Next players to be capped

[Draggs]

We need some activity here!
Who do you think will be the next players to be capped for their countries?
Looking at South Africa, there are two that I see as good possibilities.
Louis Ludik has been in superb form at fullback and on the wing. The lack of dedicated Springbok fullbacks is an issue, and neither Kirchner nor Joe Pietersen seem up to the task. Louis Ludik has been reliable for the Sharks all season. Good positioning in defence and accurate under the highball, he is certainly worth a shot.
Duane Vermeulen. It has been a case of when, not if for the WP 8. Unfortunate timing of injuries has caused him to miss the World Cup and June tests, but he is just coming back to full fitness in time for TRC. The lack of competition (namely Pierre Spies, who has not shown international abilities at 8) again means that there is an open position.

 

[big ginger 8]

Good thread topic. With Ireland it's hard to know what with ultra conservative Kidney in charge. My picks (barring injury whether it be to the players I picked are an injury crisis in a particular position leading to a player being picked) are:

Craig Gilroy Ulster wing with a fantastic step and an eye for the line. Should have gone to N.Z. this Summer IMO. Really excited by him.

Dominic Ryan Leinster flanker started off as a blindside but seems to be converting to the openside. Very hard hitter Should get good game time at the start off the season with internationals having a break and SO'B's injury.

The A.I. match against Samoa would be the earliest they'd get capped fairly unlikely though. I'd say we'll have to wait for the Canada tour. Off course it'll probably end up being some Munster fella...

 

[LittleGuy]

A couple of names I expect for Canada to get capped soon.

Connor McCann Flyhalf for Canada, in Clermont Auvergne's academy. I expect him to get capped very soon, especially since Ander Monro isn't getting any younger and Hirayama has always been a better 7's player than 15's.

Mark Kohler Outside back, playing in Bedford, should get into a game soon, adding to the wealth of talent in the backs that Canada has. Ciaran Hearn could get pushed out of the squad in the numbers game.

Ray Barkwill Hooker, Western Force "A"/ Ontario Blues, has done well in Australia and was fantastic in the Blues tour of South America, returning home for the CRC season in order to make the November tour squad, considering the need for either a player better than Ryan Hamilton or at the very least someone who will do well in the #16 jersey this is a welcome development.

 

[BZHopenside]

Samu Manoa 8 man/Lock, Northampton Saints. Technically, he has 1 cap, but given his form with the Saints, it's about time he became a regular on the Eagles, especially now that Hayden Smith is off cavorting with Tim Tebow in the NFL.

 

[norcalbuff]

Toby L'Estrange - likely would have been the starting USA 10 this summer had he not been injured. Australian raised but plays for NYAC and can also play 12.

USA-eligible players who would get capped immediately if they chose to play for the US: Marcel Brache, Fudge Mabeta, Tommy Seymour and Callum Black.

Then you have the uncapped college guys that were in the training squad but didn't make the summer test squad so are clearly close: Seamus Kelly, Hynie Leaaetoa, Cam Dolan, Ray Forrester and Andrew Cook.

I'd also look to U20 star Madison Hughes.

I expect to see pretty much all of the college guys and Hughes (along with maybe Kingsley McGowan) in the USA Selects for the Americas Rugby Championship.

 

[BZHopenside]

With Paul Emerick getting kind of old, I think Tolkin should consider moving Chris Wyles to outside center (where he plays with the Saracens), and try some new blood at fullback. Particularly Madison Hughes while Blaine Scully is injured and/or playing sevens.

Basically, the problem for guys like Callum Black is that they may lose their contracts if they are capped for an international side, because of domestic player quotas. Ultimately, international participation is growing much faster than international audience.

 

[norcalbuff]

I wouldn't mind Wyles at 13 but I think you're more likely to see Paterson move there. To be honest I wouldn't mind trying Paterson at 12 either.

Yes, that might be a problem for Callum Black and maybe Seymour but I bet it would be less of a problem for Mabeta and Brache because the SA S15 teams don't seem to mind foreigners (not to mention Mabeta and Brache are almost certainly SA passport holders and are basically South African). I'm not saying any of them will declare for the US, but simply saying they are possibilities and would almost certainly be insta-capped if they were to do so.

 

[Draggs]

For Wales it is tough. We have quite a few young players developing who have already been capped, so I don't think we will see many others.
Rather pleased to see Cuthbert, Robinson, and Shingler capped over the past season; I had a feeling they would, a few months back.
I wouldn't be shocked if we saw either Jack Dixon or Cory Allen in the squad. Gatland likes young player and also big centres, and these two fit the bill. Roberts should be back by the November, but it would be a massive boost to have a player able to stand in for him. It might be too early, but Steven Shingler must be worth some consideration. He will be playing under Shaun Edwards at London Irish, and had a solid first season at inside centre. He offers both bulk and playmaking experience, from his time at standoff. There aren't really any tight five forwards that are both uncapped and ready for international action. In the backrow, Lewis Evans is a possibility, but considering the depth we have on the flank, I can't see him being selected over Lydiate, Jones, Shingler, and seemingly Turnbull.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Pete Waterfield, because he looks like Peter Stringer.

 

[welshglory]

Joe Rees, Nathan Buck and Samson Lee. We desperately need tighthead cover and i think these guys could do the job. Craig Mitchell is always an option but is difficult to get access to because he's in England and it's hard to say if he has come on since when he last played for Wales.

 

[Draggs]

Joe Rees, Nathan Buck and Samson Lee. We desperately need tighthead cover and i think these guys could do the job. Craig Mitchell is always an option but is difficult to get access to because he's in England and it's hard to say if he has come on since when he last played for Wales.

Rees I can certainly see being capped within the next two seasons.
Lee is far too young and inexperienced so far, let's see how he goes this season.
Buck looks out of his depth in Pro12 matches, just not an international.

 

[welshglory]

Yea should've said candidates to be capped in the next few years, but ya get the gist.

I wouldn't say Buck looks out of his depth, he's looked solid at times. Against the O's though he was destroyed but that's acceptable because he's a young prop. I think he could prove you wrong in the next few years.

 

[Draggs]

Yea should've said candidates to be capped in the next few years, but ya get the gist.

I wouldn't say Buck looks out of his depth, he's looked solid at times. Against the O's though he was destroyed but that's acceptable because he's a young prop. I think he could prove you wrong in the next few years.

I would wholly agree then. I'll give Buck some more time. He had a serious injury a while back and possibly still getting over it.

 

[usausa]

I wouldn't mind Wyles at 13 but I think you're more likely to see Paterson move there. To be honest I wouldn't mind trying Paterson at 12 either.

Yes, that might be a problem for Callum Black and maybe Seymour but I bet it would be less of a problem for Mabeta and Brache because the SA S15 teams don't seem to mind foreigners (not to mention Mabeta and Brache are almost certainly SA passport holders and are basically South African). I'm not saying any of them will declare for the US, but simply saying they are possibilities and would almost certainly be insta-capped if they were to do so.

There is no doubt there will have to be some sort of reshuffling in the backline when the US goes into the fall tests since they will have Ngwenya. And the 10 looks so wide open as Roland Suniula was only ok, so that leaves the door open for Toby L'Estrange and Nese Malifa to make the squad. Unfortunately I do not think Will Holder is at test level yet; too inconsistent from the tee and had a few defensive lapses but hey the ARC and maybe even a fall test vs a Tier 2 side would be the perfect ground for Tolkin to give him another shot. Based on the summer tests, here is how I'd line up the backs:

10 Toby L'Estrange - new cap, let's see that he's got. My second choice has to be Nese Malifa, we need a solid consistent goal kicker, Wyles isn't one naturally.
11 Luke Hume - Perfect wing opposite Zee, great speed, awesome acceleration, can catch kicks, can kick, and is very physical in defense
12 Andrew Suniula - His performance against Georgia was great, Italy not so much, but he's got the potential in this system to be a solid 12.
13 James Paterson - Great runner, now that Emerick has his cap record we can see Paterson here. Much talked about, people think this move works.
14 Takudzwa Ngwenya - Doesn't really need any explanation, he's one of the fastest wingers in rugby.
15 Chris Wyles - Solid runner in the system, has earned #1 FB.

This backline is so versatile too. To put Wyles at 13 like BZHopenside suggested would be easy. You could move Wyles to 13 and Paterson or Hume to 15 while the other plays 11.

One uncapped player I'm keen to watch the development of is prop Mikey Su'a (BYU). He's been the #1 prop in USA Colleigiate rugby but there are questions about his fitness and whether he is really that good of a rugby player or whether it was just a case of him beeing so much bigger/stronger than everyone else. Granted, he did play a lot of his games against crap squads but most of these teams (Life U, Cal, BYU) play a pretty crap regular season since there is little to no competition in their conference.

 

[Draggs]

OK, finally called one... Thank you Duane!

Some of our western brethren believe that Heart & Soul Andy Fenby will be a new Welsh wing. Oh my.

 

[Peat]

If Johnny May and Joe Launchbury don't get caps soon I'm gonna go windmilling into Lancaster's office, as both look like the real deal. Plus, second row is a bit of a weakness, and I'd love a real utility back in the England line up again - particularly one as ridiculously quick as May.

And obviously its a travesty that Craig Gilroy hasn't been capped for Ireland - I'm just going to be slightly premature and say Luke Marshall has a good run at the 12 shirt if he continues like he is...

 

[Darwin]

From an AB's perspective there probably won't be any new caps until the end of year tour (as everyone in the Rugby Championship squad is capped). Probably the most likely new caps here would be big Ben Tameifuna, and halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow. I wouldn't mind seeing Luke Braid or Matt Todd get a chance too, though that would probably only happen if McCaw or Cane got injured. If TJ Perenara wasn't injured he would have been a very good chance of making the AB's end of year tour, but he may have to wait until next year to make his AB's debut.

 

[psychic duck]

Georgia have a lock/back rower called Lasha Lomidze who is being hyped as "the new Gorgodze". He has signed for Montpellier over the summer, and I expect he will make his debut over the next year.

There is also a young prop called Zurab Zhvania who has made his debut with Stade Français this year and was one of the most impressive Georgians at junior level.

In the backs there is a giant called Tamaz Mchedlidze who could be Georgia's crash ball centre/winger in the future.

 

[psychic duck]

OK, finally called one... Thank you Duane!

Some of our western brethren believe that Heart & Soul Andy Fenby will be a new Welsh wing. Oh my.

No.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Frans Malherbe was called up for the Bok team! Another debutant. I really hope he does well and he deserves it but if Heyneke Meyer is *****ing about the lack of experience in the team, why didn't he call up BJ Botha?