Springbok Rugby Championship Squad

[TRF_stormer2010]

How can we incorporate Pollard, Goosen, Lambie (if hes not going to retire) and J.Kriel into the same team ? As i see these guys as the Future of our backline.
15. Goosen
14.Combrinck
13. Kriel
12.Lambie
11. F. Hougaard (senatla still has some proving to do in fifteens)
10.Pollard
9. de Klerk/ Reinach

Now thats a team that wont lose a territory battle no matter who they are playing add to that the fact that all of them are good defenders.

An all white backline won't happen. Can you imagine the backlash!

No, not at all. That is very, very unlikely. Jantjies at his best is better than Lambie and Pollard, and is just going to get better and better on the next years. I can see Reinach and Faf rotating, but Hougie on wing is not going to happen. Perhaps in a tier 2 match or as an alternative, but Habana, is still there for a couple of years and in the following years, we are likely to see Skosan, Senatla and maybe Pietersen if he can last these few years cover the left wing. With Mapoe just getting better, and it noy making sense to play a flyhalf/fullback ahead of a fantastic, in-form 12 like Rohan Janse van Rensburg, AC will simply be too pressured to not start the best centres in the country. Jesse for me, should be our first-choice FB and a backup 13, and must rotate with Goosen for that 15 jersey, but if Goosen doesn't return to SA soon, he might fall out of the Bok setup, considering if you have a fit Pollard, Jantjies and Lambie in waiting, AC being pressured to pick SA-based players, and with him likely introducing Kolbe to the Bok setup in the next couple of years. Combrinck is there to stay, so for me, the most likely back line say perhaps 2018/2019.
9. Faf de Klerk
10. Elton Jantjies
11. Courtnall Skosan/Seabelo Senatla
12. Rohan Janse van Rensburg
13. Lionel Mapoe
14. Ruan Combrinck
15. Jesse Kriel/Cheslin Kolbe
21. Cobus Reinach/Rudy Paige
22. Handre Pollard/Pat Lambie
23. Cheslin Kolbe/Johan Goosen

Wow, those Lions specs look cool! Jantjies is at best 3rd in line IMO and will only be starting because of injury to Pollard and Lambie and the fact Goosen plays overseas and Coetzee probably only sees him as a utility player to provide cover. Put Pollard or Goosen in that 10 jersey for the Lions and watch them go. Jantjies won't be afforded close to near the amount of time and space at test level he gets in SR, with the Lions and at Jo'burg. Don't get me wrong its not that I don't rate Jantjies and the margins are slim but as a guy without a horse in this race (I won't pretend Du Preez or Du Plessis are in this debate) my mind says Pollard has the higher ceiling while Lambie and Goosen are more dependable while they can go toe to toe with Jantjies on his strong points. All of them have had their good and poor days but IMO Jantjies has them more regularly and it can get spectacularly poor when it does.

 

[die_mole]

An all white backline won't happen. Can you imagine the backlash!



Wow, those Lions specs look cool! Jantjies is at best 3rd in line IMO and will only be starting because of injury to Pollard and Lambie and the fact Goosen plays overseas and Coetzee probably only sees him as a utility player to provide cover. Put Pollard or Goosen in that 10 jersey for the Lions and watch them go. Jantjies won't be afforded close to near the amount of time and space at test level he gets in SR, with the Lions and at Jo'burg. Don't get me wrong its not that I don't rate Jantjies and the margins are slim but as a guy without a horse in this race (I won't pretend Du Preez or Du Plessis are in this debate) my mind says Pollard has the higher ceiling while Lambie and Goosen are more dependable while they can go toe to toe with Jantjies on his strong points. All of them have had their good and poor days but IMO Jantjies has them more regularly and it can get spectacularly poor when it does.

there is something to be said about playing as many lions as possible and keeping that back line together

they've played well against the new zealand sides in super rugby and they have spent more time together than anyone else... maybe try to go for team chemistry rather than star power

 

[TRF_heineken]

there is something to be said about playing as many lions as possible and keeping that back line together

they've played well against the new zealand sides in super rugby and they have spent more time together than anyone else... maybe try to go for team chemistry rather than star power

The team chemistry won't have the same impact as you might think. There is none of the SR coaching team of the Lions in the Springbok group, and being a Springbok has a lot more rituals and other processes you need to follow to create that special bok-bond.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I see Duane Vermeulen has pulled out after getting an injury playing for Toulon.

I also see that nobody has been called up in his place. This makes me wonder what kind of loose trio will we have?

6. Flouw
7. Mohoje
8. Whiteley

or

6. Notshe
7. Kriel
8. Whiteley

or

6. Flouw
7. Kriel
8. Whiteley

 

[gaston le gaff]

Vermeulen injured his knee in the pre season game v Toulouse last Fri, apprently he is going to have an operation on it so could be out for a while, Toulon for the moment have not quoted the length of absence. They may have to name a new captain.

 

[SomeOke]

Just to comment on the Springbok fly-halves briefly; for me when you take the four candidates it boils down to this:

Lambie - Mr Relaible, also the least flare
Jantjies - Mr Flair, potentially not as reliable with some holes in his game.
Pollard - Probably less flairy than Jantjies and less reliable than Lambie, but youngest and the best potential skill-set.

Ultimately there is probably not to much between these choices at the moment so it will come down to game plan, and quota's maybe.
I'd personally play Pollard if only because I believe we've seen the best of Lambie and Jantjies and I don't think either will ever be a world beater, where as Pollard has the potential to be the best in the world.

Goosen might have the most potential of them all but we need a fly-half made of flesh, not tissue paper. Also despite the fact that by all accounts he's done really well in Europe, he seems to have been playing every position but fly-half (not that I can blame Racing since they already have the best in the world).

 

[TRF_heineken]

Just to comment on the Springbok fly-halves briefly; for me when you take the four candidates it boils down to this:

Lambie - Mr Relaible, also the least flare
Jantjies - Mr Flair, potentially not as reliable with some holes in his game.
Pollard - Probably less flairy than Jantjies and less reliable than Lambie, but youngest and the best potential skill-set.

Ultimately there is probably not to much between these choices at the moment so it will come down to game plan, and quota's maybe.
I'd personally play Pollard if only because I believe we've seen the best of Lambie and Jantjies and I don't think either will ever be a world beater, where as Pollard has the potential to be the best in the world.

Goosen might have the most potential of them all but we need a fly-half made of flesh, not tissue paper. Also despite the fact that by all accounts he's done really well in Europe, he seems to have been playing every position but fly-half (not that I can blame Racing since they already have the best in the world).

I think flyhalf is the only position where we should never implement quotas. Here we must focus on merit only as it is one of the most important positions on the field.

If I were to rank my choice of flyhalves it would look like this:

1. Handre Pollard
2. Pat Lambie & Elton Jantjies
3. Johan Goosen
4. Morne Steyn

I'd keep Elton in the starting line-up, for the sake of consistency, and to see if that final match's jitters are out of his sytem. if not, then yank him off and give someone else a go.

 

[SomeOke]

I think flyhalf is the only position where we should never implement quotas. Here we must focus on merit only as it is one of the most important positions on the field.

If I were to rank my choice of flyhalves it would look like this:

1. Handre Pollard
2. Pat Lambie & Elton Jantjies
3. Johan Goosen
4. Morne Steyn

I'd keep Elton in the starting line-up, for the sake of consistency, and to see if that final match's jitters are out of his sytem. if not, then yank him off and give someone else a go.

100% agreed, with no Pollard or Lambie it's time for Jantjies to be given a proper shout, sink or swim time. Besides Pollard needs some rugby to regain his fitness.

As for loose forwards it will be interesting, balance is going to be tough. Whiteley is probably nailed on with Vermulen out, and I'd like to say the same for Kriel last spot could be 3 or 4 people, Kriel could even miss out if he gets unlucky - If one flank is selected for experience and the other for quota.

 

[die_mole]

The team chemistry won't have the same impact as you might think. There is none of the SR coaching team of the Lions in the Springbok group, and being a Springbok has a lot more rituals and other processes you need to follow to create that special bok-bond.

At the end of the day you are still on a rugby pitch and having guys that played a whole season together will mean they will have better fluidity and sense of what each are going to do.

 

[TRF_heineken]

At the end of the day you are still on a rugby pitch and having guys that played a whole season together will mean they will have better fluidity and sense of what each are going to do.

That is true.

Faf and Elton has played together since they were 19 when they were at UJ, And an interesting fact is that Duane Vermeulen and Jean Deysel were their seniors when they were at university.

The Springbok team will be announced on Thursday as AC says that he's waiting for the final report on Hougaard from the Doctors. Seems like AC wants Hougie in his squad. Which makes me wonder about our bench. If AC puts Hougaard and Goosen on the bench, then he can fill the bench with forwards, as Hougaard and Goosen covers all the positions in the backline...

 

[WaterboySA]

I think flyhalf is the only position where we should never implement quotas. Here we must focus on merit only as it is one of the most important positions on the field.

If I were to rank my choice of flyhalves it would look like this:

1. Handre Pollard
2. Pat Lambie & Elton Jantjies
3. Johan Goosen
4. Morne Steyn

I'd keep Elton in the starting line-up, for the sake of consistency, and to see if that final match's jitters are out of his sytem. if not, then yank him off and give someone else a go.

Heineken you serious?There shouldn't be quotas in ANY position.It is reverse racism, end of story?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Heineken you serious?There shouldn't be quotas in ANY position.It is reverse racism, end of story?

Dude, you know my stance on quotas. but while we have to live with it, we have to look at where it will hurt us the least.

 

[WaterboySA]

Had to give you SOME 11.1.11......

 

[TRF_heineken]

Had to give you SOME 11.1.11......

Ek kan kak vat hoor!

Edit: That came out wrong...

 

[WaterboySA]

Ouch

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

That came out wrong...

Mens kry pille daarvoor.

Just soften it up a little and it'll come out easier.

 

[WaterboySA]

I love it when you get off topic but it's ok cause it's with two admins.LOL.....

Basically it means Heineken can take it when he's full of it....because they only make tough Bulls supporters.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Bulls supporters have to be tough to watch the crap their team plays.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Mens kry pille daarvoor.

Just soften it up a little and it'll come out easier.

Ekt nie 'n galblaas nie... Dit IS my probleem...

Bulls supporters have to be tough to watch the crap their team plays.

That's fresh coming from a guy who supports a team from England that was coached by the Bulls' coach... Heyneke Meyer...

 

[WaterboySA]

Ouch again...