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[2017 Rugby Championship] Round 4: New Zealand v South Africa (16/09/2017)

Don't see this posted yet.
30-man Springbok squad for the Tests in Bloemfontein and Cape Town:
Forwards (17 players):
Uzair Cassiem
Lood de Jager
Ruan Dreyer
Dan du Preez
Jean-Luc du Preez
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Eben Etzebeth (captain)
Steven Kitshoff
Siya Kolisi
Francois Louw
Wilco Louw
Malcolm Marx
Bongi Mbonambi
Franco Mostert
Tendai Mtawarira
Trevor Nyakane
Chiliboy Ralepelle

Backs (13 players):
Andries Coetzee
Ross Cronje
Damian de Allende
Elton Jantjies
Jesse Kriel
Dillyn Leyds
Rudy Paige
Handré Pollard
Raymond Rhule
Louis Schreuder
Jan Serfontein
Courtnall Skosan
S'busiso Nkosi
 
Heineken

I generally don't post on keo.co.za (too many idiots) but there was an article asking whether it is time to bury the Currie Cup, and that was too interesting for me to pass up.. Here is my reply...

I think you are all having the same conversation, and coming to the same conclusions that we did 20 years ago with regards to our National Provincial Championship (now known as the Mitre10 Cup). It was THE pinnacle of NZ domestic rugby, but gradually, as Super 12 (and now Super Rugby) increased in importance, the NPC was slowly downgraded to the status of a feeder competition for our Super Rugby franchises. Don't get me wrong; it is still keenly fought and well-supported in the provinces, but New Zealand fans fully understand where its importance lies in the grand scheme of NZ rugby. The NZRU knows what a vital cog it is in the machine that makes the All Blacks so successful, that is why they continue to pay for it even though it costs them a bucket-load of money every season. They see that money as an investment in the future of the game. When fans and supporters of foreign rugby teams see NZ rugby churn out yet another world class flyhalf or scrum half or wing or openside flanker or prop from a seemingly unending conveyor belt of talent, they ask where on earth do we get these players. The answer is, the NPC. The NZ Franchises are always talent scouting the NPC for likely prospects for two, sometimes three years in the future.
I don't believe you should bury the Currie Cup, you should make an effort turn it into a serious and keenly contested feeder competition for your Super Rugby and Pro14 franchises. Use it for nurturing and identifying talent. I often hear the argument from friends of mine who are South African fans that the players won't stay to play, they will go North. Well, we have that problem too, but I look at it this way. Regardless of what level the player comes from, whether they be an All Black, a Super Rugby player or an NPC player, every player who goes north closes the door on an young upcoming local talent in the country they go to, and opens a door for a young player waiting for his chance here.

Oh I agree with you completely. But this is already happening.

If you look at the Blue Bulls team currently playing in the Currie Cup, there's not a single player older than 25 years old, and this past weekend, we fielded 8 players who are 19 years old.

Whereas nearly the bulk of the players that played super rugby are either with the Springboks, or playing in Japan. Out of the Starting line-up for the Bulls in the Super Rugby, it's only Pierre Schoeman, Frik Kirsten, Burger Odendaal and Warwick Gelant that is currently starting for the Currie Cup team.

But the thing is that standards/expectations have been dropping. The Currie Cup has been running in the same period it has ever since it was the Super 10. But the past 8 or so years there was too many tweaks changes being done on a yearly basis, confusing everyone, and trying to be more accomodating towards the Kings/EP in getting them in the Premier division. Yet, they didn't feature at all the past 2 seasons of Currie Cup.



Just on a different note:
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Rugb...sos-to-louw-pick-uncapped-sharks-duo-20170920
Francois Louw, S'busiso Nkosi (wing) and Louis Schreuder (scrumhalf) have been called up to the Springboks
 
Good news for Aussie and Kiwi fans, is that 'Everybody steps Raymond' Rhule is till in the squad. Bad news for the Aussie and Kiwi fans is that S'busiso Nkosi has been selected. Now we just need another 'ethnic black' winger that can actually score tries, Makazole Mapimpi. If/when Rhule is finally dropped from the squad, Mapimpi can come in for the end of year tour.
 
Why was Rhule even selected in the first place? I've never rated him, Super Rugby player at best, and even then he probably wouldn't crack the starting 15 of any of the NZ sides...
It's still a crime that Combrink can't get in the squad. Have been impressed by what I've seen from Van Wyk too, would be a shoo-in if he was black...
 
Why was Rhule even selected in the first place? I've never rated him, Super Rugby player at best, and even then he probably wouldn't crack the starting 15 of any of the NZ sides...
It's still a crime that Combrink can't get in the squad. Have been impressed by what I've seen from Van Wyk too, would be a shoo-in if he was black...

My only guess is that there was an issue with Combrink currently playing in Japan, and whether he was allowed to return to SA.
 
My only guess is that there was an issue with Combrink currently playing in Japan, and whether he was allowed to return to SA.
ahh see I didn't even know that he was in Japan... I guess that would probably have something to do with it. Still should've been in from the get go though.
 
My only guess is that there was an issue with Combrink currently playing in Japan, and whether he was allowed to return to SA.
Nope, his contract makes him available for the boks, was mentioned in one of the 1000 articles begging for his inclusion. As for Rhule, he's surely a relic from the HM era
 
Nope, his contract makes him available for the boks, was mentioned in one of the 1000 articles begging for his inclusion. As for Rhule, he's surely a relic from the HM era

I know his contract makes him eligible to play for the boks, but there are other issues that might also be hampering his chances of playing. Availability is just one part of the agreement. But I know other players have clauses in their contract that they have to be training with the Japanese team for a certain amount of days during pre-season, undergo medical and fitness assessments, and make certain appearances at social events.

Plus there might be something wrong with Combrink's passport or whatever else.

The point is that him being in Japan and not in SA at the moment could be just the reason why AC didn't call him up, and rather wants to select guys that are inland...
 
I know his contract makes him eligible to play for the boks, but there are other issues that might also be hampering his chances of playing. Availability is just one part of the agreement. But I know other players have clauses in their contract that they have to be training with the Japanese team for a certain amount of days during pre-season, undergo medical and fitness assessments, and make certain appearances at social events.

Plus there might be something wrong with Combrink's passport or whatever else.

The point is that him being in Japan and not in SA at the moment could be just the reason why AC didn't call him up, and rather wants to select guys that are inland...
Yeah I understand logistics is a nightmare and agree that its not as easy as phoning him up and asking him to report to bok practice. You would think AC might've made preparations for such a move in advance however with all the calls to back him though, considering he has/had 2 weeks after the last test. No point in lingering on the topic now that the decision is made but I had my hopes we would have him on the wing or in his absence would've had a fresh face at 15 but I is what it is.
 
damn it, did you guys delete the fake passport post now...

I wanted a pilots license :(
 
Both Raymond Rhule and Courtnall Skosan could only score one try each in seven tests this year. Are they really the two best wingers we have in SA?? Clearly not! But AC seems to think so...sigh!
 

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