Who would be the spine of your 2027 World Cup team?

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Aug 09, 2024, 11:05

I think this probably would be the last season that we see the double World Cup winners feature. We have so many players well into their 30s, but we know Rassie likes the silver backs but looking at how much the team laboured in the last World Cup, I think if the players were 4 years younger with the experience it would have been a completely and more convincing World Cup. 


So, here is my spine for the World Cup. I'm not looking for an entire team, but players that can make it to the next World Cup and that can add value 


  1. Ox 29
  2. Marx 30
  3. Etzebeth 32
  4. -
  5. PSDT 31
  6. Wiese 28
  7. -
  8. Pollard 30
  9. Arendse 27
  10. Esterhuizen 29
  11. Am 29
  12. Kolbe 30 (Might be to old and may lose pace) 
  13. Willemse 26 

We are really light in the engine room, but all of these players have World Cup medals, with 6 players being double WC winners. 

Rassie has a massive task ahead of him, but he will need to find his team this year and then start developing them next year. 

There are 9 test left this year and then another 24 before the World Cup year kicks off with about 6 in the World Cup year. The are not that many players in the system with 30 plus caps. 

Keeping the spine will ensure that we have 70 + test veterans 

Aug 09, 2024, 12:02

KC

I have a problem with this type of  selection - especially with  players over 30 years of age astheir contued playing f players already ove .0 and above.  a layer at 29 - like Esterhuizen is a defintie no-no.   He is even at this stage a fringe player and not really the best in SA by a distance.

My core players are -

12    Willemse

10   Feinberg-Ngomezulu.

8     Nortje/Dixon

I would hope that players like Marx and Etzebeth makes it through to 2027.  

Aug 09, 2024, 13:44

Ox/ Steenkamp

Marx

Wilco/ Thomas

RG Snyman

Roos/ Hanekom / Wiese

Williams/ Nohamba / Hendrikse

Sacha / Libbok

Willemse

Moodie

Arendse

Fassi

With the likes of Gelant, Edwil, Green, Tambwe, Julius, David Kriel, Masuku, vd Bergh, Jantjies, Wessels, Grobelaar, AH Venter, Sadie, Jacobs, Jenkins, Ruben v Heerden, Ruan Vermaak, JF v Heerden, Buthelezi, Ruan Venter, BJ Dixon, du Preez twins, Elrigh Louw and the Tsituka brothers pushing

Aug 09, 2024, 15:16

There is no spine.Take Dave’s very optimistic list. 

Steenkamp

Hanekom

Williams 

Sacha( Libbok is a loser)

Willemse 

Arendse

Fassi

Those are the only players likely to be contenders. The rest are already in decline, too fragile or not test standard. And even among those, most haven’t even proven their test match credentials.

We have to almost totally rebuild the pack and the backline isn’t  in view yet either. This will not be accomplished in 4 years. We will likely have a young, promising team in 2027, with the payoff in 2031, if there is a payoff.

Aug 10, 2024, 22:53

Moz stop speaking shit

Aug 10, 2024, 23:28

Dave speaking of spines, you are the coccyx of analysts…closest to a  poephol.

Aug 10, 2024, 23:37

And you know fuck all and are the most negative SA player supporter ever

Good thing we are the best in the game and have some amazing young talent coming through to continue our dominance at the top

Our ranking and trophies make a mockery of your take on players

Let me guess PSDT and Kolisi had poor games today ?

Aug 10, 2024, 23:47

Consider the opposition….there’s a good coccyx.

Aug 11, 2024, 00:14

Ah it’s always how poor the opposition are never how good our players are

Regardless of who we are playing PSDT is twice the player Mostert is be it at 5 or 7

You notice PSDT, you never see powder puff

Aug 11, 2024, 00:20

Would like to see a half back partnership formed between Grant Williams and Sacha leading into the next WC and for a bit of icing on the cake I'd like Moodie at 13 as well. Not sure why the Ozzies don't import a bit of Afrikaner DNA to bolster their pack I'm sure there's plenty of fringe players who won't make the Bok cut.

Aug 11, 2024, 00:50

I noticed him being tossed into touch by the wee wing. 

Aug 11, 2024, 02:32

I did not see that it took 2 players to tackling him - neither did i see him scoring a try - Mozart's version of the game.      

Aug 11, 2024, 10:48

Moz you like to lie don’t you?

Aug 11, 2024, 16:09

Of the older forwards the three world class are players are Marx, Etzebeth and Du Toit.

It's possible these three are irreplaceable. Given the age of Deon Fourie who had a super Workd cup these three should be managed very carefully. With the right management, training, diet etc they could make it to the next RWC. consider Novak Djokovic as an athlete. 

We should be able to find the extra backs needed.

In the meantime let's keep on winning.


 
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