The "Northern Hemisphere" Bok team for the Test vs Wales

[Intercept King JDV]

So with the June 5th Test against Wales nearing, Pdivvy did hint that he'll be using some NH based players to play in the Test.

So seeing as there are quite a few good players playing in the NH at the moment, here are my front-runners to be picked.Basically he can pick a whole really good starting 15 + subs, and lots of these players have test caps already, so there won't be a case of making the Bok jersey "cheap"!

1.CJ van der Linde (58 caps)
2.Schalk Brits (3 caps)
3.BJ Botha (19 caps)
4.Marco Wentzel (2 caps)
5.Gerrie Britz (13 caps)
6.Luke Watson (10 caps)
7.Joe van Niekerk (51 caps)
8.Shaun Sowerby (1 cap)
9.Michael Claassens (8 caps)
10.Butch James (35 caps)
11.Brent Russell (23 caps)
12.Jean de Villiers(c) (55 caps)
13.Gcobani Bobo (6 caps)
14.Philip Burger (none)
15.Frans Steyn (36 caps)

16.Danie Coetzee (15 caps)
17.Brian Mujati (12 caps)
18.Juandre Kruger (none)
19.Jacques Cronje (32 caps)
20.Neil de Kock (10 caps)
21.Derick Hougaard (8 caps)
22.Marius Joubert (30 caps)

So there you have a pretty decent 22 with only 2 uncapped players in Philip Burger and Juandre Kruger, Burger however did play for the Springboks 7's team.

So yeah thats my NH Springbok team that I would pick to play against Wales, but then again Pdivvy will probably only pick maybe half of that team and the other half will be coming from here in SA...

What you guys think?

 

[dullonien]

Holy Sh*t! Hadn't quite realised there were that many quality SA players playing in the NH. I knew there were quite a few, but that team looks impressive. Will be interesting to see what players travel from SA and what team is picked. I'm still hoping to see a Welsh victory here, considering it will still be an unfamiliar Bok team at the least. That front row is probably up there with some of the best, and imo better than the one SA have been putting out recently, especially the props.

Alot will depend on who plays 10. If it is Butch James, he has the potential to both win and loose the game for the Boks. He's bottled it spectacularily (at least with the boot) in a number of important games for Clermont in the last few years.

From a Wales point of view, I hope James Hook will be fit to participate in this (and the NZ) tests. His form has been getting better and better recently as he get's used to playing at centre. His partership with Roberts was also starting to show real promise by the end of the 6 Nations, and with Roberts back to his very best with the Blues, it could all click into place. I think Hook may well wait untill after the tour to get the operation he needs, as he wouldn't want to be overtaken in the Welsh set-up by missing the tour. Bishop and Davies both have the potential to have crackers if given opportunities, Which would be bad news for Hook (especially with the apparent imminent return of a certain Henson).

I think the same will be true of Halfpenny. He's another who seems to be back to his devastating best at the moment. He was scheduled for an operation which would rule him out of the tour, but with the way he's playing, I'm sure he'll be busting a gut to play. His run to set-up Gavin Evans' try against the Dragons was great. Blistering pace and some great feet.

The rest of the team looks pretty settled. Everone else is fit (or will be), and many are really hitting top form (especially the Blues, Dragons and Ospreys players). Who will parter Bradley Davies in the second row will bean interesting call. Will Gatland leave Martyn Williams at home to get the rest I personally think he needs? If so, I'm looking forward to see what Warberton can do with a run of games.

 

[Charles]

Dull it's Butch James, playing at Bath. Brock James is an Aussie.

JDV, that's a very good team. You missed Daan Human though, the Toulouse prop. He's been one of the best prop of the T14 for some years now...

 

[nickdnz]

Isn't that Saracens current team?

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Dull it's Butch James, playing at Bath. Brock James is an Aussie.

JDV, that's a very good team. You missed Daan Human though, the Toulouse prop. He's been one of the best prop of the T14 for some years now...

Oops forgot about him!Does he play loosehead or tighthead?

 

[Charles]

Loosehead.

 

[Teh Mite]

Better then the current Boks team!

 

[Charles]

THere's also Ross Skeate from Toulon...And Sam Gerber is better than Bobo.

 

[gingergenius]

there's only one black player in the starting 15, it will never be allowed...

 

[Intercept King JDV]

there's only one black player in the starting 15, it will never be allowed...

Hahahaha so true!But which other black players from SA except Bobo an Mujati are playing in the NH...?

 

[dullonien]

Dull it's Butch James, playing at Bath. Brock James is an Aussie.

JDV, that's a very good team. You missed Daan Human though, the Toulouse prop. He's been one of the best prop of the T14 for some years now...

Ah yeh, I've got all kinds of confused there haven't I? Scrap my comment then!

 

[Intercept King JDV]

I just added the number of caps for each player in my NH Boks team next to their names, all the caps together for the 22 players are 427, which isn't too bad ay?But then again thats probably half of what the "current" Boks team have...

But to be realistic, this is probably more closer to what the squad for the Wales Test match would look like.It contains NH an SH based players and also a few new players that have put their hands up in the Super 14 thus far.

1.CJ van der Linde
2.Schalk Brits
3.BJ Botha
4.Flip van der Merwe
5.Andries Bekker
6.Deon Stegman
7.Francois Louw
8.Luke Watson
9.Ruan Pienaar
10.Butch James
11.Wandile Mjekevu
12.Jean de Villiers(c)
13.Gcobani Bobo
14.Jongi Nokwe/Tonderai Chavhanga
15.Frans Steyn

16.Gary Botha
17.Brian Mujati/Brok Harris
18.Johan Muller
19.Dewald Potgieter
20.Ricky Januarie
21.Derick Hougaard
22.Wynand Olivier

The above 22 contains 4 uncapped players in Flip van der Merwe, Deon Stegman, Francois Louw, Wandile Mjekevu and Dewald Potgieter but they all have been playing great rugby in the Super 14 this season!

 

[User1245]

So with the June 5th Test against Wales nearing, Pdivvy did hint that he'll be using some NH based players to play in the Test.

So seeing as there are quite a few good players playing in the NH at the moment, here are my front-runners to be picked.Basically he can pick a whole really good starting 15 + subs, and lots of these players have test caps already, so there won't be a case of making the Bok jersey "cheap"!

1.CJ van der Linde (58 caps)
2.Schalk Brits (3 caps)
3.BJ Botha (19 caps)
4.Marco Wentzel (2 caps)
5.Gerrie Britz (13 caps)
6.Luke Watson (10 caps)
7.Joe van Niekerk (51 caps)
8.Shaun Sowerby (1 cap)
9.Michael Claassens (8 caps)
10.Butch James (35 caps)
11.Brent Russell (23 caps)
12.Jean de Villiers(c) (55 caps)
13.Gcobani Bobo (6 caps)
14.Philip Burger (none)
15.Frans Steyn (36 caps)

16.Danie Coetzee (15 caps)
17.Brian Mujati (12 caps)
18.Juandre Kruger (none)
19.Jacques Cronje (32 caps)
20.Neil de Kock (10 caps)
21.Derick Hougaard (8 caps)
22.Marius Joubert (30 caps)

So there you have a pretty decent 22 with only 2 uncapped players in Philip Burger and Juandre Kruger, Burger however did play for the Springboks 7's team.

So yeah thats my NH Springbok team that I would pick to play against Wales, but then again Pdivvy will probably only pick maybe half of that team and the other half will be coming from here in SA...

What you guys think?

Good team to pick my team would look like this:

1) Daan Human (Who BTW is rumored to be in talks with SARU to come back for the WC)
2) Schalk Brits
3) BJ Botha
4) Ross Skeate
5) Juandre Kruger
6) Luke Watson
7) Joe van Niekerk
8) Shawn Sowerby
9) Michael Classens
10) Butch James
11) Brent Russell
12) Brad Barritt (the f**ker hasn't betrayed us just yet!)
13) Jean De Villiers
14) Marius Joubert
15) Frans Steyn

16) CJ van der Linde
17) Brian Mujati
18) Gerrie Britz
19) Jacques Cronje
20) Niel de Kock
21) Derrick Hougaard
22) Phillip Burger

 

[Teh Mite]

Hahahaha so true!But which other black players from SA except Bobo an Mujati are playing in the NH...?

Mujati is from Zimbabwae!

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Mujati is from Zimbabwae!

So?He played in SA and for SA before heading north

 

[TRF_Cymro]

12 times or so ... caused controversy because he was picked ahead of BJ Botha if I remember correctly.

 

[User1245]

Yes cause he's a useless, lazy sod. How do the Saints' fans like him so far?

 

[Teh Mite]

Yes cause he's a useless, lazy sod. How do the Saints' fans like him so far?

That was the initial assessment of him when he arrived, although of late he's actually put in some very good performances.

 

[Bokbe4k]

I dont care how good Puke Twatson is that guy does not belong in a Springbok jersey,I would rather move S Brits to 8th man and bring Richard Strauss.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I would really be surprised if the entire team consists of NH based players. I might add Wikus van Heerden to that list although he is returned. How is Ernst Joubert doing for Saracens? He looked like a decent enough player but would never have stood a chance here where there is no lack of top class loosies. I would pick some of those players and give a couple of local fringe players a go. PdV should have taken last year's EoYT more seriously and picked the form players rather than the 'affirmative action' dirt trackers that went up and unsurprisingly got their asses handed to them. My squad of NH based players and uncapped locals pushing for inclusion. Plus a few returned from abroad:

Daan Human
Tiaan Liebenberg
BJ Botha
Gerrie Britz
Steven Sykes
Francois Louw
Jacques Botes
Duane Vermeulen

Sarel Pretorius
Peter Grant
Lionel Mapoe
Jean de Villiers
Juan de Jongh
Gerhard van der Heever
Francois Steyn


Werner Kruger / WP Nel / Brok Harris
Gary Botha
Juandre Kruger
Deon Stegman / Wikus van Heerden / Joe van Niekerk
Francois Hougaard / Dewald Duvenhage / Rory Kockott
Butch James / Joe Pietersen
Patrick Lambie