Our biggest selection problem has to be the loose trio, Siya, PSdT and Warren won't cut it. If we had Siya, Marco/Flouw and Vermeulen it's a different match imo. Otherwise, though not the prettiest bok team; we really do still have the personnel.
Whether we have the patience or any real or basic ball skills at all remains to be seen, though. Honestly with the unintelligent rugby we're playing; the best we can hope for is damage control (Keep it within 30 points, score at least a try). I'm usually very optimistic come this fixture, but I can't help dreading watching us going nowhere on attack for 10 phases and then coughing up the ball with some terrible execution followed by the ABs viciously scoring on the counter.
We seem very clueless on attack, our MO seems to be comprised of getting it as wide as possible, realising there's no space and grubbering possession away, otherwise we grind to a halt and predictably send it up. How do we expect to get any go forward when we play off 9, a big forward receives, another big forward binds to his waist or shoulder and they crash it up, allowing the defence huge time to set, fan out and wait for the next pod or crabbing Kriel, or Dyantyi with no space at all. We need to learn how to exploit the defensive structure of our opponents, we need to learn to run at the gap not the man and we need to learn that constantly shooting the ball wide as fast as possible is NOT how you play a game of running rugby, doubly so when you've made absolutely zero space with your one dimensional attack. How have we forgotten how to create gaps? Why don't we loop, switch/scissor like the other teams? Keep the ball alive? It's all way to amateurish for my liking.
You beat the ABs by retaining possession and relentlessly attacking, we are incapable of the former and very ineffective at the latter.
I hope Faf gets his **** together, he needs to stop fumbling at the base before a pass, use the ball when the ref commands, stop dodgy box kicks, stay onside and not do stupid **** like kicking the ball out of his opposite numbers hands.
Both Faf and Willie need to reign it in and play with a bit more brains and a bit less urgency because all they're doing is ruining our attack with their frantic attempts to spark magic. I sympathise with them both having to be the "brilliance" on attack but we need their mindset in ALL our players not just 9 and 15 (hellooo 10?).
Interested to see Kriel on the wing because it might force him to run straight. His girlfriend should be worried about how he can't run a straight line.
Oooh snap! Glad I'm not the only one who had this thought.
I think putting Kolbe against Ioane or the like is pretty mean at this stage, so I reckon the rumors that Kriel will play 14 are true. I prefer Am with his leg drive and pace at 13, he's a bit more loose defensively but then again Jessie is a bit hot and cold on defence himself. This seems the best way to deal with Pimpi's injury.
I definitely want Pollard at 10 because I'd rather have a flyhalf who can't kick goals than one who falls to pieces when it matters most. I don't see him magically finding form against NZ but we can hope right?
My team:
1. Kits
2. Marx
3. Malherbe
4. Etzebeth
5. Snyman
6. Siya
7. Marco/Flouw
8. Vermuelen (Warren if not ofc)
9. Faf
10. Pollard
11. Dyantyi
12. DDA
13. Am
14. Kriel
15. Le Roux
16. Bongi
17. Beast
18. Louw
19. Mostert
20. Flouw/PSdT
21. Papier
22. Jaintjies
23. Kolbe
ABs by 20