Australia v South Africa - Perth - 6 September 2014

[Blue]

Alberts out of Bokke squad:

"Johannesburg (AFP) - Warren Whiteley replaced fellow loose forward Willem Alberts Thursday in the South Africa squad for Rugby Championship Tests in Australia and New Zealand during September."

https://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/n...ringboks-replace-unfit-alberts-with-whiteley/

Haven't seen much of Whiteley but doubt the Bokke can afford to lose Alberts.

ALberts has been poor all year.

Has struggled with all sorts of injuries.

Whiteley is not a like for like replacement though. Not a blunt instrument like Alberts. Whiteley is really more of an 8. We migth see Vermeulen move to 7 if Whiteley is subbed on.

Coetzee will start who in my opinion is always much better as a sub. Never good when starting a test.

Sad end fir Juan Smith who declined the call up. Obviously after Salta he realised that he is not up to this level anymore. This places HUGE question marks over Meyers' judgement. Why does the plaeyr need to tell him that he can't step up? Meyer looks through a clouded veil of reputation.

 

[KOB1987]

can't dispute that last point Blue..re questionable judgement that is..if the story is accurate..

 

[Joe Blow]

Whiteley was very good for the Lions this year and it's a deserving call-up.

Much closer to a Stephen Hoiles than he is to Alberts in terms of play style, though.

No love for Jackpot?

 

[Viking]

No love for Jackpot?

Can't believe he wasn't called up.

 

[Braveheart81]

Do Japanese teams need to release players for the Rugby Championship?

Has Jacpot somehow made himself ineligible for selection with the contract he has signed in Japan?

 

[Train Without a Station]

Possibly he signed a higher value contract under the provision he wouldn't be available? If you didn't expect to get picked, why wouldn't you?

 

[A mutterer]

I'd be more worried about the saffas if we were playing against jackpot just because he loves the impact so much the crazy bastage!

 

[Blue]

No love for Jackpot?

Heyneke Meyer makes strange decisions.

I think there is bad blood between Potgieter and the Bulls, and Meyer is close to the Bulls. That can be the only explanation.

Having said that, Potgieter was awful for the Boks a couple of years ago. At the time he was thought of a a selection blunder.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

He's an absolute mad dog isn't he. I can't believe he doesn't get a gig for the Boks.

 

[Pfitzy]

They're not exactly short of blokes who like to run straight and hard without needing to think about it too much.

 

[Quick Hands]

BH, Link was very adamant last night in saying that Beale has played at 10 all his life, which was obviously more to counter the argument that he was playing out of position than the one that he hasn't played very well..

I had similar thoughts about Link possibly changing only Phipps..

Does Link not watch super rugby?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Does Link not watch super rugby?

More of a worry is thinking that 10 in school is the same as 10 in a test match.
Shit.
I mean i reckon, either, he is just crapping in the hope the journo will back off or we have a serious problem

 

[Quick Hands]

I was thinking about yesterday's debate about selecting on Super form, v historical reasons..if we selected on Super form this would be the strongest (assuming only players from the current 30)..

1. Alexander
2. Hansen
3. Slipper
4. Skelton
5. Carter
6. McCalman
7. Hooper
8. Palu
9. White
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. Beale
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Betham
15. Folau

So clearly there needs to be a balance..

I agree, you would look at past form at test level as well, you wouldn't blindy pick the team you list. But, there also needs to be a recognition of who's in form and particularly in what position that they are in form. So much of backline play is about combinations and building familiarity with the players inside and outside you.

With the greatest respect to Link, he's not making the best use of the available players if he shuffles them around. Play 12 all season and for the ABs, where every micro-second of reaction time counts, get selected at 10. The result speaks for itself really and most of us on these threads identified it before Bledisloe 1.

 

[Viking]

I agree, you would look at past form at test level as well, you wouldn't blindy pick the team you list. But, there also needs to be a recognition of who's in form and particularly in what position that they are in form. So much of backline play is about combinations and building familiarity with the players inside and outside you.

With the greatest respect to Link, he's not making the best use of the available players if he shuffles them around. Play 12 all season and for the ABs, where every micro-second of reaction time counts, get selected at 10. The result speaks for itself really and most of us on these threads identified it before Bledisloe 1.

Agreed. We surely have the most unstable/diverse back-line in world rugby.

It really is worrying when our wallaby 12 plays 10 all season and our wallaby 10 plays 12 all season.

So who's wrong? Should the Tahs be playing 10. Beale 12. Foley and the Brumbies 10. Lilo 12. To'omua. I think so. But I don't think the actual players agree and I don't think the super rugby coaches do either.

 

[Oldschool]

Agreed. We surely have the most unstable/diverse back-line in world rugby.

It really is worrying when our wallaby 12 plays 10 all season and our wallaby 10 plays 12 all season.

So who's wrong? Should the Tahs be playing 10. Beale 12. Foley and the Brumbies 10. Lilo 12. To'omua. I think so. But I don't think the actual players agree and I don't think the super rugby coaches do either.

Well the Waratahs have the silverware in the cabinet, so I think that answers the question.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

It is odd isn't it. To'omua is such a great 12 that I'm puzzled as to why Bernie plays him at 10. Then again, he's one of our greatest ever 10's and perhaps know a thing or two about that position.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

It is odd isn't it. To'omua is such a great 12 that I'm puzzled as to why Bernie plays him at 10. Then again, he's one of our greatest ever 10's and perhaps know a thing or two about that position.

I reckon one thing he knows is that beale aint a 10 at any level above club.

Agreed. We surely have the most unstable/diverse back-line in world rugby.

It really is worrying when our wallaby 12 plays 10 all season and our wallaby 10 plays 12 all season.

So who's wrong? Should the Tahs be playing 10. Beale 12. Foley and the Brumbies 10. Lilo 12. To'omua. I think so. But I don't think the actual players agree and I don't think the super rugby coaches do either.

I reckon this is a depth issue with a slight twist (the twist is we don't know what a 10 is in this country).
In NZ Carter goes down and they pull Cruden in (who would be lucky to get a S15 contract in this country) with the Beaugen as a backup and some bloke called Slade lurking before he gets sent back to the ITM.
i would take all 3 ahead of either beale or tomua and maybe even foley.

 

[I like to watch]

IS,why do you suggest Cruden would struggle for a start in Oz?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

IS,why do you suggest Cruden would struggle for a start in Oz?

Because he's about twice the size now that he was when his cards would have been marked in this country.
He's not the flashy LB/QC (Quade Cooper) type that would have got picked as an oz schoolboy and got noticed that way. He's not a noted defender.
I don't know if its still the case but there was appoint in the recent past where our whole back line had been 10s when in under age comps.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think he's absolutely a flashy player and has dominated from a young age. He was so good at under 20 level there's no way he wouldn't have made it here both at that level and immediately into a Super Rugby side afterwards.