Bok squad 2017

[TRF_stormer2010]

Springbok Rugby Championship Squad

Forwards: Uzair Cassiem, Lood De Jager, Daniel Du Preez, Jean-Luc Du Preez, Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Lizo Gqoboka, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi, Jaco Kriel, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Chilliboy Ralepelle

Backs: Curwin Bosch, Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Damian De Allende, Warrick Gelant, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Dillyn Leyds, Rudy Paige, Handre Pollard, Raymond Rhule, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan, Franco Venter

Springbok Rugby Championship fixtures

19 August

Springboks vs Argentina - Port Elizabeth (17:00)

26 August

Argentina vs Springboks - Salta (21:40)

9 September

Australia vs Springboks - Perth (12:00)

16 September

New Zealand vs Springboks - North Harbour (09:35)

30 September

Springboks vs Australia - Bloemfontein (17:00)

7 October

Springboks vs New Zealand - Cape Town (17:00)


Bok squad set to be announced after the SR final. Discuss.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

The way I see it;

Set in stone;
1 Kitshoff
At least I hope so. Could be up for debate and Toetie does have quotas to care about I suppose. Will we finally see Beast replaced with one of Thomas du Toit or Van Rooyen or are we gonna carry him like Jannie du Plessis and let the other two end up playing for Ireland or Scotland?
2 Marx
Goes without saying
4 Etzebeth
6/7 Kolisi
Would be MVP vs France if it weren't for Serfontein's heroics
10 Jantjies
No one else are both fit and over the age of 20 (okay, I might be overstating that)
12/13 Serfontein
MVP vs France
15 Andries Coetzee
Has been sucessfully blooded and is solid if unspectacular. ATM that is all we can ask. Though I'd put in Lleyds as the form SA 15 since after the international break.

 

[Big_Grumper]

What are the loose forward options?

I like Jaco Kriel, Kwagga Smith and the du Preez fella at Natal. And is Whitely still injured?

As for the backline I'd like to see Cornbrinck regain his form (and fitness) and someone challenge Cortnal Skosan for the wing position.

 

[Big_Grumper]

Double post....

At 4/5: I think Mostert has been in great form for the Lions. Is PSdT fit again?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

There are a lot of options for a partner for Etzebeth. Du Toit has been balls in SR. Needs to pick it up. Mostert is going good and did well enough for the Bokke but for that try by Serin he let in. I actually thought De Jager showed again that even though he seems to go missing in SR he shines at test level in the Bok environment. I wouldn't know which way Coetzee is leaning but I'd be backing De Jager though I would expect I's be in the minority. Botha and Snyman in the running but I doubt they'll get in ahead of the other more settled options so I'm saying;

5 Mostert / Du Toit / De Jager

Loose forward make-up will be interesting. Kwagga Smith is the current form SA loosie while Kriel has been that for the last three years. Chris Cloete has had an amazing year as well but should still be behind Smith and Kriel in the fetcher role especially since he is going to Munster while Kolisi had an amazing test series so he will be in it for sure which begs the question. Will we see Kolisi at 6 or 7. That will determine whether we see one of Smith or Kriel at 6 and Kolisi at 7 or Kolisi at open side and Du Preez at blindside. I think Whiteley will be fit. Think I remember reading that he is close to training if anyone can confirm? Vermeulen was in the mix but also injured vs France. I doubt Coetzee will drop Whiteley if fit. I'd put Whiteley as set in stone at 8 if fit. Surely, surely we won't see Mohoje.. but;

6/7 Kriel / Du Preez / Mohoje / Smith
8 Whiteley / Vermeulen

9 Cronje is probably nailed on as starting especially if Jantjies and Whiteey are both starting.
De Klerk / Hougaard

11/14 Rhule / Skosan / Combrinck / Lleyds / Mapimpi
Personally I don't want to see Skosan and Rhule continue on. Combrinck and Lleyds offer so much more but are white or too close to white. If we are going for running only go for Mapimpi. We'll have to wait and see.

12 Janse van Rensburg
13 Kriel / Mapoe
12/13 Vorster
Serfontein is a cert. Question is do we play either of Kriel, Mapoe or the in form Vorster outside him or move him up to 13 to facilitate RJvR or Vorster in their prefered positions? Is Frans Steyn in the mix?.. Damian de Allende has not had enough time or done enough in that time to warrant considertion IMO but who knows...

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I'll be dull and say the guys who snuffed out France 3-0 a few weeks ago have more than earnt their places for the opening home and away start against Argentina. Particularly given how recent the diabolocal performances of 2016 are.

Give it those two games to see if the French series was due to a French flop or, as I suspect, due to some very organised and well executed play by the Boks. If things aren't working then shake up the squad for the trip to the Pacific.

 

[Big_Grumper]

I'm with @Bruce_ma_goose - the boys that beat France played well and should be given more pitch time.

@TRF_stormer2010 - As for your assessment I'd pretty much agree. Although many of the players we're debating are "green" and lack experience, I think it's an exciting time for Boks fans.

With the 2019 World Cup around the corner I presume AC is planning two or three years ahead. The question I have is whether some of your excellent U20s will force their way into contention?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I her you guys. And while I'd be happy enough with going almost the entire squad I just feel Beast is past his best and we have the quality to take over and its not as if Kitshoff is green, PS Du Toit has not been up to scratch in the tests or SR so I'd back De Jager to get the bench lock spot and then our wingers were window dressing and don't add what Combrinck and Lleyds can ITO additional kicking options, better defense (Rhule was something crazy like 0/5 the one game and it can't just be that his opposition wing was THAT good can it?) and greater utility value in the squad to allow us to have a center in jersey 23.

At least drop Rhule in favor of Combrinck or Lleyds. Rhule plays at 11 for the Cheetahs and looks out of place at 14. Of the two I prefer Skosan. I played wing at age grade and the shift from 11 to 14 can have a huge impact on your game especially if you don't have a varied skill set like I lacked and I expect Rhule does as well, at least compared to other tier 1 test wingers. Moving from 14 to 11 for me meant I just passed back inside more poorly and my outside break was gone.

 

[Big_Grumper]

Beast looked short of fitness against the French. He was knackered at the 60 min mark.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Maybe I haven't seen enough of him but what's the deal with Rhule? Like why is he a starting winger for the Springboks? From what I've seen of him he's fairly mediocre and not exactly starting test quality... especially when there are guys like Combrinck who I rate very highly and believe is an excellent winger...

 

[unrated]

Maybe I haven't seen enough of him but what's the deal with Rhule? Like why is he a starting winger for the Springboks? From what I've seen of him he's fairly mediocre and not exactly starting test quality... especially when there are guys like Combrinck who I rate very highly and believe is an excellent winger...

Yes Springbok supporters would also like to know... and I also believe is should be a given that Combrinck starts. But that's the situation. We need to Deal with quotas .

 

[TRF_heineken]

12 Janse van Rensburg
13 Kriel / Mapoe
12/13 Vorster
Serfontein is a cert. Question is do we play either of Kriel, Mapoe or the in form Vorster outside him or move him up to 13 to facilitate RJvR or Vorster in their prefered positions? Is Frans Steyn in the mix?.. Damian de Allende has not had enough time or done enough in that time to warrant considertion IMO but who knows...

Serfontein is not a cert. He already left the Bulls and is in France. He only has 29 caps, so he's one shy from making the prescribed amount for overseas based players. The question is if Allister Coetzee will still call him up, because he played all his 2017 rugby in SA, and ensure that he gets to the 30 cap mark.

 

[mdaclarke]

I'm surprised that Combrinck and Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Jacques van Rooyen didn't make the squad.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Forwards: Uzair Cassiem, Lood De Jager, Daniel Du Preez, Jean-Luc Du Preez, Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Lizo Gqoboka, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi, Jaco Kriel, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Chilliboy Ralepelle

Backs: Curwin Bosch, Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Damian De Allende, Warrick Gelant, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Dillyn Leyds, Rudy Paige, Handre Pollard, Raymond Rhule, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan, Franco Venter

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Im guessing RJvR was hard to pick since Ackerman wasn't even starting him at the Lions. Serfontain deserved a chance to hold onto the jersey but it is stunning that there is no room for a player of RJvR's quality.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Has Kwagga Smith been left out because of the red or was he just not selected?

 

[The Jones Boy]

I don't know if its just me but I have a feeling that the Boks are on the way back.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

I don't know if its just me but I have a feeling that the Boks are on the way back.

Well that's the only way they can go after last year...

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Has Kwagga Smith been left out because of the red or was he just not selected?

He just hasn't muscled his way into the side yet.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

He just hasn't muscled his way into the side yet.

Surely still performing much better than Mohoje? Ah well, quotas to fill I suppose.