That would be my side but DA ahead of AE
That would be my side but DA ahead of AE
I have made a slight modification moving Vermuelen to 8 to compete at the breakdown.
Wiese would make a better impact player than Vermuelen.
Starting Vermuelen would be about getting a good start at the breakdown which often sets the tempo of the match and penalty ratio
Wiese would come on when the game opens up a bit more in the 2nd half.
While the breakdown is important the whole match, I think the first half is more of a battle of the breakdown- while the 2nd half has fewer people at the ruck before the ball is cleared to go wide.
If Vermuelen is playing well, or PSDT is not playing well - then Wiese could be introduced. Not sure where Kwagga could be accommodated without having 2 loosies on the bench.
Fourie could also come on at openside if Bongi is having a good game. So Fourie would replace Kolisi.
Vermeulen is a shadow of himself - apart from the odd kick off take and turnover he has done little else
Wiese has made more of an impression and the better option without doubt
Without Vermuelen, the Boks would have no fetchers in the back row. (No Marx either).
There has to be at least one player in the team who is very good at the breakdown to form a balanced combination. (Not just turnovers, but ball protection and slowing the opposition ball down).
Sure, you could have an all-round back row, but with PSDT and Kolisi, neither do much competing at the breakdown. Ditto Wiese.
Too many cooks in the kitchen is a forward pack with just ball carriers
They would have to rely on Kitshoff, Bongi and Wiese in the first half then Kwagga and Fourie in the second
Leaving out Kurt Lee Arendse is a no-no, Moodie @ 13 with AE at 12 and I'd start the old man who can play the role of Fetcher as well as a much needed leadership role. I'm 50/50 on who starts and who's on the bench, leaning towards starting Pollock with Marnie on the bench. RG and Etzebeth to start with Orie on the bench thought he played well in his last game. Williams on the bench.
Arendse, Moodie, Kolbe, Williams and Willemse are all game changing players, we're spoilt with having five.
Arendse is not test quality. A turnstyle. Willemse outside Esterhuizen is likely the better option.
Arendse has scored some spectacular tries for the Bokke and punched way above his weight on defence...one of the stars in the side and you can't see it...you're too invested in your bias....bizarre!!!
Arendse runs in open space. He cannot defend. That's the beginning and end of his career to date. I'm invested in facts. Kindly reference this fantastic play.
Yeah, I'm 50/50 on the power rangers.
I keep thinking, why not have a big guy that's just as fast?
"I keep thinking, why not have a big guy that's just as fast?"
We don't have big guys as fast AND agile...Arendse is next level and good in the air...
i also don't like the idea of too many midgets in the backline, but we seem better since we started to look beyond size alone when picking our backline.
Actually, we are worse. Our attack is the disjointed, underpowered, least skilful, least versatile, least intelligent of the Erasputin era. The last three years has been diabolical, with each successive year eclipsing the mediocrity of that before it. This Bok attack is useless, and the ugliest I have had to review since the 2002 Tri Nations away test to New Zealand. If your goal is to have a thoughtless shuffle ball team that can only run at open and freely/passively given space, then this is your team. That's the very ceiling of its ability.
Where is the quality? Against every meaningful opponent, we have been overpowered and dominated. This team cannot create more than a cross field kick, with the hope that the opposition don't contest the kick. This couldn't be more funny. This era of Bok pseudo fans have no standards and no ability to assess the game at any level. At least back in the day they could discern who played flyhalf for 80 minutes! 
Never fear in the second half both Smith and Mostert will be on the field to seal the game for the Boks if Pollard has not already done so.
How the fuck would Mostert ever seal a game?
Well for one thing he wouldn’t drop the ball on the goal line like Dud Toit.
No he would not get anywhere near the goal line as he would get smashed backwards
Waaaaahahaja….he couldn’t make the average Dud 1 metre carry? You can’t be serious. Mostert is a toothless runner, but so is Dud Toit and lately Dud has been spilling the ball a lot.
Nope Mostert has never made a metre in traffic the only time that weakling makes metres is if there is no one near him which is very seldom
Mostert is by far our worst exponent of operating in traffic
Hardly surprising being 2m and only weighing 112kg - how the fuck could that physique ever make an impression in contact - simply not possible
Our two inside centres are more physical than our Bok lock - that is a very sad reality
Come now, you are forgetting the brilliant try he scored against Ireland last year, busting through tackles. Contrast that with Dud Toit being stripped by the same Ireland right on the goal line.
There is no way in hell Mostert has ever bust through tackles to score a try unless the tackler was their 9
7 tries in 70 tests vs 3 tries in 63
Mostert did well at running at Fin Russel in the match vs Scotty...him and PSDT was in FR's hair all day long.
Thinking about it, I would rather put Pollard on the bench, and start with Libbok.
Pollard is probably not ready for a whole test match against France, given he has such little playing time. So having him on the bench would be safer.
If the combination is Pollard, Delande, and Kriel - we are stuffed.
9. Faf / Reinach
10. Libbok / Pollard
12. Esterhuizen
13. Am
14. Kolbe
15. Willemse / Leroux
11. Moodie
-----------------
1. Kitshoff / Ox
2. Mbonambi / Fourie
3. Malherbe / Koch
4. Etzebeth / Kleyn
5. RG Snyman
6. Kolisi
7. PSDT
8. Vermuelen/ Wiese
None are as blind as those who wish not to observe and admit some players skills and input wearing the Green and Gold jersey.
Namely players such as Mostert, Smith, Pollard and Kolbe just for starters.
All of these players punch way above their weight each and every time they pull the Green and Gold jersey over their shoulders and represent all Saffas where ever we may be in the world.
Bokke.
Deon Davids hinted that the Springboks are holding an ace up their sleeve to outsmart France in Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final.
It has become customary under Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber for the Boks to announce their team as early as possible in the week – usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
However, the official World Rugby schedule has the Boks down to name their matchday-23 on Friday, prompting speculation over whether the South Africans are planning to unleash something special on France.
“In every game that you play, you always try to be creative in terms of what the opposition gives you,” said assistant coach Davids, when asked about pushing the team announcement to Friday.
“At this level, teams analyse each other to the bone, so you have to find ways to outsmart the opposition while staying to your core – the things that are important to you.
Libbok has failed in every test he has played. He is not technically equipped for test rugby, he is not physically or intellectually equipped for test rugby. It's Pollard for 80 minutes for the remainder of the tournament. Something the Erasputin era has not been known for is intelligence.
18,431 posts
I would choose:
1. Kitshoff / Ox
Ox seems better off the bench when he destroys the opposition scrum.
Kitshoff has not scrummed well for some time.
I would have tried Nyakane at loosehead where he has played well, but too late now .
2. Mbonambi / Fourie Fourie had his best game for the Boks, so he has secured the backup
3. Malherbe / Koch Koch is professional and adds an extra dimension outside the scrum
4. Etzebeth / Kleyn Wee Kleyn has a high workrate, and can cover 5 lock.
5. RG Snyman (We know that Mosterd is going to feature, so Kleyn is probably toast)
6. Kolisi ( a place needs to be found for Kwagga as Kolisi is only playing 45 minutes a game)
7. PSDT (Vermuelen is an option at 7, but it's best to not make too many changes to the team)
8. Vermuelen/ Wiese (I suspect Rassnaber is going to be one or the other, as neither covers 6)
Need Vermuelen starting to make sure the Boks compete well at the breakdown
9. Faf / Reinach (Smith seems to have fallen out of favour - with his appearances now on the wing. He did throw some wild no-look passes that were risky)
10. Pollard / Libbok (Start with Pollard, and bring Libbok on later)
12. Esterhuizen (He is a bigger Delande, with a bit more playmaking ability)
13. Am (Perhaps a risk to play him in the quarters? So important to include Moodie). I like the combination of Esterhuizen and AM. Also, Esterhuizen and Moodie also have experience as a combination.
14. Kolbe (Aredense has to miss out)
15. Willemse / Leroux (Leroux is a must in the 2nd half at least)
11. Moodie (He can move to the outside centre if AM can't last the whole game)