SA Tri-Nation squad announced

[rugbywriter]

I shall take the advice one of the posters posted in regards to arguing with an idiot

Okay cool. Good for you.

 

[Prestwick]

Now now gents, don't make me pull out the ban-hammer of fury.

Honestly its tougher than it looks.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Tendai Mtawarira, the loosehead prop.
Completely destroyed Vickery in the first Lions test.

No, he cheated him out of it. All the Beast does is boar in. I made this point about 80 times last year, but haven't done it this year so far.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

No, he cheated him out of it. All the Beast does is boar in. I made this point about 80 times last year, but haven't done it this year so far.

No Vickery was destroyed and taken apart. He went to ground just as much. Funny how Adam Jones seemed to have no problem with it.

 

[Iron Mike]

I'm interested in how PdV is gonna use Hougaard. He's a naturally gifted rugby player, definitely has his wits about him. Really like the look of him on the wing tbh, he's electric. Adds something different compared to the other wingers in SA.

Wait, who scored the 9 tries in the Super 14, Hougaard or Gerhard Van de Heever?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No Vickery was destroyed and taken apart. He went to ground just as much. Funny how Adam Jones seemed to have no problem with it.

Neither did Vickery in the third test though,
I agree though, Vickery was demolished not just through boring in, but through just generally being bettered

 

[SavageLez]

Neither did Vickery in the third test though,
I agree though, Vickery was demolished not just through boring in, but through just generally being bettered

PdV made 9 or so changes for the 3rd test because SA had already won the series and wanted to give the other players in the squad the rare opportunity of playing against the B.Lions. Chilliboy (shi..) Ralapelle started at hooker i.s.o Bismaark, Johan Muller i.s.o Bakkies and Kankowski i.s.o Spies. The pack was way lighter and inexperienced and therefore there was less pressure on Vickery. It is actually a joke. Pierre Spies came on at WING replacing Jongi Nokwe. PdV really f.... that game up properly!

 

[SavageLez]

I would just like to do a summary, so as to not be confused
In you opinion, is this how it is.

Beast= Shite
Jannie= Shite
Bismarck= Crap
Smit= Kak
Hargreaves= Useless
Pienaar= Shite
Jacobs= Shite
J.P.= Crap
Ndungane= Shite
Terblanche= Overrated

Stormers (whom were beaten by the Sharks)= Gods
Bulls= Gods
Cheetahs= Not Gods but better than the Sharks

Is all that right?

It is his opinion, does not mean he is right. Rugbwriter does however seem to have something against the Sharks players though.

 

[rugbywriter]

It is his opinion, does not mean he is right. Rugbwriter does however seem to have something against the Sharks players though.

Alot of people would actually agree with me on most of those. Bismarck isn't crap but he's too ill-dicsiplined for me to want him starting in the Bok team. Same goes for Jannie. I like Terblance. But I think alot of people will agree with me on the rest of those

 

[Jer1cho]

I agree that Bismark is too undisciplined as well. Dirty players make me sick.

My starting XV would be:

1. Gurthro Steenkamp
2. John Smit
3. BJ Botha
4. Andries Bekker
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger (meh. He does nothing but tackle high, but with Brussouw out, guess he has to be there. I would probably even start potgieter ahead of him)
7. Francois Louw
8. Pierre Spies

9. Ruan Pienaar (Januarie is a POS, and i will play Hougaard at wing, because Aplon is better than Kirchner at 15)

10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Francois Hougaard
15. Gio Aplon

A tough call, but i can't stan Kirchner, and Francois Hougaard needs to play. Perhaps Francois at 9, Aplon at 14, and then Kirchner at 15. Also might start de Jongh at 12. We will see what happens.

 

[SavageLez]

Alot of people would actually agree with me on most of those. Bismarck isn't crap but he's too ill-dicsiplined for me to want him starting in the Bok team. Same goes for Jannie. I like Terblance. But I think alot of people will agree with me on the rest of those

I don't personally like the Sharks either. My extended family in Durb's are big time sharks supporters so I have naturally defected.
AlistairHargeaves = SAu21 World Cup captain. He will mature just give him time!
Ruan Pienaar = Brilliant, just unfortunate to be playing in the Du Preez era and hence every coach is trying to find another position for him because he is so valuable. Unfortunately it has had the wrong impact on his career and he is turning into a Brent Russell with no direction. Any other country would have ensured he does well.
Adrian Jacobs = agreed, he is sh... overall but has got some good attacking skills that's about it!
JP Pieterson = Underated. The impact he had at the 2007 world cup was immeasurable. He unfortunatley looks like he is coasting when he is flying and therfore peoples perception of him is that he is lazy. Not so! Much like Nakelavuki, also perceived to be slow because of his running action, not so. They are both right up there with the quickest.
Ndungane = good for S14 level that's about it. Too small and slow to take the next step up.
Terblanche = He is too old now but still a solid full back at S14 level. He was in the form of his life in 2009 and should have been the Springbok Full Back in the B.Lions series instead of Zane and Earl Rose!

 

[Iron Mike]

I agree that Bismark is too undisciplined as well. Dirty players make me sick.

My starting XV would be:

1. Gurthro Steenkamp
2. John Smit
3. BJ Botha
4. Andries Bekker
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger (meh. He does nothing but tackle high, but with Brussouw out, guess he has to be there. I would probably even start potgieter ahead of him)
7. Francois Louw
8. Pierre Spies

9. Ruan Pienaar (Januarie is a POS, and i will play Hougaard at wing, because Aplon is better than Kirchner at 15)

10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Francois Hougaard
15. Gio Aplon

A tough call, but i can't stan Kirchner, and Francois Hougaard needs to play. Perhaps Francois at 9, Aplon at 14, and then Kirchner at 15. Also might start de Jongh at 12. We will see what happens.

I do not know, a lot of the Boks front row, but if you guys won't critisize me for that I will pick a 4-15 team. The reason I quote you is because I disagree with Bekker at 4. Bekker does not hit rucks, which I have said before many a time, Botha is excellent at that, you can't really have two skilled lineout jumpers, that is like putting Morne Steyn and Peter Grant in 12/13, because one of them could play 12, but another type of that player in 13 would mean you have no direct runners in the team, I know this is a bad example but I'm tired and can't think of a better one right now. Or two Ma'a Nonus, I mean sure, you have the power, but you don't have the skill and the distribution you would have if you had different types of players. Botha and Matfield compliment each other.

4) Botha
5) Matfield
6) Brussouw but injured so, Schalk Burger.
7) Juan Smith (or is he still injured?)
8) Pierre Spies, or Schalk Burger if Brussouw is fit (I'm not a huge fan of Spies, and against France you could see how easily he was bullied off the park by Morgan Parra, never gained a metre apart from his try)

9) Rory Kockott (If this is how you spell his name? Huge fan of his)
10) Morne Steyn, Peter Grant as backup (did he get called up?)
11) Habana
12) Juan de Jongh
13) Jaque Fourie
14) Gerhard Van de Heever (8 tries during the Super 14, what more could you want?)
15) Stefan Terblanche

 

[SavageLez]

I agree with Iron Mike, Bekker is great but a no.5. He will be Matfields successor! As for Bakkies, Flip van der Merwe will take his place once Bakkies retires. Aplon has had a great season and I hope he proves me wrong but I think Francois Steyn should be there. Otherwise, not a bad side, the combinations that PdV comes up with will be imperative to SA winning or losing the Tri Nations!

 

[Seaton]

@ Iron Mike

Juan Smith isn't injured, but he is on compassionate leave for the away leg of the Tri-Nations.

@ SavageLez

Do you think Ndungane is good enough for S14? I don't think he would really crack the nod elsewhere, hopefully (for the Sharks) they can have Mvovo and J.P. up to speed by the time of the Currie Cup final.

And one of the things that most impress me with the Springbok squad selected, is that there in no way even a school boy coach could select the wrong combinations.
If I had money to bet, this is what I would bet it on being the starting XV (the bench is dependant on what split he wants to go on)

1. Steenkamp
2. Smit
3. Jannie
4. Russouw
5. Matfield
6. Burger
7. Louw
8. Spies

9. Januarie
10. Steyn
11. Habana
12. de Villiers
13. Fourie
14. Aplon
15. Kirchner

16. Chiliboy
17. CJ (seeing as he can play both sides)
18. Bakkies
19. Potgeiter
20. Houggard
21. Juan de Jongh
22. Pienaar

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

It's a shame Francois Steyn is not in the squad. Can anyone explain to me why players that are contracted to foreign teams are never called up for the national team?

 

[nickdnz]

If the Springboks don't win the Investec Tri Nations their season will be a failure says leading South African commentator Mark Keohane.

Writing in his column in Business Day, Keohane said the Springboks had to be the red-hot favourites for the series.

The Springboks, on evidence of performances in the June internationals he rated the South Africans as 10 points better than the All Blacks and close to 15 better than the Wallabies.

Keohane was critical of All Blacks' coach Graham Henry's inability to pick the same starting XV in successive during his eight year tenure.

Henry "clearly can't make up his mind about what constitutes New Zealand's best team and that could explain the bizarre selections in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final defeat against France," he said.

While South Africa had struggled to beat the All Blacks at home, that barrier had been broken, Keohane claimed and anything was now possible for a settled, and talented, South African side.

"It is not arrogance to expect this team to win, but it would be an insult to their pedigree if there were not a winning expectation," he said.

That said, South Africa's third choice in locks and loose forwards was still better than most of what represented New Zealand and Australia, Keohane said.

"Sam Whitelock has a big future in the second row, but there is nothing to counter Victor Matfield and Andries Bekker, while Bakkies Botha and Danis Rossouw on a bad day are better than Brad Thorn on a good day," he said.

Meanwhile, Italy coach, and former Springboks coach Nick Mallett said the lack of fear over travelling to Australasia would be crucial.

He said on Keo.co.za, "This is a side who've won a World Cup, a Lions tour, and the Tri Nations last year by winning five out of six Tests.

"But the difference in this Bok side is that they're so confident. They're used to winning in Australia and New Zealand, and expect to do it."

http://www.allblacks.com/news/13466/South-Africans-claim-Tri-Nations-favouritism

This got me pretty annoyed. Nothing but arrogance.

 

[Duckdee]

It's a shame Francois Steyn is not in the squad. Can anyone explain to me why players that are contracted to foreign teams are never called up for the national team?

*looks at Butch James*

 

[Jer1cho]

Don't worry about him Nick. Keo is like that every week. He backs the Boks to win everything all the time, regardless of the circumstances. I can't stand any article he writes.

 

[Seaton]

*looks at Butch James*

To be fair, James did make an effort to comeback to SA, but no union can afford to buy out his contract.
There could be behind the scenes negotiations to get him back to SA, that PDV is aware of.

Hopefully Steyn's exclusion will lead to his further inclusion, in which if it does would be a great case of player management

 

[Amobokoboko]

Looks like a really good squad, didn't see that much of Gio Aplon this year, maybe because I didn't pay attention to it.