Springbok EOYT Squad

[Blue]

Springbok squad – Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Schalk Brits, Pat Cilliers, Marcell Coetzee, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (c), Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Zane Kirchner, Juandré Kruger, Pat Lambie, Francois Louw, Lionel Mapoe, Beast Mtawarira, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Raymond Rhule, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Morné Steyn, Adriaan Strauss, Jaco Taute, CJ van der Linde, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Jano Vermaak, Duane Vermeulen.

Habana did his knee in the CC final and will be out for the rest of the year. This adds to a long list that includes Bekker, Burger, Brussow, F Steyn, Bismarck to name but a few.

Notable selections in bold.

Arno Botha - Bulls 7/8 - Henyeke M has big expectations of this guy and he looks like the right type of player for our style of play.
Schalk Brits - people were calling for Fourie from the Stormers but Brits gets the nod for his obvious NH experience. It helps that he seems to be in great form.
Lionel Mapoe - plays 13 or wing. Was in good form in the CC.
JP Pietersen - his return to form is timely with the loss of Habana.
Chiliboy - back from injury. Meh.
Raymond Rhule - 19 year old Cheetah winger was the top try scorer in the CC. Frightening pace.
Gurthro - will surprise some but Heyneke has much love for this guy. Helps that he is one of the form props in the NH at the moment. I have watched two recent Toulouse games and he looks even stronger now than before. We need him if Beast goes down.
Franco vd Merwe - replaces Bekker. Good player. Deserves the call up.
Jano Vermaak - solid player. Good sniping and physical. Average kicking game. I reckon he should have picked a bolter like the Stormers scrummie or young Reinach from the Sharks.

All in all a good squad. Just don't fucking start M Steyn please.

 

[qwerty51]

No Deon Fourie is criminal, Brits is very good but Fourie can match him and you'd rather select from domestic players.

 

[PinkRugby]

Brits has been overlooked for too long IMO. He's played a starring role for Saracens at Hooker but his athleticism and ability to create space and a line-break or two means he brings more to the side than just a lineout.

 

[RoffsChoice]

So, as much as I want to see CJ at 8 and Lambie at 10, the lineup will be
Beast, Strauss, du Plessis, Etzebeth, F. van der Merwe, Coetzee, Louw, Alberts, Hougaard, Steyn, Mvovo, de Jongh, de Villiers, Pietersen, Kirchner.

 

[PaarlBok]

Again some selections to be questions. This NH picking of players irritating the shite out of me. Like Naas Botha said before the CC final, if you perform in this match, you'll perform on the next level. Deon Fourie could have save them money by picking Brits and Botha plus we'd have a backup for F Louw as a fetcher. Jano Vermaak pick make absolute no sense. Would have pick any youngster like Reinach or Groome to blend this youngster plus reward them for excellent CC play. Ditto Guthro Steenkamp, how he pick this piece oof shite iso blending a youngster like Ginga makes absolute no sense at all. This show me that Meyer still have some brake marks in his Blue Bull panty and have some more lessons to learn before getting it right.

 

[PaarlBok]

Brits has been overlooked for too long IMO. He's played a starring role for Saracens at Hooker but his athleticism and ability to create space and a line-break or two means he brings more to the side than just a lineout.

We have plenty of young up and coming hookers in SA to play like that, we need a scrumming one urgently and not this backline type like Brits. What message is he sending out to local talent who plays week in week out in SA? Pack your bags and do the chicken run, thats what he is busy doing.

 

[Blue]

I agree that I would rather he picks from the locals.

But you simply cannot ignore that Brits is doing. Oh and the thing about Brits is that the Sarries scrum is very, very strong. Anyone who suggest he can't scrum has obviously not watched Saracens.

Oh and there are no young hookers in SA that can play liek Brits unless they are not playing Currie Cup. I have not seen them.

I can also understand why he picked Steenkamp, who has not taken a backward step against any tighthead up North. If Beast goes down he cannot expose someone like Ginga against Cole, who would kill him.

IF you has watched the Leicester / Gloucester game yesterday you would have seen what scary form Cole is in. I would not want Ginga up against him, as good a prospect as he is. It's just looking for shit.

Frankly this is not the focus of the squad. The more important issues to me are who he plays at 10, 13 and on the one wing. The above are bench players.

 

[PaarlBok]

I agree that I would rather he picks from the locals.

But you simply cannot ignore that Brits is doing. Oh and the thing about Brits is that the Sarries scrum is very, very strong. Anyone who suggest he can't scrum has obviously not watched Saracens.

Oh and there are no young hookers in SA that can play liek Brits unless they are not playing Currie Cup. I have not seen them.

I can also understand why he picked Steenkamp, who has not taken a backward step against any tighthead up North. If Beast goes down he cannot expose someone like Ginga against Cole, who would kill him.

IF you has watched the Leicester / Gloucester game yesterday you would have seen what scary form Cole is in. I would not want Ginga up against him, as good a prospect as he is. It's just looking for shit.

Frankly this is not the focus of the squad. The more important issues to me are who he plays at 10, 13 and on the one wing. The above are bench players.

Its the system thats wrong, you opened an thread about this and blame Saru about the wrongs in our rugby. NZZ dont allow overseas players. neither does Aus bu Saru fell for this shite. Fourie can even do the kick and chase better then Brits if he needed a third hooker, he is a much better ball carrier , a fetcher better then anything we have in SA plus he is the captain of the CC champions. But no he go up north and pick Schalk for some unknown reason I'll never understand and a Brute youngster. He also picj CJ vdLinde so again, Brits and Steenkamp loook like standing third in line for a place and it would have been much better to get the youngsters on board.

 

[PaarlBok]

10 = Lambie 13 = JdJ

 

[Blue]

10 = Lambie 13 = JdJ

I hope so but I will believe it only when they run on the field.

 

[PaarlBok]

I hope so but I will believe it only when they run on the field.

It will be unbelievable if he pick Morne again. Lampie have been great in the CC. Naas wanted Cat Killer after saturday. Myself not a big fan, way to much kicking for my liking. 13 is a no brainer after saturday. JdJ defensive work is outstanding, his technics of tackling around the ankles quite superb (dont see this often in the modern game but thats what we'v been taught as youngsters), got a great step and is unbelievable quick. Only critic is his passing game.

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

Lambie = no1 no10 in SA.

/Runs and Hides

 

[Blue]

If he picks Lambie it will restore a lot of people's faith because he will be admitting that he was wrong.

If not, the shitstorm coming HM's way will be fully deserved.

Paarl I think he will stick with Taute. Just have a feeling that he sees JdJ as being too lightweight for test rugby.

 

[AlexH]

I'm expecting great things from Rhule. I hope he gets a trot.

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

Hope that he can kick. We have tonnes of guys with pace in SA, but not the kicking game to go along with it;

-Jongi Nokwe
-Luwazi Mvovo

 

[PaarlBok]

Hope that he can kick. We have tonnes of guys with pace in SA, but not the kicking game to go along with it;

-Jongi Nokwe
-Luwazi Mvovo

Nope he cant kick but to be fair to Rhule, at least he is a young new talent and deserve a spot like Mapoe. Both sure have some serious gas. Would have love to see Aplon there but then its NH and dont suit his play at all. At least he can kick a bit.

 

[Blue]

So what happens if Jean is not fit for Ireland? Who covers 12? JdJ?

 

[PaarlBok]

So what happens if Jean is not fit for Ireland? Who covers 12? JdJ?

JdJ, Lambie, Morne and Taute can play there. Mapoe/Rhule are 13 or wing. Glad they get their chance, played some good rugby in the CC.

 

[Mank]

None of those players are 12s.

JdJ is probably the best bet, but the outside backs would never see the ball. Wait, they never see the ball anyway.

 

[Blue]

Yeah it's a worry. None of those guys strike me as test level 12's.