Ireland v South Africa

[lynam1104]

I don't think Beast is a good scrumedger hes not bad but john hayes was able to handle him last year so he can't be that good. Buckley has improved at his scrummaging a lot. The AB's the one game I think we will lose I'm more confident then summer but not overly.

 

[Seaton]

@ SavageLez: Burden played as a flanker several times and did pretty well at that position. He's not a good hooker.

Yaaaassss! You agree with me on Burden at last, my life is complete.

Anyways, given the injuries at the moment the backline pretty much selects itself (and would not be inexperienced as one poster mentioned [Aplon is 27/28, not a freshman!])
apart from the wings, however I don't think Basson will be useful on a wet surface

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

@LH: I don't think Burden is that bad with the scrums but he is horrible with the line-outs.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Why do people still think Aplon is a talent? I know he surprised everyone with his amazing skills in the June tests and the following Currie Cup and Tri Nations but like LH said, he is already 27, the same age as the experienced Habana

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aplon is playing well and Habana is terrible atm, could be why?

 

[Seaton]

Aplon is playing well and Habana is terrible atm, could be why?

Well a talent is usually a youngster who has the ability and time to improve, no?
And Habana has been in a decent enough form in the last three games, but didn't see a lot of ball against the Sharks in the final, where as Aplon was tightly marked by Lwazi Mvovo and did nothing of note other than be responsible for the Sharks last try

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Could just be because Aplon hasn't had the exposure that Habana has had,
Outside of SA Habana is THE SA winger, Aplon is relatively new/unheard of

 

[Shaggy]

Why do people still think Aplon is a talent? I know he surprised everyone with his amazing skills in the June tests and the following Currie Cup and Tri Nations but like LH said, he is already 27, the same age as the experienced Habana

I am actually a Habana fan, but I guess on form, Aplon's the better of the two at the moment ... Habana was exposed defensively in the Tri-Nations tests with his tendency to rush up out of the line, to go for the intercept, and create gaps for the opposition to run through ... Aplon also more versatile and can play on the wing and at Fullback

 

[Seaton]

Could just be because Aplon hasn't had the exposure that Habana has had,
Outside of SA Habana is THE SA winger, Aplon is relatively new/unheard of

Aye, but the strange thing is, even though he played Sevens for most of his career (and was a pretty good player to boot), most of the SA rugby 'experts' and pundits seem to have never heard of him, even the pundits who praised his Seven skills in the past seem to have forgotten he existed. Is it possible it is just a media ploy to attract peoples attention?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I feel Aplon is best at the fullback position. The wingers Basson and Mvovo have shown this Currie Cup they are ready for a chance in the Green & Gold. I hope they will get a chance but knowing that moron Mr. Pringles, Habana will play on the wing. Good thing Jean de Villiers is out with an injury otherwise he would be the other winger

 

[coonor]

I agree i think Aplon is best at fullback. It gives him that little extra space whic he uses so well.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I still think we should have another fullback in the squad. Ludik or Jantjes would deserve it based on their Currie Cup season. Now we only have Aplon and Steyn (who is best as a centre)

 

[Seaton]

I still think we should have another fullback in the squad. Ludik or Jantjes would deserve it based on their Currie Cup season. Now we only have Aplon and Steyn (who is best as a centre)

Zane Kirchner was called up when the injuries started, along with Deon Steggman and Adi Jacobs

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

That's good to hear although I am not a fan of Kirchner. However, doesn't it bother anyone that we have 5 or 6 players that can we used as a half-back but only 1 full-back? And that we need injuries for our moron-coach to call up a second full back?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

That's good to hear although I am not a fan of Kirchner. However, doesn't it bother anyone that we have 5 or 6 players that can we used as a half-back but only 1 full-back? And that we need injuries for our moron-coach to call up a second full back?

If that were the only thing to be 'bothered' about re selections, I would be a happy man. Seriously, I would not be surprised if this were the Bok team to face Ireland :

1 Tendai Mtawarira
2 Chiliboy Ralepelle
3 Jannie du Plessis
4 Bakkies Botha
5 Pierre Spies
6 Willem Alberts
7 Juan Smith
8 Ryan Kankowski

9 Ruan Pienaar
10 Morne Steyn
11 Gio Aplon
12 Patrick Lambie
13 Bryan Habana
14 Bjorn Basson
15 Zane Kirschner

16 CJ van der Linde
17 Bismarck du Plessis
18 Victor Matfield
19 Deon Stegman
20 Francois Hougaard
21 Elton Jantjes
22 Adi Jacobs

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

What's wrong with Kankowski at 8? And Lambie as a centre is a good choice too. Habana at 13 would be as logical as JdV on the wing so that is actually possible

 

[lynam1104]

Maybe it's because Spies is at 5 and Matfeild is on the bench?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Spies doesn't deserve a chance in the starting 15 when you see his performance over the last 6 months

 

[munstermuffin]

Is Ruan Pienaar going to be always selected while in Ulster yet F. Steyn is ignored.

 

[Seaton]

Zane Kirchner has been training at 13 now, if media writers who tagging behind the Boks are to be believed