[RWC2023] South Africa vs Romania (17/09/2023)

[TRF_Olyy]

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[TRF_stormer2010]

We'll probably see heavy rotation. I'm expecting;

1Nche 2Mbonambi 3Koch/Nyakane
4Kleyn 5Orie
6Fourie 7Van Staden 8Smith

9Reinach
10Willemse

12Esterhuizen 13Moodie*
11Mapimpi 14Kolbe/Arendse 15Arendse/Le Roux

Vermeulen didn't feature much vs Scotland but I expect we'll want to rest him going into IE? Not sure who is 1st choice at 8 or 15 or a few positions elsewhere tbh.

 

[saulan]

We'll probably see heavy rotation. I'm expecting;

1Nche 2Mbonambi 3Koch/Nyakane
4Kleyn 5Orie
6Fourie 7Van Staden 8Smith

9Reinach
10Willemse

12Esterhuizen 13Moodie*
11Mapimpi 14Kolbe/Arendse 15Arendse/Le Roux

Vermeulen didn't feature much vs Scotland but I expect we'll want to rest him going into IE? Not sure who is 1st choice at 8 or 15 or a few positions elsewhere tbh.

Poor Romania
"The Springboks will likely rotate and have more of the remaining players in their squad against us. We have a better chance"
*Looks at team with rotated in players*

 

[MattGaff]

These are the games that a ripe for betting pickings. Earned a few pints worth on the weekend with Ireland. Plus, keeps neutral supporters in the game with a vested interest. Yes I am advocating gambling.... oh..
just remember, when the fun stops, stop!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Poor Romania
"They will likely rotate and have more of the remaining players in their squad against us. We have a better chance"
*Looks at team with rotated in players*
View attachment 17678

I'm just thinking we don't play Libbok and Willemse is next in line at 10 so we want to give whoever is Libbok's back up a shot, right? Or do we go with Faf or even Le Roux at 10 if Willemse is considered first choice 15. There is also a school of thought saying Libbok himself needs more time and can only get better the deeper embedded he is. It's not like he will be getting stuck into the physical stuff and if he does get injured we just bring in Pollard. I'm just not sure.

Fly half is a position I am slightly concerned about long term. Do we do a Sexton with Pollard into RWC 2027, is Libbok really our next best? Are there any school kids who are destined to take up the green like Pollard or Goosen were? I'm hoping we see Mngomezulu get more time at 10 for the Stormers or even at 12 for starters.

 

[ikvat]

A carnage to come.

 

[saulan]

I'm just thinking we don't play Libbok and Willemse is next in line at 10 so we want to give whoever is Libbok's back up a shot, right? Or do we go with Faf or even Le Roux at 10 if Willemse is considered first choice 15. There is also a school of thought saying Libbok himself needs more time and can only get better the deeper embedded he is. It's not like he will be getting stuck into the physical stuff and if he does get injured we just bring in Pollard. I'm just not sure.

Fly half is a position I am slightly concerned about long term. Do we do a Sexton with Pollard into RWC 2027, is Libbok really our next best? Are there any school kids who are destined to take up the green like Pollard or Goosen were? I'm hoping we see Mngomezulu get more time at 10 for the Stormers or even at 12 for starters.

Don't mind either way who we throw in at flyhalf. Thankfully Willemse has some experience in flyhalf coverage last year so he may be used to it, but it is definitely the undesired option. Libbok getting more game time is better, but let's have someone else in charge of the kicking instead of just making him continue to do that. If we are saying we have others to cover it, let's get them more exposed to doing it in an actual game.

We need the Sharks or Bulls to bring someone through. Mngomezulu is the same team as Libbok, so will be tricky for him to get tons of starting time at flyhalf, similar to Willemse at the moment. I don't see it as such a big issue for the next World Cup though. Sexton is 38, Pollard is 29. If he does a Sexton that is taking him to the 2031 World Cup. Pollard just feels like he has been around for ages because he has been in the setup since he was 20, and he hasn't done a Francois Steyn of disappearing midway through his golden years.

Another good option (which a certain Sale Sharks fan on here would not want to hear...) is for an SA team to steal back Rob Du Preez and get him more integrated into the SA systems again and line him up as more coverage, because he was excellent in England this year, albeit he isn't a ten year solution being 30 now. I mean one other key point is: Libbok is 26. He could definitely hang around for two more World Cups after this one if he maintains his vision/creativity and we have poles kicking covered by someone else.

 

[OllyM97]

Romania are +69 on the handicap - I'm not sure I'd be backing them. They looked totally gone in the last 30 against Ireland. It could be a cricket score.

 

[Jer1cho]

9. Williams 10. Libbock. 11. Kolbe. 12. Willemse. 13. Moodie. 14. KLA. 15. Le Roux.

Let that Paarl backline put up a cricket score lol. Imagine.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

9. Williams 10. Libbock. 11. Kolbe. 12. Willemse. 13. Moodie. 14. KLA. 15. Le Roux.

Let that Paarl backline put up a cricket score lol. Imagine.

Sexy af

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

9. Williams 10. Libbock. 11. Kolbe. 12. Willemse. 13. Moodie. 14. KLA. 15. Le Roux.

Let that Paarl backline put up a cricket score lol. Imagine.

Love this. I still want to see Esterhuizen against Ireland over De Allende though.

 

[IT157]

I'm just thinking we don't play Libbok and Willemse is next in line at 10 so we want to give whoever is Libbok's back up a shot, right? Or do we go with Faf or even Le Roux at 10 if Willemse is considered first choice 15. There is also a school of thought saying Libbok himself needs more time and can only get better the deeper embedded he is. It's not like he will be getting stuck into the physical stuff and if he does get injured we just bring in Pollard. I'm just not sure.

Fly half is a position I am slightly concerned about long term. Do we do a Sexton with Pollard into RWC 2027, is Libbok really our next best? Are there any school kids who are destined to take up the green like Pollard or Goosen were? I'm hoping we see Mngomezulu get more time at 10 for the Stormers or even at 12 for starters.

How would that work? I assume just replace an injured player?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Fly half is a position I am slightly concerned about long term. Do we do a Sexton with Pollard into RWC 2027, is Libbok really our next best? Are there any school kids who are destined to take up the green like Pollard or Goosen were? I'm hoping we see Mngomezulu get more time at 10 for the Stormers or even at 12 for starters.

Sexton was older at the last World Cup than Pollard will be at the next one. Dont think you're in bad shape just yet!

 

[Jer1cho]

Sexy af

Love this. I still want to see Esterhuizen against Ireland over De Allende though.

It's the thing that annoys me about all this SA are physical monsters and brute strength and all that jazz. But look at that back line. Then you get RG the offload freak. You get Kwagga the frikkin live wire. We have the skill to go with the power easily. Our player pool went from 2 million to 20 million gradually after apartheid ended, and now those fruits are really starting to bare. These okes we have from the Cape are madly talented. More so than most of these other countries realize yet.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

How would that work? I assume just replace an injured player?

If it's a straight injury replacement I can't imagine people taking offense surely.

Sexton was older at the last World Cup than Pollard will be at the next one. Dont think you're in bad shape just yet!

I hear you but that is assuming Pollards game adapts to make up for what you'd lose from a younger 10. I'm not sure if his game management is totally worth it.

 

[saulan]

hear you but that is assuming Pollards game adapts to make up for what you'd lose from a younger 10. I'm not sure if his game management is totally worth it.

See my previous post to yours covering flyhalf. I don't think we are in a bad position here for the next World Cup

 

[IT157]

If it's a straight injury replacement I can't imagine people taking offense surely.

I hear you but that is assuming Pollards game adapts to make up for what you'd lose from a younger 10. I'm not sure if his game management is totally worth it.

Well, I wouldn't.

 

[spursindevon]

This is where the Rugby World Cup falls down, nobody wants to watch this mismatch. One of the big appeals of sport is drama, there is no drama here.

 

[Saintjay]

This is where the Rugby World Cup falls down, nobody wants to watch this mismatch. One of the big appeals of sport is drama, there is no drama here.

People said the same before the miracle in Brighton and probably before Georgia beat Wales.

 

[Which Tyler]

Not to mention "I don't want to" =/= "nobody wants to"

I imagine I won't be the only one tuning in to watch

How would that work? I assume just replace an injured player?

It's the world cup, you can replace injured players, but the replacement is permanent (can't return when they return to fitness)