Spring Tour: South Africa v England -3rd Test. (23/06/2012 16:00 GMT)

[TRF_heineken]

For test 1? Who?

Burger yes, Brussow available but apparently not your best, I forgot Juan Smith for a moment as he's been so injury prone I thought he was retired, Matfield's retirement took him out of the picture even if he wanted to go back, Botha likewise... Smit?!

Imo, the only two of those I'd give is Burger and Smith. I'm not counting retirements/omissions - do so, and the English list only grows vaster, albeit slightly dodgy.

Andries Bekker, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen... Those are the only 3 i could think of...

 

[Peat]

Fair shout on Bekker, who I forgot - I know nothing about Vermeulen I'm afraid, tell me more.

 

[Gena_ZA]

This is really a stupid argument cause the guys are injured, that is why they are not playing but foir the record

Andries Bekker -> Juandre Kruger cause of experience although Juandre did not do bad as a first timer
Coenie oosthuizen is just miles again of any other prop in this country at present - injured after a camo stint in the first test
Shalk Burger - nuff said
Duannne Vermeulen - nuff said part two
Juan Smith - too injury prone to even mention, but imagine he was fit and able
Heinrich Brussauw - out of favour for this series, will feature in the 4 nations
CJ Stander - sad story on it's own but 3 has the potential to play 3 times better at 8 that the incumbent
Skolise - we would have been equal to Coetsee given the opportunity - definitely better than Kantplaykofski

or what about a few guys that plays in your valley
Brits, BJ Botha, Flo and can't recall the rest as I don't follow them

See this argument is futile cause you wil come back with even better reasons had you had a 100% fit side, why you should have, could have and must have won

10 zip, 10 zip it will remain

 

[TRF_heineken]

This is really a stupid argument cause the guys are injured, that is why they are not playing but foir the record

Andries Bekker -> Juandre Kruger cause of experience although Juandre did not do bad as a first timer
Coenie oosthuizen is just miles again of any other prop in this country at present - injured after a camo stint in the first test
Shalk Burger - nuff said
Duannne Vermeulen - nuff said part two
Juan Smith - too injury prone to even mention, but imagine he was fit and able
Heinrich Brussauw - out of favour for this series, will feature in the 4 nations
CJ Stander - sad story on it's own but 3 has the potential to play 3 times better at 8 that the incumbent
Skolise - we would have been equal to Coetsee given the opportunity - definitely better than Kantplaykofski

or what about a few guys that plays in your valley
Brits, BJ Botha, Flo and can't recall the rest as I don't follow them

See this argument is futile cause you wil come back with even better reasons had you had a 100% fit side, why you should have, could have and must have won

10 zip, 10 zip it will remain

Ditto!

As Heyneke Meyer said the last few weeks "No Excuses"... 10 - Zip just sound so awesome!!

back to the game though...

According to News24.com 's poll, the best player in the bok team on Saturday was:



Drum Roll Please...





Wynand Olivier!!

 

[Gena_ZA]

Much like Willem Alberts but hardly has a bad game or goes through a bad patch - best no 8 in SA by far in 2012
Very unlucky with injuries always before internationals it seems.
One hell of a nice guy off filed as well

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just to talk about the game for a second p) what were Bok fans views on Potgieter?
I was keen to see him play as I've been impressed by what little I've seen of him in Super Rugby, and people were talking him up a lot on here but I thought he was very ineffectual.
He looked to be carrying strongly (hit the ball at pace etc.) but then got tackled back every time - I don't think I saw him break the line.

 

[Peat]

Gena - Please read what I said - I said people who are injured, not people omitted, of which tons of the guys you are naming were; and I never said we'd have won without them. In fact, I've never said England would have won but for x or y at all. I've said we are taking account of the fact we sent out the barrel scrapings against you, albeit in your weakened state, when we consider how happy we are with avoiding a whitewash. And if you want to know why that's something to be happy with, google 'Ireland rugby'.

edit: Or not happy as the case may be. Some of us aren't. I'm still not sure tbh, but it beats being Ireland/Wales.

 

[Gena_ZA]

okay, you win, I misread, accept my apology
See you in November

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Just to talk about the game for a second p) what were Bok fans views on Potgieter?
I was keen to see him play as I've been impressed by what little I've seen of him in Super Rugby, and people were talking him up a lot on here but I thought he was very ineffectual.
He looked to be carrying strongly (hit the ball at pace etc.) but then got tackled back every time - I don't think I saw him break the line.

Well we certainly knew he was a bit less of a steamroller than Alberts but I personally was a bit surprised by the fall in go-forward ball. TBF he is a more rounded player for the Bulls where the carrying job is shared but I was still surprised by his lack of impact. To what extent one can put this down to him just not being up to scratch compared to Alberts, debut yips or a more effective English pack is up to the selectors to analyze.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Just to talk about the game for a second p) what were Bok fans views on Potgieter?
I was keen to see him play as I've been impressed by what little I've seen of him in Super Rugby, and people were talking him up a lot on here but I thought he was very ineffectual.
He looked to be carrying strongly (hit the ball at pace etc.) but then got tackled back every time - I don't think I saw him break the line.

Potties is a 100% kinda guy, he will be running without one shoe and a broken ankle and only realise it when it is pointed out to him.
He said he would be fresh but the was rusty, he needs a few games to come back and regain form, just like a Willem Alberts and a Juan Smith.
Only freaks like Schalk Burger is as good as their last match after a along lay off.

He did okay, could have been better and should have stayed on for longer (read Kanko is a waste)
Hope they keep him for the 4 nations, he has real potential

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Much like Willem Alberts but hardly has a bad game or goes through a bad patch - best no 8 in SA by far in 2012
Very unlucky with injuries always before internationals it seems.
One hell of a nice guy off filed as well

LOL, that video should be called "Duane Vermeulen smashes Andries Strauss" rather as Vermeulen managed to get up and make the cover tackle on Mvovo while Strauss looked to have come off 2nd best. Surely there are better vids of Vermeulen around though? But I suppose he gets through a lot of work that isn't all that 'video worthy'.

I'd have loved a loose trio of
6 Brussow
7 Alberts
8 Vermeulen

But Vermeulen is injured and Brussow is out of favor (I wouldn't have minded giving away a penalty here and there though if it meant we had a player on the field that actually played to the ball).

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Potties is a 100% kinda guy, he will be running without one shoe and a broken ankle and only realise it when it is pointed out to him.
He said he would be fresh but the was rusty, he needs a few games to come back and regain form, just like a Willem Alberts and a Juan Smith.
Only freaks like Schalk Burger is as good as their last match after a along lay off.

He did okay, could have been better and should have stayed on for longer (read Kanko is a waste)
Hope they keep him for the 4 nations, he has real potential

Yeah, I was surprised HM went for Potgieter seeing as he was out injured for a while but I assumed they knew what they were doing. Who else in the squad though (though picking Potgieter for the squad while he was injured was a bit weird)? So many injuries in the backrow. I'd have given Daniel an extended run as he hadn't really had a chance. Josh Strauss also one who could've but it's pointless talking about could've beens.

 

[Peat]

okay, you win, I misread, accept my apology
See you in November

No worries - and you'll probably win then as well tbh, but we shall see. I look forwards to it regardless.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Just to talk about the game for a second p) what were Bok fans views on Potgieter?
I was keen to see him play as I've been impressed by what little I've seen of him in Super Rugby, and people were talking him up a lot on here but I thought he was very ineffectual.
He looked to be carrying strongly (hit the ball at pace etc.) but then got tackled back every time - I don't think I saw him break the line.

Whoohoo!! I'm so glad for Jaqcues! Not even a brick wall will stop this guy!!

hehehe.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Okay guys... What is your take on the whole Series-format? Is it better than the random Tours where you play 3 or 4 countries? I think the Series format offers a really cool aspect: You only play a team once every 3 or 4 years! That makes it more special and gives some extra spark to the matches. If we only play England once every 4 years for instance, it will still be special to face them during the World Cup. Now, with the fixtures in recent years, we played all 6 European teams in the last 2 years. It just loses some of the magic of taking on an opponent.

 

[j'nuh]

I think it's good, since we still have the other format during the AIs. Would like to see more games between the NH teams though. England-Wales is my favourite fixture, and it only happens once a year.

 

[mstar]

@HenryChinask
Do you not think Johnson not worthy of being on the bench? You mentioned wood and croft.
Wood - ok good player but how much better is he then Haskell and Robshaw? jurys out if he be as good when he comes back from injury.
Croft - for me seems to dissapear some games and i don't think he is as affective as haskell/robshaw at the breakdown but when he is on form his pace is something others don't have.

Lancaster has a real problem now i think with certain positions.

 

[mstar]

Why isn't Brussow playing for the Boks? is he injured?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Why isn't Brussow playing for the Boks? is he injured?

No, he just wasn't picked for the squad. Same goes for Juan de Jongh. Unbelievable both were not included, while Aplon was only called up as a replacement.

 

[j'nuh]

@HenryChinask
Do you not think Johnson not worthy of being on the bench? You mentioned wood and croft.
Wood - ok good player but how much better is he then Haskell and Robshaw? jurys out if he be as good when he comes back from injury.
Croft - for me seems to dissapear some games and i don't think he is as affective as haskell/robshaw at the breakdown but when he is on form his pace is something others don't have.

Lancaster has a real problem now i think with certain positions.

I think most forwards pick themselves. The front and second row should be: Corbs, Hartley, Cole, Lawes, Parling. Robshaw and Morgan (despite his showing, I think he was still carrying the knock he took before the tests) pick themselves in the backrow. Makes 7/8 picked so far. The bench needs touching up though, which should happen since Palmer drops to the bench and two out of Armitage, Croft, Wood and Haskell fill out the remaining flanker and bench positions. (For what it's worth, I'd like Wood/Armitage with Haskell on the bench.)

The main question marks are in the backs imo. The only players which are certain of their places are Ashton and Tuilagi.