Springboks starting team

[jaco]

I would like to know what you guys think of the bok team. Who wil play?
1. Steenkamp
2. Du Plessis
3. Smith
4. Botha
5. Matfield
6. Brussouw
7. Spies
8. Konkowski
9. Du Preez
10. Pienaar or Steyn
11. Habana
12. Olivier
13. De Villiers or Fourie
14. Nokwe
15. Terblanche

 

[munross]

1. Steenkamp/Beast
2. Du Plessis
3. Smith
4. Botha
5. Matfield/Muller
6. Burger if he is fit( if not then Brussouw)
7. Smith
8. Spies
9. Du Preez
10. Pienaar/Morne Steyn
11. Habana/JP Pietersen
12. JDV if he is fit ( if not then Olivier)
13. Fourie
14. Nokwe/or one of the Ndungane brothers
15. Frans Steyn/Terblanche

Should be a settled side which-ever way you look at it.

Would be nice if the Boks could win the first two test matches then PdV could try out guys like Brussouw, Konkowski, (Jean Deysel, Duane Vermeulen if they are picked) in the final test match.But the 1st two test matches should go with combinations.

 

[Jer1cho]

1 - Gurthro Steenkamp
2 - Du Plessis (Provided he learns some ball skills.)
3 - John Smit ©
4 - Bakkies Botha
5 - Victor Matfield
6 - Heinrich Brussouw (Schalk Burger is having a **** season, and i doubt it will get better in time for the series)
7 - Juan Smith or Jean Deysel
8 - Pierre Spies or Ryan Kankowski

9 - Fourie du Preez (I think Janno Vermaak deserves a shot as a backup, even though ye-old quota puts Janufattie here)

10 - Ruan Pienaar (Morne Steyn is our best bet as backup i think)
11 - Bryan Habana (Finding form slowly but surely)
12 - Jean de Villiers
13 - Jacques Fourie
14 - JP Pieterson
15 - Francois Steyn (old faithful Stephan Terreblanche can be the backup)

That's a very solid team i think, and most importantly, one that can win. Obviously some guys will disagree on some selections, but based on form, this is the best in my opinion.

 

[Steve-o]

1 - G. Steenkamp (would of chose H. van der Merwe if he wasn't injured. Beast hasn't impressed this season, which is disappointing since you could argue that he was the most improved player in SA for 2008)
2 - J. Smit (Bismarck isn't playing badly, but isn't exactly shining as well. Smit gets the nod because of his throwing and scrummaging)
3 - J. Du Plessis (best tight head in the country)
4 - B. Botha
5 - V. Matfield
6 - H. Brussouw (Schalk Burger is, as Jer1cho says, off form and now out injured for the rest of the S14)
7 - J. Smith (Jean Deysel is pushing hard for that 7 jersey though)
8 - R. Kankowski / Pierre Spies (Either could start really. Spies will probably get favoured for his experience but is, IMO, not the complete 8 that Kankowski is. Kankowski is better on the ground than him)

9 - Fourie du Preez (Best kicking 9 in the world. Vermaak is ahead of both Januarie and Kockott for bench spot. Although Kockott goal kicking may come in handy if Pienaar is having an off day)

10 - Ruan Pienaar (Agree with Jer1cho that Morne Steyn is 1st in line)
11 - Jongi Nokwe (He scores tries no matter how bad his team is doing
12 - Jean de Villiers (IMO Olivier is next in line, he's been on fire this season)
13 - Jacques Fourie (Out playing Jacobs)
14 - JP Pieterson (Best SA winger in the S14 so far)
15 - Stefan Terblanche (Has been the best SA 15 in the S14 for 2 seasons now. Steyn should be here but he hasn't started at 15 since... 2007? Ludik is pushing hard for Springbok colours, he has an outside chance)

 

[BokMagic]

Lots of ifs and "butts" in my 1st-choice team, considering all of them injuries at present, here goes:

15- Frans Steyn/Kirchner 2nd choice (considering we need to build for 2011 as well!)
14- JP, with either one of the twins backing him up.
13- Fourie. If he doesn`t regain fitness before the 1st test, no problem with starting Adi Jacobs.
12- JDV as 1st choice. If he doesn`t regain full match fitness, Meisiekind will have to do!
11- Habana. Young Nokwe can back him up.
10- PDV`s single biggest masterstroke of 2008 was finally picking Pienaar in his best position. Keep him there, with Morne Steyn as backup.
9- Du Preez as 1st choice, Jano Vermaak as backup. Remember that Jano has achieved behind a Lions pack stuck in perpetual reverse, as opposed to Du Preez and Kocky who have played behind dominant packs for the last couple of seasons.
8- Spies, Kanko as backup.
7- Smith, with Deysel as backup.
6- Schalk of course. Class vs. form. If not fully recovered, Brussouw to get the starting berth.
5- Matfield, Bekker as backup if fit.
4- Bakkies, Rossouw as backup
3- I`ll go looking for my 2 best tightheads in Irish club rugby- BJ Botha as starter, and CJ V D Linde as backup! Unfortunately, PDV will only stick to locally-based players, so Smittie it`ll have to be then. No other SA tighthead has looked even half convincing in the S14.
2- I`d go with Smittie. But if he`s already at 3, then Bismarck. Chilli as backup.
1- Beast, with Guthro as backup.

 

[Jer1cho]

So, the announcement is tonight... Here is my team based on Super14 form...

1 - Gurthro Steenkamp
2 - Derick Kuun
3 - John Smit ©
4 - Bakkies Botha
5 - Victor Matfield
6 - Heinrich Brussouw
7 - Juan Smith
8 - Pierre Spies

9 - Fourie du Preez

10 - Morne Steyn
11 - Bryan Habana
12 - Wynand Olivier
13 - Jacques Fourie
14 - JP Peterson
15 - Stephan Terreblanche

Anyway, here is what i think the final team will look like:

1 - Gurthro Steenkamp
2 - Bismark Du Plessis
3 - John Smit ©
4 - Bakkies Botha
5 - Victor Matfield
6 - Schalk Burger :angry:
7 - Juan Smith
8 - Pierre Spies

9 - Fourie du Preez

10 - Ruan Pienaar
11 - Bryan Habana
12 - Jean de Villiers
13 - Jacques Fourie
14 - JP Pieterson
15 - Francois Steyn

16 - Chilliboy Rallepele (Will be picked abouve Derick Kuun thanks to politics)
17 - Ryan Kankowski
18 - Danie Rossouw
19 - Ricky Januarie :angry:
20 - Wynand Olivier
21 - Zane Kirchner OMFG :angry:
22 - Morne Steyn

Fullback is the interesting one. There are rumors of JP Peterson starting there, with Jongi Nokwe as the other winger... But i don't know. I would play Steyn there hands down... Centre id the other interesting one. It's a tustle between Jean de Villiers, Wynand Olivier, Adrian Jacobs and Jacques Fourie. We have too many good players.

Your thoughts?

 

[Steve-o]

Hmm that team of mine is a bit outdated..

Anyway Jer1cho I disagree with Steyn playing 15 for THIS tour. He hasn't played there for a long time and he not that good under the high ball yet. We need to sit with players who are doing the job at 15 now.

That said, I still think 15 is Steyn's natural position.

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 1 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hmm that team of mine is a bit outdated..

Anyway Jer1cho I disagree with Steyn playing 15 for THIS tour. He hasn't played there for a long time and he not that good under the high ball yet. We need to sit with players who are doing the job at 15 now.

That said, I still think 15 is Steyn's natural position.[/b]

I would play Terreblanche there, but he aint in the running... Who would you play at 15? Please don't say Zane Kirchner... please.

 

[Bull]

Derick Kuun is one of those guys that won't ever get a chance to play for the Boks :angry:
I would pick Dewald Potgieter in place of Schalk Burger, if you take the past S14 form in to account.

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bull @ Jun 1 2009, 03:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Derick Kuun is one of those guys that won't ever get a chance to play for the Boks :angry:
I would pick Dewald Potgieter in place of Schalk Burger, if you take the past S14 form in to account.[/b]

I agree 100%. Dewald Potgieter has been incredible. If it were up to me, Schalk Burger wouldn't even be in my final squad, let alone starting XV.

 

[Steve-o]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jer1cho @ Jun 1 2009, 01:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 1 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm that team of mine is a bit outdated..

Anyway Jer1cho I disagree with Steyn playing 15 for THIS tour. He hasn't played there for a long time and he not that good under the high ball yet. We need to sit with players who are doing the job at 15 now.

That said, I still think 15 is Steyn's natural position.[/b]

I would play Terreblanche there, but he aint in the running... Who would you play at 15? Please don't say Zane Kirchner... please.
[/b][/quote]

Same I'd also play Terblanche there. Whether he is in the running or not is debatable I still have some hope!

Now before I say anything further, I am a big critic of Kitchner. I remember calling him the worst Super 14 fullback in SA a few times. Frankly he sucked not too long ago. But come on Richard you gotta admit he has had a great season! He is very much in the running and with good reason. FYI Donald is actually very quick for a 10, he beat (wouldn't say burnt..) Turner (supposedly one of the quickest Aussies) for a 50 meter sprint try. I'd say he's easily 10's one of quickest in the world.

In the ideal world both Plumtree and De Villiers would both play Steyn at 15, his natural postion. But they both have their reasons. Plumtree is playing Steyn between 10 and 12 because the Sharks are short of quality cover there. the fact that Terblanche is playing some of his best rugby ever isn't helping Steyn's cause either.
And well, De Villiers is close to clinically insane. He was the one who went along with Steyn's big ego and played him at 10 a few times for the Boks. He also asked Plumtree to play him there.

Such a pity that we not using our gold era of rugby effectively. We could really be a even more dominate force with proper selections.

BTW I hear Jano Vermaak has been released to the Lions for their mid-week game coming up, while Januarie has been retained :%#%#: I hope this doesn't mean that Vermaak is out of contention. Reeks of favouritism or quota selection imo.

 

[Jer1cho]

Kirchner has still not done anything to make him Springbok material. Granted, he had a better season this year, but that's because his team was so darn good. He gave away 2 tries in the final, and butchered 2 thanks to his selfishness. Can you imagine he did that for the Springboks? I'm sorry, but he aint good enough. I can also kick up and under ALL THE TIME. . .

Anyway, My point is, Steyn is in the running. If Terblanche makes it, pick him. But if it's between Kirchner and Steyn, then i think it's an easy decision.

 

[Steve-o]

Yeah I hear ya when you say Steyn is in the running for 15, but word on the wire is that Rose and Fourie are as well! :wacko: Well it's only 2 hours away from P Divvy's squad announcement so we'll get a better picture from there.

 

[Jer1cho]

Just a quick update:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Meanwhile, JJ Harmse reported from Durban that Schalk Burger, who is earmarked to play his 50th Test when the Springboks play the British and Irish Lions on June 20 in the first of three Tests, is still battling injury.

Burger is struggling with a calf injury and didn't train when the team started their preparations on Wednesday. Juan Smith (with a cold) and Ryan Kankowski (back injury) also didn't train.[/b]

Hopefully these little injuries will be sorted. Burger can stay injured though. After watching the Lions back-rowers, i would even be tempted to play Danie Rossouw before him.