South Africa squad for England tests

[TRF_heineken]

I'm curious to see if Frans Steyn will be wearing a bok jersey this summer.

There shouldn't be an if in that sentence, Heyneke Meyer has been making it abundantly clear that Steyn is in his plans, and he's been training in SA for the tests whenever he wasn't at Racing Metro. he also joined the training squads earlier.

Boks have a lot of depth... but I feel it is not evenly spread. A lot of hookers and loosies, a few young talented 10s, very skilful 13s and fast wingers. On the other hand, they're not as good as they used to be concerning props, locks and scrummies.

I saw the cheetas-sharks game last weekend and both #13s are real class. I can't see JdJ getting the nod.

Props: Coenie Oosthuizen, Dean Greyling, Beast, Steven Kitshoff, Werner Kruger, WP Nel, Heinke van der Merwe, CJ van Der Linde, Caylib Oosthuizen, Pat Cilliers
Locks: Juandre Kruger, Andries Bekker, Eben Etzebeth, Flip van der Merwe, Steven Sykes, Rynardt Elstadt, Franco van Der Merwe, Johann Muller
Scrummies: Francois Hougaard, Piet van Zyl, Dewaldt Duvenage, Jano Vermaak, Charl Mcleod, Ruan Pienaar.

That is world class players and would make most teams jealous...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

What I'd like to see and taking injuries into account and Jaque Fourie quitting test rugby(mixture of new and old);

Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira
Bismarck du Plessis
Werner Kruger
Eben Etzebeth
Andries Bekker
Heinrich Brussow
Marcell Coetzee
CJ Stander
Francois Hougaard
Pat Lambie
Bryan Habana
Francois Steyn
Juan de Jongh
JP Petersen
Joe Pietersen

Adriaan Strauss
Dean Greyling
Gerhard Mostert
Willem Alberts
Fourie du Preez
Peter Grant
Gio Aplon

Just for now though; this wouldn't be my picks for long term.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Thank you! Finally someone picking a fly-half able to do more than just kick. I will put in my preferred starting XV for this summer...


1. Coenie Oosthuizen
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Werner Kruger
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Andries Bekker
6. Heinrich Brussow
7. Marcell Coetzee
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard
10.Patrick Lambie
11.Gio Aplon
12.Francois Steyn
13.Robert Ebersohn
14.JP Pietersen
15.Jaco Taute

16.Adriaan Strauss
17.Tendai Mtawarira
18.Juandre Kruger
19.Keegan Daniel
20.Piet van Zyl
21.Peter Grant
22.Juan de Jongh

 

[SomeOke]

I would love to see Lambie at fly-half don't get me wrong. I genuinely believe he's our best option there, however we have far more depth at fly-half and we have far more quality fly-halfs than we have quality fullbacks, Joe Pietersen and Jaco Taute are both good players but Lambie has proven to be effective at that position for the boks before and considering we have other options at fly-half the logical call is to start Lambie at fullback, where he can cover fly-half if the need arises.

I saw the cheetas-sharks game last weekend and both #13s are real class. I can't see JdJ getting the nod.

Paul Jordaan and Robert Ebersohn are both great but our current coach will be going for a more "win every game" approach as opposed to "build for 2015" a sentiment I agree with.

With that in mind I see no problem with giving the two above 2 more season of Super Rugby to refine their game and smooth some of their rough edges before we rush them into the Boks, young players have been spoilt before in the past because we exposed them to test rugby to early.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

• 15. Joe PietersenPopularity: 57%
• 14. Bjorn BassonPopularity: 71%
• 13. Juan de JonghPopularity: 43%
• 12. Tim WhiteheadPopularity: 43%
• 11. Lwazi MvovoPopularity: 71%
• 10. Morne SteynPopularity: 43%
• 9. Francois HougaardPopularity: 71%
• 8. Pierre SpiesPopularity: 57%
• 7. CJ StanderPopularity: 57%
• 6. Heinrich BrussowPopularity: 43%
• 5. Eben EtzebethPopularity: 29%
• 4. Eben EtzebethPopularity: 57%
• 3. WP NelPopularity: 57%
• 2. Bismarck du PlessisPopularity: 71%
• 1. Dean GreylingPopularity: 43%

How the SA general public (the part that visits sarugby.com and care to vote) rate the S15 players:

I find it interesting that Basson and Mvovo both get 71% on the wings while the more experienced three in Habana, Aplon and Petersen have been doing well IMO.

Thank goodness there is Frans Steyn to call upon because if Tim Whitehead is our best option at 12??..?..

I also wish we could clone Etzebeth as 4) Etzebeth, 5) Etzebeth would own all.

 

[psychic duck]

Etzebeth is obviously very highly thought of in SA, interesting to see if he will live up to all this expectation in Bok colours

in the NH press, there has been very little talked about him, if he is as good as SA fans are saying he could catch some by surprise

interesting WP Nel is the people's choice as tighthead prop, as he has signed for Edinburgh based on that he is Scottish qualified and would play for Scotland

Joe Pietersen is doing well in Super Rugby, whilst he was a homesick Bayonne reserve in France unfortunately, looks a very skilled player, better than Kirchner

do Bok fans want to move away from the old players like of Bakkies, Steenkamp in Europe or du Preez and Fourie in Japan? or is there still talk of them playing against England

 

[SomeOke]

do Bok fans want to move away from the old players like of Bakkies, Steenkamp in Europe or du Preez and Fourie in Japan? or is there still talk of them playing against England

With the exception of Bakkies they could all make it into the squad based on merit but the general feeling is to try something new. None of them will be close to young enough to play in 2015.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

do Bok fans want to move away from the old players like of Bakkies, Steenkamp in Europe or du Preez and Fourie in Japan? or is there still talk of them playing against England

I can only speak for myself I suppose but the way I see it is that there is room for the older guys (apart from J Fourie who has stated that he won't play and Bakkies whom I think most are glad to see moved on as we have the back-up and he was an 'unraveled' player at the end there) but not past the matches against England. After the England tests we would generally like to see some young guns come in for the Rugby championship and then start working toward depth in experience from the end of year tours onward.

You can't easily replace experience but at the same time most of those guys have moved on and so should we IMO and back the hunger of youth.

 

[Draggs]

Duck, Jaque Fourie has ruled himself out of playing for the Springboks while in Japan.

 

[big ginger 8]

Why do people always forget about Mujati?

 

[Cave Dweller]

Who?

 

[big ginger 8]

With you I'm never sure what you're at but Brian Mujati a tighthead who's still only 27 playing for Northampton an absolute beast at scrumtime and a very strong carrier.

 

[Draggs]

Juan de Jongh is quick and can step, but only inside it seems. His passing leaves much to be desired, so I think Robert Ebersohn and Paul Jordaan are better options for the future.
Lambie's recent performances have truly put him ahead of Morné Steyn, while it seems very probable that Francois Steyn will play at inside centre.

 

[Aedaphon]

With you I'm never sure what you're at but Brian Mujati a tighthead who's still only 27 playing for Northampton an absolute beast at scrumtime and a very strong carrier.

Fact of the day- Mujati and The Beast played together at schools level for the same senior side. I would hate to be the U18s front row facing that scrum...

I totally agree though, I'm surprised he doesn't get a vague look in.

 

[big ginger 8]

shame, still had a year or two left as a quality international player, he made a mockery of some Japanese defences in their league last season

good news for de Jongh though

is Pietersen a likely call up?




reports said he struggled against Joe Marler (who was destroyed by the Georgian prop Kubriashvili in the Barbarians last year) last weekend though

So I've heard but not everyday is a good day and Marler's come on leaps and bounds since last year people don't stay at the same ability scrummaging wise they generally get better and better with experience before their body isn't up to it anyway. Also some are more suited to scrummaging against certain props.

 

[Amobokoboko]

There shouldn't be an if in that sentence, Heyneke Meyer has been making it abundantly clear that Steyn is in his plans, and he's been training in SA for the tests whenever he wasn't at Racing Metro. he also joined the training squads earlier.



Props: Coenie Oosthuizen, Dean Greyling, Beast, Steven Kitshoff, Werner Kruger, WP Nel, Heinke van der Merwe, CJ van Der Linde, Caylib Oosthuizen, Pat Cilliers
Locks: Juandre Kruger, Andries Bekker, Eben Etzebeth, Flip van der Merwe, Steven Sykes, Rynardt Elstadt, Franco van Der Merwe, Johann Muller
Scrummies: Francois Hougaard, Piet van Zyl, Dewaldt Duvenage, Jano Vermaak, Charl Mcleod, Ruan Pienaar.

That is world class players and would make most teams jealous...

Interesting. so Frans at fullback. Curious to see where he will put Lambie? Steyn is still in the running for flyhalf I assume

 

[j'nuh]

reports said he struggled against Joe Marler (who was destroyed by the Georgian prop Kubriashvili in the Barbarians last year) last weekend though

Marler's scrummaging seems to have come on a lot since joining the EPS (perhaps coincidentally, perhaps because Rowntree can turn water into wine).

tbf, I think Mujati is the least of the Northampton front row. Northampton's scrum has looked much less threatening since Hartley got banned and Tonga'uiha is outstanding. Mujati is great, but I think he's lucky to be alongside Tonga'uiha and Hartley. Northampton don't seem to lose anything when PDJ comes onto the field.

 

[Draggs]

Joe Pietersen, or JP?
With regards to Joe, I have no clue. He hasn't been in a Springbok squad yet, but has been the in-form SA fullback. He also brings another goal-kicking option, if they don't feel secure enough having Steyn/Lambie, and Steyn available.

Jaque really is a different type of centre than the lads coming through. Jordaan, de Jongh, and Ebersohn are all relatively small compared to Fourie.
I did hear some speculation that Jean de Villiers would play, and perhaps captain the Boks. With Francois essentially nailed on for the inside centre position, we could see de Villiers at outside centre for now.

 

[Cave Dweller]

With you I'm never sure what you're at but Brian Mujati a tighthead who's still only 27 playing for Northampton an absolute beast at scrumtime and a very strong carrier.

Do not think we are that desperate. Got enough tightheads in this country playing better than him.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Interesting. so Frans at fullback. Curious to see where he will put Lambie? Steyn is still in the running for flyhalf I assume

Lambie can play inside center as well. I prefer Lambie playing either that position of fly-half. His true abilities get lost at full-back