Springbok team of the decade

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Inspired by a different topic and all the 'best of the decade' elections in every sport, what is your favourite Springbok-team of the decade?

Which 15 would be in your preferred 15 of this century so far?

 

[Conal]

1 bands
2 smit
3 du randt
4 botha
5 matfield
6 Burger
7 Smith
8 cronje
9 de knock
10 van der Westhuyzen
11 habana
12 m joubert
13 fourie
14 paulse
15 montgomery

these are my favorite springboks of the decade
not the best

 

[nickdnz]

Favourite Spingbok team of the decade -

1. Os du Randt
2. John Smit
3. Tendai Mtawarira (not had a long career yet, but I enjoy watching him play)
4. Andres Bekker
5. Victor Matfield
6. Heinrich Brussow
7. Jaun Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Jongi Nokwe (Never understood why he has played so few tests, and no one seems to care. 4 tries in one match verse Australia!)
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Bryan Habana
15. Percy Montgomery

16. Gary Botha
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Bakkies Botha (simply because I can't name many SA international props that had any longevity)
19. Schulk Burger
20. Ricky Januarie (what every people say, he used to be good. Hougaard could be in there in the future, and Neil de Kock was also good)
21. Butch James (average player, but he did win a World Cup final)
22. Breyton Paulse

 

[azeli]

1 Os Du Rant
2 John Smit (c)
3 Richard Bands
4 Bakkies Botha
5 Victor Matfield
6 Schalk Burger
7 Juan Smith
8 Joe Van Niekerk
9 Fourie Du Preez
10 Ruan Pienaar
11 Tonderai Chavanga
12 De Wet Barry
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Bryan Habana
15 Percy Montgomery

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Funny you mention Nokwe, Nick. He did score 4 tries in 1 match but when you look at them closely you see that any nimwit could have scored those 4 tries only running 5 metres each time with no opponent in sight. The first physical duel for the ball, he got injured. After that he has struggled with injuries ever since. Only this season he was able to perform as a true winger again but with Mvovo and Basson having a thunderous Currie Cup scoring 35 tries between them, Nokwe was simply left unnoticed.

To me, the best 22:
1. Os du Randt
2. John Smit
3. Tendai Mtawarira
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Ruan Pienaar
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Breyton Paulse
15. Percy Montgomery

16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Richard Bands
18. Heinrich Brussouw
19. Bob Skinstad
20. Francois Steyn
21. JP Pietersen
22. Conrad Jantjes


When I look at my favourite 22, it's a different story. I would pick these 2 if it's about players who all played at least once for the Springboks purely based on personal preference


1. Os du Randt
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Tendai Mtawarira
4. Andries Bekker
5. Victor Matfield
6. Danie Rossouw
7. Juan Smith
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Ruan Pienaar
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Francois Steyn
13. Juan de Jongh
14. JP Pietersen
15. Conrad Jantjes

16. Gary Botha
17. Jannie du Plessis
18. Willem Alberts
19. Bob Skinstad
20. Jean de Villiers
21. Breyton Paulse
22. Patrick Lambie

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

1 Os du Randt
2 Bismarck du Plessis
3 Richard Bands (that try!)
4 Bakkies Botha
5 Victor Matfield
6 Corne Krige (c)
7 Juan Smith
8 Bob Skinstad
9 Fourie du Preez
10 Percy Montgomery
11 Bryan Habana
12 Jean de Villiers
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Breyton Paulse
15 Stefan Terblanche

16 Guthro Steenkamp
17 John Smit
18 Andries Bekker
19 Schalk Burger
20 Joost van der Westhuizen
21 Morne Steyn
22 Frans Steyn

This team, with everyone on top form are world beaters.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

You mean this try?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yeah, one of my favourite prop tries. He had a very memorable one for the Blue Bulls as well, dragging I can't remember who quite a ways and over the try line.

 

[Cthulhu]

I'll have a try a this

1. Os du Randt
2. John Smit
3. CJ van der Linde
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield (c)
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Andre Pretorius
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Breyton Paulse
15. Percy Montgomery

16. Richard Bands
17. Gary Botha
18. Andries Bekker
19. Dannie Rossouw
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Morne Steyn
22. Francois Steyn

But theres a lot of players that I left off but I would like to see this side play

 

[Boet Faas]

In top form, mine would look like this:

1. Os
2. John Smit
3. Richard Bands
4. Bakkies (Frik du Preez)
5. Albert v.d. Berg (Frik du Preez)
6. Heinrich Brossouw (Frik du Preez)
7. Juan Smith (Frik du Preez)
8. Pierre Spies (Frik du Preez)
9. Joost
10. Jannie de Beer
11. Brian Habana
12. Pierre Spies
13. Botha (Dont remember his name, played for the Bulls and was killed in a car accident)
14. Breyton Paulse
15. Francois Steyn

 

[psychic duck]

15. Percy Montgomery (Stormers)
14. Breyton Paulse (Stormers)
13. Jaque Fourie (Stormers)
12. Jean de Villiers (Stormers)
11. Bryan Habana (Stormers)
10. Morné Steyn (Bulls)
9. Fourie du Preez (Bulls)
1. Os du Randt (Cheetahs)
2. John Smit (Sharks)
3. Cobus Visagie (Stormers)
4. Bakkies Botha (Bulls)
5. Victor Matfield (Bulls)
6. Schalk Burger (Stormers)
7. André Venter (Lions)
8. Pierre Spies (Bulls)

16. Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
17. Gurthrö Steenkamp (Bulls)
18. Mark Andrews (Sharks)
19. Juan Smith (Cheetahs)
20. Bobby Skinstad (Sharks)
21. Joost van der Westhuizen (Bulls)
22. JP Pietersen (Sharks)
23. CJ van der Linde (Stormers)

 

[Jer1cho]

1. Os Du Randt
2. John Smit
3. Tendai Mtawarira
4. Andries Bekker
5. Victor Matfield
6. Heinrich Brussouw
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies

9. Fourie du Preez

10. Henry Honnibal
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Robbie Fleck
14. Breyton Paulse
15. Percy Montgomery


Ettiene Botha was the Bulls 12 killed in the car accident. I was in the traffic where it happened when I lived in Pretoria and heard it on the radio. Drove past the wreckage not long after.

@ Nick - Nokwe has woeful injury problems. He is like Tonderai Chavhanga. Plays 5 games, then is injured for the rest of the season.

 

[Draggs]

01 Os
02 Smit
03 Beast (Not a tighthead, but couldn't pass him up for Vickery)
04 Botha
05 Matfield
06 Burger
07 Smith
08 Rossouw/Spies

09 FdP
10 James/Pienaar
11 Habana
12 JdV
13 Fourie (Sorry Eze...)
14 Paulse
15 Monty (Newport/Natal legend)

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Don't worry Draggs. Fourie is in my best XV, just not in my favourite XV

 

[psychic duck]

Gurthrö Steenkamp is a better player than Beast, just not a cult icon

 

[Draggs]

Gurthrö Steenkamp is a better player than Beast, just not a cult icon

I take both of them if I could. I did go Beast as he is a Shark, but Gurthro is brilliant. Both good players in the loose.

I hear Gurthro might be off to Toulon, by the way.

 

[psychic duck]

I hear Gurthro might be off to Toulon, by the way.

when is that foreign player restriction coming in the Top 14?

Toulon would have to get rid of half their team!!!

 

[Amobokoboko]

I think it may take a while, too much money involved.