I don't see why this is scary - last time I checked our 'dads army' team is unbeaten this year, and 'dads army' teams tend to do bloody well at world cups! The reason the Wallabies have such a young team has as much to do with their lack of quality older players, as it does to the outstanding quality of these young players. I'm not saying the young Aussie players are not good - indeed I think that they have some incredibly talented young players, however based on the results of the last three under 20 rugby world cups, New Zealand (and South Africa) has some equally (if not more talaented) young players. If New Zealand (or South Africa) had as little depth as Australia, I'm sure we would see their young players playing international rugby too!
Onto who I would pick for South Africa's end of year tour:
I won't pick a whole squad as I don't know enough about SA rugby rugby, however there are few positions that I think they should look at.
Hooker: If they want Ralepelle he needs to play the majority of the matches to see how he goes at this level. Personally I'd get du Plessis back in.
Loose-forwards: I'd certainly get Potgieter and Vermeulen involved. If Brussow is fit I'd get him involved too (when is he ment to be back?).
Halfback: They could try someone like Duvenhage - if only to get Januarie as far away from the Bok Jersey as possible (though as an AB supported I'm more than happy for them to keep Januarie as long as they want!)
First-Five: They need to find a quality back-up to Steyn, as I'm not convinced about James. I haven't seen much of Lambie, but he is obviously talented. Are Peter Grant or Meyer Bosman still in contention as backup 10's?
Unfortunately Brussouw will be out for a while yet.
Bismarck du Plessis is still the ebst rake in SA and PdV is still an idiot for not calling him up in the SA leg and giving an obviously tired Smit a rest. I agree that if Chiliboy is there to stay he needs to get some regular gametime. I would have prefered it if this was in the CC or some other platform than test rugby but this is SA rugby so we'll have to accept it.
I agree on the need for back-up for Morne Steyn as Butch is too old for my taste and with Pienaar and Grant deciding to play overseas... well I would like to see both Patrick Lambie and Elton Jantjes at least on a bench in the EoYT.
I agree that jongi Nokwe has got a raw deal but do feel that he has not worked hard enough on his shortcomings in the Super14 and Currie cup throughout the last 2 years to be considered a regular Springbok.
I hate that the selectors did not go with a few newbies during the Trinations and a few more in the EoYT and would probably now send a squad to be slaughtered up North and not give us any indication as to who would fit in and who not. But I guess we are now forced to send a fresh team up North although I would still play guys who haven't played too much rugby up too now mostly bescause of injury/suspension/death of his father: Smith, du Plessis etc.
Tendai Mtawarira
Chiliboy Ralepelle (needs gametime)
Brok Harris (Neither du Plessis, Botha or v/d Linde put their hands up, try someone else)
Bakkies Botha (missed a couple of games through injury and suspension, need to show he is dedicated to the cause and play the ball, not the man. great player if he can focus on rugby)
Flip van der Merwe (had a few good games but needs experience)
Francois Louw (best option in the absence of Brussouw IMO)
Juan Smith (c) (missed a lot of games, he is hungry and we need a few old heads up North)
Duane Vermeulen (Kankowski needs gametime but not Europe in winter. Duane would be perfect)
Francois Hougaard (played a lot of rugby but looks sharp and needs time at 9 having had played winger for the Bulls)
Patrick Lambie (the sooner this kid gets into the squad the better)
Lwazi Mvovo (I include Mvovo and Basson because we lack depth of real wingers at test level)
Jean de Villiers (hadnt played too much rugby at Munster and needs to shrug off the cobwebs)
Juan de Jongh
Bjorn Basson
Gio Aplon
WP Nel
Bismarck du Plessis
Franco van der Merwe
Jean Deysel
Dewald Duvenhage
Elton Jantjes
Riaan Viljoen
wouldn't mind: Allistair Hargreaves, Kankowski, van den Heever, Werner Kruger, Tiaan Liebenberg, Craig Burden, Adriaan Fondse, Willem Alberts, Dewald Potgieter, Hennie Daniller, Sarel Pretorius. Andries Bekker and Brussouw if fit.
Oh, and F Steyn is just waayyyyyyyyy off the pace. If he can't stay sharp playing in France then we need to overlook him. Bad positional play, no joining the line, caught out in defence at the back, some awful kicks out on the full. He is unfit and needs to play more at 15 in provincial/club games if he is to be any use for us at the back at test level.
