2015 season Super Rugby squads: South Africa

[TRF_stormer2010]

Stormers at this stage:

Out for 2015
Deon Fourie
Rynhardt Elstadt
Gio Aplon
Tiaan Liebenberg
Brok Harris
Pat Cilliers

PROP
Steven Kitshoff
Frans Malherbe
Alistair Vermaak
Vincent Koch
Oli Kebble
Wilco Louw

HOOKER
Scarra Ntubeni
Bongi Mbonambi

LOCK
Eben Etzebeth
Ruan Botha
Jean Kleyn
Manuel Carizza

LOOSE FORWARD
Duane Vermeulen
Schalk Burger
Nizaam Carr
Siya Kolisi
Skuna Notshe
Michael Rhodes

SRUMHALF
Nic Groom
Louis Schreuder

FLYHALF
Kurt Coleman
Demetri Catrikilis
Robert du Preez

CENTER
Jean de Villiers
Damian de Allende
Juan de Jongh
Pat Howard
Michael van der Spuy

OUTSIDE BACK
Jaco Taute
Cheslin Kolbe
Seabelo Senatla (might be with the Blitzbokke though)
Kobus van Wyk
Justin Geduld
Dillyn Leyds

A fan's wishlist:
- A not-ridiculous run of injuries.
- Signings to cover a lack of wrold class at one lock and in the halves. Depth in the tight 5 wouldn't be bad.
- A fetcher type open-side
- Hoping the type of rugby we play in Currie Cup with Gert Smal playing a bigger role in coaching continues through to Super Rugby

My first choice XV (considering we might still see some personel changes):
1 Steven Kitshoff
2 Scarra Ntubeni
3 Frans Malherbe
4 Eben Etzebeth
5 Ruan Botha
6 Schalk Burger
7 Nizaam Carr
8 Duane Vermeulen
9 Nic Groom
10 ? I have no 1st choice here. Du Preez has the potential but Coleman is probably the most consistent.
11 Seabelo Senatla (really excited about this guy)
12 Jean de Villiers
13 Juan de Jongh
14 Damian De Allende
15 Cheslin Kolbe

 

[TRF_heineken]

Stormer, you are getting Bongi Mbonambi too...

Let me do the Bulls:

Props:
Dean Greyling
Werner Kruger
Trevor Nyakane
Marcel v/d Merwe
Hencus van Wyk

Hooker
Adriaan Strauss
Callie Visagie

Lock
Victor Matfield
Flip v/d Merwe
Grant Hattingh
Marvin Orie

Loose Forwards
Arno Botha
Pierre Spies
Jacques Du Plessis
Deon Stegman
Jono Ross
Dewald Potgieter

Scrumhalf
Francois Hougaard
Piet van Zyl
Tiaan Snyman
Rudi Paige

Fly Half
Handre Pollard
Jacques-Louis Potgieter
Tony Jantjies

Centre
Jan Serfontein
Burger Odendaal
William Small-Smith
JJ Engelbrecht

Wing
Bjorn Basson
Akona Ndungane
Sampie Mastriet
Jamba Ulengo

Fullback
Ulrich Beyers
Jesse Kriel
Jurgen Visser

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Stormer, you are getting Bongi Mbonambi too...

Thanks, Hein. I edited my OP. I knew we had someone on the cards but in any case he'd be lucky to get game time.

Hein, if you guys could get in a fetcher worth anything you'd have a terribly good squad IMO. What would your starting XV look like? I'd go;

1 Trevor Nyakane
2 Adriaan Strauss (signing of the year for the Bulls!)
3 Marcel van der Merwe
4 Flip van der Merwe
5 Victor Matfield
6 Lappies Labuschagne/Deon Stegmann (Hein, Bulls should've gone for Bruoosw rather)
7 Arno Botha
8 Jacques du Plessis (or swap him with Botha as I think the Bokke need back-up to Vermeulen at 8 and Botha might be able to fill that role)
9 Francois Hougaard
10 Handre Pollard
11 Bjorn Basson
12 Burger Odendaal
13 Jan Serfontein (I have my Bok goggles on here and I thought Odendaal looked good at 12 the few games I've saw)
14 JJ Engelbrecht
15 Jesse Kriel

Just a very young backline I have there..

 

[TRF_heineken]

Thanks, Hein. I edited my OP. I knew we had someone on the cards but in any case he'd be lucky to get game time.

Hein, if you guys could get in a fetcher worth anything you'd have a terribly good squad IMO. What would your starting XV look like? I'd go;

1 Trevor Nyakane
2 Adriaan Strauss (signing of the year for the Bulls!)
3 Marcel van der Merwe
4 Flip van der Merwe
5 Victor Matfield
6 Deon Stegmann
7 Arno Botha
8 Jacques du Plessis (or swap him with Botha as I think the Bokke need back-up to Vermeulen at 8 and Botha might be able to fill that role)
9 Francois Hougaard
10 Handre Pollard
11 Bjorn Basson
12 Burger Odendaal
13 Jan Serfontein (I have my Bok goggles on here and I thought Odendaal looked good at 12 the few games I've saw)
14 JJ Engelbrecht
15 Jesse Kriel

Just a very young backline I have there..

Well, If Marnus Schoeman goes to the Pumas next season, then the Bulls will have first rights to add him to their Super Rugby Squad, if no other franchise makes an offer for him.

My 23 would look like this:

1. Trevor Nyakane
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Marcel v/d Merwe
4. Flip v/d Merwe
5. Victor Matfield
6. Deon Stegman
7. Arno Botha
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Handre Pollard
11. Bjorn Basson
12. Burger Odendaal
13. Jan Serfontein
14. JJ Engelbrecht
15. Jesse Kriel

16. Callie Visagie
17. Morne Mellett
18. Werner Kruger
19. Jacques Du Plessis
20. Dewald Potgieter
21. Piet van Zyl
22. JLP
23. Ulrich Beyers

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

This might be a double post but I think it requires a new post;

Cheetahs so far for 2015 (I'll leave the Sharks and Lions to Draggs/Eze and Imagine)

Cheetahs are fooked for 2015. They have byes in round 2 and 13 so that is a tough stretch inbetween and their tour include the Crusaders, Chiefs, Brumbies and Force all in with a shout last year... 0 wins on tour very likely. At home it doesn't look much better as they miss the Hurricanes and Rebels both teams they'd have looked at as beatable. Cheetahs have lost a ton of their best players as per usual (only for the 2013 season they managed some form of continuity)... out are Johan Goosen, Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Pieter Labuschagne (Bulls), Pieter van der Walt. I have them as:

PROP
Coeraad Oosthuizen
Bees Roux
Caylib Oosthuizen
George Marich

HOOKER
Torsten van Jaarsveld
Hercu Liebenberg
Jacques du Toit
Rayno Barnes (Griquas)

LOCK
Lodewyk de Jager
Francois Uys
Carl Wegner
Henco Venter

LOOSE FORWARD
Heinrich Brussow
Marnus Schoeman might jog out for either them or the Lions if he gets called into SR which he should (Griquas/Pumas)
Boom Prinsloo
Teboho Mohoje (might play lock rather)
Jean Cook
Vince Jobo
Tienie Burger

SCRUMHALF
Sarel Pretorius
Shaun Venter

FLYHALF
Willie du Plessis
Elgar Watts
Pieter-Steyn de Wet
Francois Brummer (Griquas)

CENTER
Francois Venter
Doppies La Grange (Griquas)
Rayno Benjamin
JP du Plessis
Joubert Engelbrecht

OUTSIDE BACKS
Willie le Roux
Cornal Hendricks
Raymond Rhule
Clayton Blommetjies
Gouws Prinsloo (Griquas)
Ederies Arendse (Griquas)

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Well, If Marnus Schoeman goes to the Pumas next season, then the Bulls will have first rights to add him to their Super Rugby Squad, if no other franchise makes an offer for him.

My 23 would look like this:

1. Trevor Nyakane
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Marcel v/d Merwe
4. Flip v/d Merwe
5. Victor Matfield
6. Deon Stegman
7. Arno Botha
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Handre Pollard
11. Bjorn Basson
12. Burger Odendaal
13. Jan Serfontein
14. JJ Engelbrecht
15. Jesse Kriel

16. Callie Visagie
17. Morne Mellett
18. Werner Kruger
19. Jacques Du Plessis
20. Dewald Potgieter
21. Piet van Zyl
22. JLP
23. Ulrich Beyers

Don't forget you signed Lappies Labuschagne. But he isn't an out-and-out fetcher. I wonder when Marnus Schoeman's transfer will take effect. He could well bring balance to that big Bulls pack. Lappies was stupid to move away IMO. I can't see him get time at the Bulls since he is not a true fetcher and not as good a blindside as Botha.

There is still a lot of time till the teams are finished. Anyone specific or type of player/position on your wishlist still at the Bulls?

 

[Draggs]

Banana Boys

Out:
Wiehahn Herbst
Danie Mienie
Anton Bresler
Peet Marais
Keegan Daniel
Jean Deysel
King Jacques Botes
Charl McLeod

Prop:
Tendai Mtawarira
Thomas du Toit
Dale Chadwick
Jannie du Plessis
Lourens Adriaanse
Matt Stevens

Hooker:
Bismarck du Plessis
Kyle Cooper
Franco Marais
Monde Hadebe

Second Row:
Pieter Steph du Toit
Stephan Lewies
Etienne Oosthuizen
John Charles Astle
Marco Wentzel*
Wiehan Hay

Back Row:
Marcell Coetzee
Willem Alberts
Francois Kleinhans
Ryan Kankowski
Tera Mtembu
Khaya Majola

Scrum Half:
Cobus Reinach
Conrad Hoffmann
Stefan Ungerer
Hanco Venter
Cameron Wright

Standoff:
Patrick Lambie
Fred Zeilinga
Lionel Cronje
Jean Luc du Plessis

Centre:
Francois Steyn
Heimar Williams
Andre Esterhuizen
Paul Jordaan
Sbura Sithole
Tyler Fisher

Wing:
JP Pietersen
Lwazi Mvovo
Odwa Ndungane
Sizo Maseko
Tonderai Chavanga

Fullback:
SP Marais
Jaco van Tonder
Tim Swiel

15 Marais
14 Pietersen
13 Jordaan
12 Steyn
11 Mvovo
10 Lambie
09 Reinach
01 Du Toit
02 Du Plessis
03 Du Plessis
04 Du Toit
05 Du Oosthuizen
06 Du Coetzee
07 Du Alberts
08 Du Mtembu

16 Cooper
17 Mtawarira
18 Adriaanse
19 Lewies
20 Kleinhans
21 Hoffmann
22 Zeilinga/Swiel/Cronje
23 Van Tonder/Sithole

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Banana Boys

Out:
Wiehahn Herbst
Danie Mienie
Anton Bresler
Peet Marais
Keegan Daniel
Jean Deysel
King Jacques Botes
Charl McLeod

Prop:
Tendai Mtawarira
Thomas du Toit
Dale Chadwick
Jannie du Plessis
Lourens Adriaanse
Matt Stevens

Hooker:
Bismarck du Plessis
Kyle Cooper
Franco Marais
Monde Hadebe

Second Row:
Pieter Steph du Toit
Stephan Lewies
Etienne Oosthuizen
John Charles Astle
Marco Wentzel*
Wiehan Hay

Back Row:
Marcell Coetzee
Willem Alberts
Francois Kleinhans
Ryan Kankowski
Tera Mtembu
Khaya Majola

Scrum Half:
Cobus Reinach
Conrad Hoffmann
Stefan Ungerer
Hanco Venter
Cameron Wright

Standoff:
Patrick Lambie
Fred Zeilinga
Lionel Cronje
Jean Luc du Plessis

Centre:
Francois Steyn
Heimar Williams
Andre Esterhuizen
Paul Jordaan
Sbura Sithole
Tyler Fisher

Wing:
JP Pietersen
Lwazi Mvovo
Odwa Ndungane
Sizo Maseko
Tonderai Chavanga

Fullback:
SP Marais
Jaco van Tonder
Tim Swiel

15 Marais
14 Pietersen
13 Jordaan
12 Steyn
11 Mvovo
10 Lambie
09 Reinach
01 Du Toit
02 Du Plessis
03 Du Plessis
04 Du Toit
05 Du Oosthuizen
06 Du Coetzee
07 Du Alberts
08 Du Mtembu

16 Cooper
17 Mtawarira
18 Adriaanse
19 Lewies
20 Kleinhans
21 Hoffmann
22 Zeilinga/Swiel/Cronje
23 Van Tonder/Sithole

Haha! Man, Botes has been a servant to Natal rugby. Appropriate honor bestowed there, Draggs.

Also, do you already rate Du Toit higher than Mtawarira? You guys are certainly blessed with 5 world class props, something you don't see in SH teams.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Don't forget you signed Lappies Labuschagne. But he isn't an out-and-out fetcher. I wonder when Marnus Schoeman's transfer will take effect. He could well bring balance to that big Bulls pack. Lappies was stupid to move away IMO. I can't see him get time at the Bulls since he is not a true fetcher and not as good a blindside as Botha.

There is still a lot of time till the teams are finished. Anyone specific or type of player/position on your wishlist still at the Bulls?

I forgot about Lappies! I would pick him ahead of Stegman to be honest. I'm interested to see the team dynamic when Botha, Spies and Lappies combine. It might work wonderfully, or not at all.

My wishlist would be:

1. Get rid of Dean Greyling - He's dead weight and a walking yellow card
2. Convert Jacques Du Plessis to a lock - with Paul Willemse moving to France, I feel our lock department is a bit low, if we convert Jacques to lock, then we are settled.
3. Get another winger - Sampie Mastriet is a liability, Ndungane is almost done, and Basson gets injured too much. Maybe someone like Rosco Specman

 

[Draggs]

Haha! Man, Botes has been a servant to Natal rugby. Appropriate honor bestowed there, Draggs.

Also, do you already rate Du Toit higher than Mtawarira? You guys are certainly blessed with 5 world class props, something you don't see in SH teams.

Botes is excellent, pains me he hasn't be capped but players like Stegman have
I have heard that we will keep him around after retirement; excellent call.

Du Toit v Mtawarira is tough. I expect Mtawarira to start as first choice though (I opted for Thomas mostly because I could do my pack of 'Dus'.)
Have to be careful with the young guys, saw Etzebeth and PS du Toit start out young and then suffer some injuries. Give Thomas time to adapt and all, and he can be first choice guaranteed in 2016 once Mtawarira leaves.

You guys still have the Cat around? Not a bad player honestly, kicks well, doesn't do really stupid things. Can use him until Du Preez matures (or we can have him back).

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Skuna Notshe. I edited my OP to include this guy based of his game over the weekend. Wow. Keep it up, please! Between him, Kolisi (if Kolisi can get back too pre-injury form) we have 3 really exciting young loosies with Burger and Vermeulen adding the starch ITO experience and style which will be needed when the competition becomes tougher and the games tighter. I can hardly wait for next year's tournament. We are so well stocked in the loose forwards now. Rhodes is a bit of a hot head but an able player himself and the option to play him at lock means he stays a vital part of the squad.

Duane Vermeulen
Schalk Burger
Nizaam Carr
Siya Kolisi
Skuna Notshe
Michael Rhodes

Now if we can just find that halfback combination in time for next year. I agree, Draggs, Cat is a solid player but we'll need more IMO if we are going to pushing for the ***le. We do have the class needed elsewhere even if on the young side in half of those but not at 9 or 10 yet IMO.

 

[SomeOke]

All three of the "big" sides look very strong indeed, fingers crossed everyone remains injury free so SA can make a good go of it. As far as Stormers are concerned, Stormer is right in saying our half-backpairing could be our undoing, Nic Groom and Schreuder probably aren't good enough as they stand, but to be fair there just aren't scrumhalves to go around in SA. Other than that our loose trio and backline looks very scary. Hope our young tight five can have another season like 2012!

Bulls have the Bok half-backs and all in all a dangerous backline but their loosies perhaps lack the quality of the Sharks and the Stormers. Sharks look pretty good across the board, but they will need someone at the helm to shape them up tactically, Lambie and Reinach could prove to be even more dangerous than Pollard and Hougard.

Will be an interesting season, I couldn't begin to guess how the SA conference will turn out. It may depend on whether the Bulls and the Sharks can get it together tactically, and whether the Stormers play like they have been recently or start to back track.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Cheetahs' larger Super Rugby training squad:

Forwards
Willie Britz, Jean Cook, Carel Greeff, Nicky Steyn, Oupa Mohoje, Devin Oosthuizen, Tienie Burger, Armandt Koster, Heinrich Brussow, Boom Prinsloo, Francois Uys, Carl Wegner, Jaco Nepgen, Freddie Ngoza, Lood de Jager, Jonathan Adendorf, Maks van Dyk, Luan de Bruin, Rudolph Botha, Ewald van der Westhuizen, Heinrich Roelfse, Martin Bezuidenhout, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ryno Barnes, Elandre Huggett, Coenie Oosthuizen, Caylib Oosthuizen, BG Uys, Danie Mienie

Backs
Willie le Roux, Coenie van Wyk, Clayton Blommetjies, Gouws Prinsloo, Aubrey McDonald, Johann Sadie, JP du Plessis, Nico Lee, JW Jonker, Vuyo Mboto, Joubert Engelbrecht, Francois Venter, Jonathan Francke, Rayno Benjamin, Raymond Rhule, Cornal Hendricks, Sergeal Petersen, Ederies Arendse, Danie Dames, Joe Pietersen, Francois Brummer, Willie du Plessis, Clinton Swart, Sarel Pretorius, Shaun Venter, Tian Meyer

Injured: Boela Serfontein, Hilton Lobberts, Elgar Watts, PJ Vermeulen

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/New-faces-in-Cheetahs-squad-20141015

 

[Bull]

For the Stormers, hasn't De Kock Steenkamp left and I'm sure Brok Harris is leaving.

I feel the Bulls have to play Jacques Du Plessis at lock. Maybe move JJ to wing and play WSS at 13. Kriel has to be on the bench at least and please just get rid of Jurgen Visser.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I feel the Bulls have to play Jacques Du Plessis at lock. Maybe move JJ to wing and play WSS at 13. Kriel has to be on the bench at least and please just get rid of Jurgen Visser.

JJ will have to move to wing. Especially with Burger Odendaal and Jan Serfontein being in midfield, WSS as back-up.

 

[Bull]

Lions lure quartet from Bulls
Sampie Mastriet, Marvin Orie, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Lohan Jacobs.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/CurrieCup/Lions-lure-quartet-from-Bulls-20141028

No real loss except maybe for Rohan. I also heard that Renaldo Bothma will be playing for the Sharks during SR.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

As per the below link, apparently

Wilco Louw (Bulls) and Vincent Koch (Pumas) are coming to the Cape to make up for Pat Cilliers and Brok Harris both moving on at tight head prop. Frans Malherbe should still be no.1 of course.

I'll update the OP for the Stormersfor now. Will get round to the others later on as news comes in.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/CurrieCup/WP-set-sights-on-Pumas-prop-20141030

 

[Bull]

I don't know if it's just me but I really don't rate Frans Malherbe?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I don't know if it's just me but I really don't rate Frans Malherbe?

Who do you rate better though? I mean, Malherbe is the least penalised TH in SA going on stats and I havn't seen him struggle in the 4 tests his played. He has a great tackle completion % and decent work rate, none of which can be said for Doc Jannie.

 

[Bull]

Jannie is crap, I've never rated him. Maybe Malherbe is solid, maybe. SA has is struggling at LH and TH and I don't really rate anyone at present but van der Merwe does seem to be improving.