. de Allende

11. Arendse

10. Pollard

9. Faf

1. Ox

2. Bongi

3. Malherbe

4. Etzebeth

5. Mostert

6. Kolisi

7. PSDT

8. Kwagga

16. Marx 17. Steenkamp 18. Koch 19. Moerat 20. RG 21. v Staaden 22. Williams 23. Sacha

Disappointing for Roos and Fassi

And powder puff marches on - fuck sake

RG vs Mostert give me a fucking break

There's no sense in some of those selections.

Have to agree Mushrooms, Kolisi, Kwagga, Dud etc. Van Staden on the bench?! why is he even in the team. Just shows that Kolisi won't finish the game, again. The guy doesn't have any stamina. 

Same old bumbling boks. How on earth does Moerat make this team. He doesn't do anything for me. RG is there. Mostert still there. 

Probably will be some of these guys last season. 

a 6/2 split, otherwise Fassi would be on the bench I suppose.

Fassi under the highball looks phenomenal, and he joins the line well on attack - a bit like how Leroux joins the backline with angled runs.

Disappointing for Roos to not make such a large forward-laden bench.

Good to see Sacha make the team, with a specialist scrumhalf the other back. 

v Staaden on the bench ahead of Roos is stupid

I like Moerat big physical and abrasive

Rassie said "“Sacha, similarly to Grant (Williams), also offers us additional options in the backline, as he can cover flyhalf and centre, while Grant is efficient at scrumhalf and wing, which places us in a good position with the six-two split."

What happened to Libbok? Sasha is a more reliable pole kicker- and he can cover centre.

No space for Esterhuizen, as a specialist centre. 

SB

Esterhuizen was given anoh ter c hance in the Wales test and as xpected he failed badly and no amount of sugarcoating on this site will not count.   I beleive that Roos should be in the team and not Kwagga who is not a real no 8anyway.  

When Kolisi leave the field Du Toit will take over the capataincy.       

Clearly this so called Fat Genius, applies favouritism….Van staden is good, but no Roos??? Moerat is ok, but honestly not as good as a Ruben van Heerden…..and Fassi not even on the bench ??? FFS no progress….at least start some of the new guys…AE deserves to be there…I like Kwagga but to Light Weight to play 8….Rassie has no vision and it will catch up to him!!...but wait and see Dud will fuck up again!!

Like Esterhuizsen fucked up against Wales?    Not a chance of that. low.  

Uncle Mike put on your glasses and look again….Dud did zero when he came on and will do Zero on Saturday besides running in traffic or more like tractor and help at Rucks….that is why a person has flanks in the team…..besides the obvious he is to old to be at the next WC! Same counts for most of Fat Rassies choices….Fact

Thankfully the selectors have realised the hard work and skill Mostert brings to the side.

Starting lock Mostert and with Smith at #8 to cover for the #6

should be a good side after the first half when #6 gets replaced.

Thankfully no Libby.

Be interesting to see Ox in the role of starter. Will he go as hard at all the scrums. Hopefully selecting this team suggests we will make a full hearted attempt to win the RC…clearly we are taking the Irish seriously, even if they were beaten by the Bools a few weeks ago. Did the team go home or just acclimatize ?

Yeah Rassie has clearly gone with all out experience not trusting Fassi at 15 and Roos at 8 yet - I get that given we are playing Ireland who are a shit hot side

This “ Experienced “ team , together with Rassie,s coaching, has not managed to beat Ireland since 2016, what has changed and why will they do it now?? Honestly saying this exact team is now the benchmark and they will bring us RC success is contradictory , as they haven’t managed that in years…..why all of a sudden will they do it now? Is it because of Brown,s input or what am I missing here??

Like Esterhuizsen fucked up against Wales?

Give us an example, ou Maaik.

Interesting to see that Manie didn't even make the match day squad. Some key stats from this year has shown that he is extremely poor in contact and concedes the most ball when tackled. He has also the worst kicking record out of all the 10s in SA. He is sitting at 10%

I wonder if Dobbo is going to give Sacha more time at 10. Then we still have Willemse out injured but due to be back soon. 

Interesting to see what we are going to do with these players. They are all very versatile. Then we have the forgotten man in Gelant who is the one of the top ranked players in the URC, but no hope for him in the bok team. 

Fassi can feel hard done by, he is really finding his groove now and yes, 10 x better than Willie under the high ball. Such an asset. Especially with his turn of pace. 

What to do with Fassi, Sacha, Libbok and Willemse. Not to mention Arendse, Moodie etc. We do need a hard nose 12, hate to admit, like Dud. Don't forget about young Ethan Hooker that made the bok squad for the welsh game. Another player with a lot of pace, size and high work rate. Great hands too and might keep Esterhuizen out of the sharks team. 

Indeed...

I second the call for proof/evidence/justification for AE "fucking up" against Wales.

Is just more nonsense that will never be backed up.

10 x better than Willie under the high ball

Willie is still our best playmaker.

Not starting Roos at 8 is dumb...v an Staaden is OK on the bench, but Kwagga should have been on the bench, with Roos starting. Moerat or RG, not both...

Agreed Draad - but Rassie is not trusting the rookies in this all important Irish series - he is sticking with the tried and tested

Test coaches always stick with players that know the system, that have been there.

Remember test coaches have limited time with their players compared to club/provincial coaches. It’s why so many players hold onto their spots for longer than they should - knowing the system counts a lot

Why on earth would a coach in his right mind select Mostert over RG, or Nyakane now 35 over Wilco Louw or Willie over Fassi or Reinach over Nohamba or Papier or Mapimpi over Green - it’s the experience and knowing the system thing

I don’t agree with it but I’m making that call as a supporter. I’m guessing if I was the coach you stick with players you have built relationships with, who trust you, who know the system. It’s common knowledge that the squad is not necessarily made up of the best players but sometimes players that fit - Mostert in my opinion must be one of those, while the du Preez twins are an example of players who might not fit

Totally predictable selections from Rassie with maybe Kwagga at 8 as the wild card. I’m happy to be proven wrong but with the midfield he’s selected, Kolbe and Arendse are likely to need some good quality mittens parked out in the bleachers…….

‘ Why on earth would a coach in his right mind select Mostert over RG, or Nyakane now 35 over Wilco Louw or Willie over Fassi or Reinach over Nohamba or Papier or Mapimpi over Green - it’s the experience and knowing the system thing’

….

…at last it occurs, Eluckmiss is not in his right mind…a nutter.

Rassie's treatment of AE is contemptuous it's obvious that he favours players.

Well he's record show that he's right more often than he's wrong, regardless of his favoritism...

The backline is fine though I prefer Edwil to Arendse. 

Roos to me was a a definite. 

What so many locks. Add in Steoh and you have 5 guys who can play lock. 

But as we all should know Rassie has his finger on the pulse and has a plan

Esterhuizen was never going to play after his lackluster performance against Wales. It's difficult to comprehend why he doesnt take his chances. He needs to give 100 percent but doesn't.

Willie as I said would be 15 he is do creative. Bongi had to start given where Marx is.

I am concerned that with Mostert. Kolisi and Kwagga we have given away our physical edge.

Maybe we will play a fast moving game at altitude. 

Anyhow looking forward to the game. 

Mozzietard will be busy preparing reasons why the Boks were lucky to win should that happen. 

If we lose it will be Allende's fault followed by Stef. Rassie will be blamedbof course as he will again be accused of not knowing what he is doing. 

Oh the arrogance if these bumbli ng loons. Will they never realize how dumb and ignorant thry are. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. 

It's all so utterly predictable. 

I'm wondering where this team is at re a gameplan.....pre Brown I would have guessed they'd go the conservative, same old same old but now with the injection of Brown you'd expect a new dynamic or does that oldie about a leopard not changing his spots kick in? I'm hoping to see a new dynamic not the winning off Pollard's boot .

Tx Brian you can exit now your cage is unlocked.

The goal vs the Irish is victory, reconstruction & the future aint even on the menu. The Irish have been blikseming us for years ............... we're at home & the players who lost to 'em, yet recovered to win the RWC, deserve the opportunity to redress this abnormality.

For those expecting us to beat the Irish...

The red circles are WC wins...and it looks like we may be headed for a downtrend, if the last cycle was anything to go by.

Bok win percentage, year by year.

Boks are only a World Cup team and we got lucky, based on our previous performance we were meant to be knocked out in the quarters. 

Remember, 

1995 - Won

1999 - Semi (3rd - Beat NZ)

2003 - Quarters (Pool loss)

2007 - Win

2011 - Quarters Knock out

2015 - Semi Finalist (3rd -  Beat Arg for bronze)

2019 - Win (Pool Loss)

2023 - Win (Pool Loss)

not the perfect World Cup, our win ration were still very low between 2019 until 2023 at 62%

So it is probably the hardest thing being a bok fan. We win the World Cup but we can't beat a piss poor Australia team. We lose to gobby Ireland 5 times. 

Rassie now need to go for win at all cost, he can have a dip next year and then the year there after we have to beat NZ at home which will be a mouth watering old school traditional tour. 

SOME GREAT TALENT EMERGING WHICH RASSIE WILL BLEND IN. 

I am expecting a gathering strength as Rassie sifts through the new blood.

Talent and a master coach spell good news. 

Corny king is way to o pessimistic. then we have hatters like mozzie hoping the Boks fail just so Rassie gets the boot.

We have poor Plumster wailing away about the lazy Esterhuizen and other noobs battling to understand events.

Man its a huge comedy! 

AE is lazy?

I doubt that very much.

A guy that size doesn't stay in that shape by being lazy. 

With the little bit of game time AE gets, he does far above average….if you use your common sense it’s obvious to see that it’s quite difficult to really lay down your mark with the limited game time….this is typical of Rassie to pick players, but not give them a fair enough chance….the Du Preez twins gets picked or put on standby never to be used?! What the hell is the use of that? ….absolutely nothing and very very disrespectful towards the professional Rugby players…..it’s more a slap in the face….Rassie is living in his own world and not much regard for anything else, besides that inside his fat brain….

Esterhuizen was a non entity against Wales

He completely blew his chance to impress and set a marker

Dud has been a non entity for 79 tests…..I can’t remember one exciting break, one great open field tackle, one superb pass, one tactical kick that was effective.

Seventy nine tests of tractoring and clinging tackles.

Exclude WC years/exclude the Bargie tests Jake never played in the RC and exclude 2006 when Jake was disrupted by a coup attempt……and his record is way, way better than Eluckmiss….who is 20 wins/18 losses in that comparable data set.

Bullshit Moz you are speaking crap - his value is beyond your rugby grasp

You lot are stuck in a time warp - test 12’s don’t dazzle as they simply can’t given the modern game

Evidenced by the performances of ever other test 12 out there. Not a single one stands out and that’s a fact

But comprehending this fact is beyond you lot

All Esterhuizen had to do was to impose himself physically against Wales to set a marker - he failed confirming that DA is better and has always been better

DA is nothing special and survives in Rassie,s set up because of the way we play….Bundi aki is a better 12, simple because he does everything DA does, but can do more like beating defenders, create space for his 13 or other players and most importantly he can effect clean breaks….DA always seeks contact and that works in the Bok setup/ Gameplan….yes he is strong but that is it…..his defence positioning or lack there off, has costed us many points already, but usually not that visible as he plays behind a dominant pack and the likes of AM, Willemse and Willie does his work for him…..how many times have we not seen how he gets skipped in Backline attack moves because he is not that way inclined? He is also not a good off loader, which is a vital role of a 12….he is definitely hyped up way past what he can actually do….Brown would have noticed already that he is dumb muscle and our attack will not take stride’s forward as long as his blocking that channel….AE can do everything he does and master’s the skill of offloading and creating for his other backs…..if we really want to go forward and add more to our arsenal, Dud is not the man to take us there….150% sure that Brown knows that already….but luckily he is on his way out and we can eventually reach our full potential with our dangerous runner’s that will actually have a 12 that passes the ball.

"Exclude WC years"

Nope….WC years are totally different. You play a different set of opponents, play your regular opponents less, play minnows you don’t play in regular years. Success in WC years is one measure, perhaps the most important measure.

"Exclude WC years"

LMAO!

Still quoting my pre-WC anti-Rassie comments even though I've admitted I was wrong and he changed my mind with his fantastic result.

Why is that such a foreign concept fopr you, Moffie? Is it because you've never once changed your mind abouut anything and are too proud to admit you ever got something wrong . . . despite massive (and hilarious) evidence to the contrary?

Yes?

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahaha!

Keep quoting me, you drunken old fool, you're just demonstrating what a gigantic arsehole you are. Too proud to admit you got egg all over your stupid face so you persist with your childish little campaigns against the likes of Rassie and PSdT. Try being a man for once instead of a squealing little crybaby.

You miss the point. If as you say WC victory would have been ‘in spite’ of the coach. How can WC victory define the coach???

Ooooh that’s pretty crushing you fat ,oily Welsh Wallie.

Game,set and match….and off to golf. I’ll read your pathetic attempts to respond later.

A world cup squad is about more than just the match day teams...it's about using the whole squad in practice to prepare for the matches...I read somewhere Manie is great at mimicking the opposition FH in practice...

I wonder if Manie will be back?….besides his not so consistent kicking, he is very good in attack.

Perfect at WC, Manie mimicking the opposition fly halves missing their kicks. Manie is good in attack when there is space…..he glides along. But in test conditions running in traffic isn’t his thing.

Forget about Manie, there are better prospects like Sasha.

Disagree 100%, Manie is a special attacking talent - has the gift of Willie to create for those around him. Jantjies had it.

If he can become more consistent with his goal kicking he will remain a strong contender

He has more than proved his worth at test level when it comes to his general play and his career kicking record is very similar to all the kickers out there

Prospects like Sacha and Jordan, will make it difficult for him to get a spot again…his attacking play, pin point cross kicks, slick passing that puts runners in space is top notch though….the ultimate goal of the Irish series is to win both tests, thats why it’s worrying for Manie that Sacha was picked over him on the bench….Manie has been demoted to standby duty and will only play if there is a injury crisis ….well it looks like that for now….it might change in the future…. He did make quite a good impact in his first WC, but also have quite some work to do if wants to be that all round player….I do hope that for him.

(Sic) still dodging this thread I see. How can a WC victory define a coach, when you say it would be in spite of him? I’d like to hear an answer to that. And by the way Moron, a post made on October 26 2023 is not ‘pre -WC’. 

That comment was made after the semi and before the final. The comment of somebody who was sure the Boks were going to lose after watching the Pom struggle. Not pre-WC. And then after we won, a scramble to disassociate yourself from your comments….just to try to be popular.

Pathetic!

Trouble is it's not just A World Cup win it's two in a row Mozzie. 

It's a Lions series win as well a Rugby Championship win including a win in NZ . Didn't know about these Rassie wins or are you just being your usual deceptive self? 

You miss the point HasBeen.