South Africa vs British & Irish Lions - Test 1

[General Melchett]

Yeah, hope you stay around Welsh Exile. Hope everything is ok with you personally and sorry to hear you got bad news today!

Ditto from me. @Welsh Exile seems like a decent lad to me. If it helps I'll concede on the LH debate and go for Wyn Jones starting and Sutherland on the bench.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Amazed at the following selections

1. Smith instead of Wiese , Wiese is the natural successor to Vermeulen
2. Nyakane instead of Malherbe, Malherbe is the worlds best THP
3. Niche instead of Kitshoff, Kitshoff is the worlds best LHP
4. Elton instead of Morne Steyn. Elton is a choker

Apart from the bolded you're dead right my man!

If Ireland were playing that team I'd be very confident. Worth noting Gatland's record v SA is far worse than Ireland's since he was sacked as our HC though so I'd still have SA as slight favourites.

 

[Groundhog]

Tadhg Furlong

 

[Groundhog]

I see no such report in the SA Media?

Murray Kinsella tweeted it for the record. Man is always right

 

[JohnKA]

Amazed at the following selections

1. Smith instead of Wiese , Wiese is the natural successor to Vermeulen
2. Nyakane instead of Malherbe, Malherbe is the worlds best THP
3. Niche instead of Kitshoff, Kitshoff is the worlds best LHP
4. Elton instead of Morne Steyn. Elton is a choker

Clearly a strategy for the second half, front row should hold until Kitshoff and Malherbe come on, Wiese is average at best and will soon be outplayed by youngsters like Franke Horne, Evan Roos and Phepsi B. I agree on Elton he should not even be in the squad.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Honestly I feel this team is like another A team in a way.

Who knows maybe Rassie is willing to experiment a bit in the first test and go out in the second and third.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Elstadt over a Du Preez who offers far more positional cover is really odd.

 

[geostar]

Front row really is a joke. Trevor struggled against Georgia and got hammered in the SA "A" game. Mbonambi hasnt played for so long.

Could have gone for one of the twins at 8. But glad to see no Steyn or Kriel

 

[geostar]

Elstadt over a Du Preez who offers far more positional cover is really odd.

And he might throw a penalty or 2 towards the Lions

 

[Groundhog]

Honestly I feel this team is like another A team in a way.

Who knows maybe Rassie is willing to experiment a bit in the first test and go out in the second and third.

Truly insane strategy if so. Lions have a good chance if their own selection isn't batshit.

 

[WaterboySA]

When last did SA field a 5-3 reserve bank and not 6-2? In big matches I mean, not Georgia.....

 

[ncurd]

Truly insane strategy if so. Lions have a good chance if their own selection isn't batshit.

We know it will be though...I've never got the thinking behind most of Gats Lions selections in the past this has no reason to be any different.

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

All these XVs from pundits and 'experts' floating around and hardly any of them have more than a token Scot in there, if at all any. I don't believe for one second GT and ST would accept that

 

[ChicagoKid]

When last did SA field a 5-3 reserve bank and not 6-2? In big matches I mean, not Georgia.....

Rassie has stated that 6-2 split doesn't work unless you have two lock replacements. The Boks barely have 1 replacement. If RG didn't get attacked by CJ Stander, you would have the 6-2 split.

 

[Jakedood]

Rassie has stated that 6-2 split doesn't work unless you have two lock replacements. The Boks barely have 1 replacement. If RG didn't get attacked by CJ Stander, you would have the 6-2 split.

Least we know where CJ's true allegiances lie

 

[Groundhog]

Confirmed: All three Lions Tests will take place at sea level in Cape Town

Johannesburg is at the centre of the third wave of Covid-19 in South Africa.

www.the42.ie

 

[unrated]

I see they released both of the Du Preez Brothers. No RC for them

 

[ChicagoKid]

Confirmed: All three Lions Tests will take place at sea level in Cape Town

Johannesburg is at the centre of the third wave of Covid-19 in South Africa.

www.the42.ie

Think this is an advantage for the Boks. Normally altitude would be beneficial, but the Boks looked pretty tired the last 20 minutes of the SA 'A' game.

 

[AlRums]

Ditto from me. @Welsh Exile seems like a decent lad to me. If it helps I'll concede on the LH debate and go for Wyn Jones starting and Sutherland on the bench.

And me @Welsh Exile although I won't go as far as conceding Wyn Jones for Sutherland

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Pleased to see Lood is available. It was a poorly kept secret from months ago that Pollard is fit. I'm 50/50 on Kolisi being fit. He has always been a better player for country than for province but.. Even worse than Kolisi is Smith. Oy. I suppose the selection of him for 2019 RWC and his continued selection pointed in that direction. Will watch him closer. Maybe he adds more than what I see. I know that Youtuber Squidgerugby has done a vid on Kwagga being the defensive organizer from 8 and replaces Vermeulen in that regard. Its just beyond that you still see Vermeulen making huge impact elsewhere too boot.

Elton Jantjies on the bench and our starting front row are like others have noted the oddities. Is Rassie accepting we aren't fit enough for 80 minutes and we are playing our forwards a half each? I can't fathom another reason to start our best off of the bench other than that old chestnut of quotas though I am usually one loath to buy into that one. Mbonambi over Marx for me is fine though Mbonambi is coming back from injury. Nyakane also struggling for form though I do rate him and Ox both, Ox should be Kitshoff's understudy and I'd value 80 minutes from Kitshoff who we will probably need even more in the absence of Vermeulen and Marx.