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2 Months away but I thought it'd be fun to start with the speculations.
How will we do? I for one think we might surprise a few people and put 20 on England. True there will be a new coach and new players and they won't have any time together to speak of but I think the guys will be hungry and out to prove a point and will be smart about selections (at least I pray we do). Also, it's England and lets be honest we reserve our best rugby against England even if it's 2012.
The big question is what will the match-day 22 look like? Will Meyer- like Steve Hofmeyr pleads- 'maak die Bulle almal Bokke' and stick to what he achieved success with at the Bulls (back in the day) and select a team based on the Bulls and the kick-and-chase game? How much influence will Rassie Erasmus have as technical guru (what is his job ***le?) and will his Stormers/Cheetahs connections come into play? Will we stick with experienced guys like JdV, Morne Steyn and Habana because we won't have much time to get anything else sorted, will we take a chance on our form players even if they might not have test experience or will it be some kind of mixture and if so then who gets the nod over whom? Meyer has stated that he is open to picking overseas based players but will he do so as he has indicated by bringing Frans Steyn back to SA that he will favor local players..
This is what I'd like to see ITO a 30 man squad;
1 Dean Greyling (abbrasive and brings a good all-round game to complement his solid scrum-work)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (Bismarck had a slowish start to the season but has shown what he offers is priceless)
3 Pat Cilliers (probably not a popular pick but rate his scrumaging in an out-gunned Lions tight 5 and the amount of work he goes through in open play is huge)
4 Gerhard Mostert (I don't know what he's been up to overseas but based on his games on the away leg of the 3N last year )
5 Eben Etzebeth (one of the revelations of the season IMO)
6 Schalk Burger (if he can get back to his feet after injury) / Siya Kolisi
7 Jacques Potgieter (get him in a green jersey ASAP!)
8 Marcell Coetzee
9 Francois Hougaard (his kicking game is improving not that he needs it as he has a good pass, is a rock in defense and is a danger around the fringes or if the game opens up)
10 Johan Goosen (has shown enough allready in my mind and with Morne Steyn not on the best form I'll back the youngster)
11 Gio Aplon
12 Francois Steyn (might need to get rid of a kilo or two but we need him at 12)
13 Jaque Fourie (still our best bet at 13 IMO)
14 JP Pietersen
15 Patrick Lambie (he has it all and only needs some time at 15 for the Bokke)
16 Werner Kruger / Steven Kitshoff
17 Chiliboy Ralepele / Adriaan Strauss
18 Steven Sykes / Juandre Kruger
19 Duane Vermeulen / Pierre Spies (if he can continue adding to his game) / Lappies Labuschagne (this is my pick for a bolter; he hasn't had a game this season yet with injury but watch out!!)
20 Piet van Zyl / du Preez or Pienaar in from abroad as experienced cover
21 Elton Jantjies
22 Jaco Taute (can cover 13,wing and 15) / Willie le Roux / Robert Ebersohn
So I've gone with a relatively mixed group without
Guthro Steenkamp would he want to play for SA still?
Jannie du Plessis who doesn't add a lot in the loose and has discipline issues
Flip van der Merwe who I think is limited
Andries Bekker has been shown up by his young partner and IMO Kruger as well
Heinrich Brussow as the game doesn't suit him anymore IMO; I don't think a specialist fetcher is as important as it was in 2009
Willem Alberts needs to step it up
Juan Smith needs to get back from the dead
Morne Steyn also limited and off his game
JdV off his game and getting on a bit
JdJ whow in conjunction with JdV means the ball won't get to the wings ever
Brian Habana who is too overeager and a dead end
How will we do? I for one think we might surprise a few people and put 20 on England. True there will be a new coach and new players and they won't have any time together to speak of but I think the guys will be hungry and out to prove a point and will be smart about selections (at least I pray we do). Also, it's England and lets be honest we reserve our best rugby against England even if it's 2012.
The big question is what will the match-day 22 look like? Will Meyer- like Steve Hofmeyr pleads- 'maak die Bulle almal Bokke' and stick to what he achieved success with at the Bulls (back in the day) and select a team based on the Bulls and the kick-and-chase game? How much influence will Rassie Erasmus have as technical guru (what is his job ***le?) and will his Stormers/Cheetahs connections come into play? Will we stick with experienced guys like JdV, Morne Steyn and Habana because we won't have much time to get anything else sorted, will we take a chance on our form players even if they might not have test experience or will it be some kind of mixture and if so then who gets the nod over whom? Meyer has stated that he is open to picking overseas based players but will he do so as he has indicated by bringing Frans Steyn back to SA that he will favor local players..
This is what I'd like to see ITO a 30 man squad;
1 Dean Greyling (abbrasive and brings a good all-round game to complement his solid scrum-work)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (Bismarck had a slowish start to the season but has shown what he offers is priceless)
3 Pat Cilliers (probably not a popular pick but rate his scrumaging in an out-gunned Lions tight 5 and the amount of work he goes through in open play is huge)
4 Gerhard Mostert (I don't know what he's been up to overseas but based on his games on the away leg of the 3N last year )
5 Eben Etzebeth (one of the revelations of the season IMO)
6 Schalk Burger (if he can get back to his feet after injury) / Siya Kolisi
7 Jacques Potgieter (get him in a green jersey ASAP!)
8 Marcell Coetzee
9 Francois Hougaard (his kicking game is improving not that he needs it as he has a good pass, is a rock in defense and is a danger around the fringes or if the game opens up)
10 Johan Goosen (has shown enough allready in my mind and with Morne Steyn not on the best form I'll back the youngster)
11 Gio Aplon
12 Francois Steyn (might need to get rid of a kilo or two but we need him at 12)
13 Jaque Fourie (still our best bet at 13 IMO)
14 JP Pietersen
15 Patrick Lambie (he has it all and only needs some time at 15 for the Bokke)
16 Werner Kruger / Steven Kitshoff
17 Chiliboy Ralepele / Adriaan Strauss
18 Steven Sykes / Juandre Kruger
19 Duane Vermeulen / Pierre Spies (if he can continue adding to his game) / Lappies Labuschagne (this is my pick for a bolter; he hasn't had a game this season yet with injury but watch out!!)
20 Piet van Zyl / du Preez or Pienaar in from abroad as experienced cover
21 Elton Jantjies
22 Jaco Taute (can cover 13,wing and 15) / Willie le Roux / Robert Ebersohn
So I've gone with a relatively mixed group without
Guthro Steenkamp would he want to play for SA still?
Jannie du Plessis who doesn't add a lot in the loose and has discipline issues
Flip van der Merwe who I think is limited
Andries Bekker has been shown up by his young partner and IMO Kruger as well
Heinrich Brussow as the game doesn't suit him anymore IMO; I don't think a specialist fetcher is as important as it was in 2009
Willem Alberts needs to step it up
Juan Smith needs to get back from the dead
Morne Steyn also limited and off his game
JdV off his game and getting on a bit
JdJ whow in conjunction with JdV means the ball won't get to the wings ever
Brian Habana who is too overeager and a dead end