2012 England tour to SA

[PaarlBok]

Meisiekind played him out of Bok reckoning. The Brutes attacking flair gone after he came back. They should move Sadie in 12 and Meisiekind in 13. Sadie have gone to tatters since moving to the Brutes.

 

[Blue]

I think in the Rugby Championship it will probably be F.Steyn and de Villiers and yes, I agree JJ has not set the world alight perhaps at 13 yet, however I've heard good things about the lad. Perhaps later in his career. On that point, I don't like de Villiers at 13. Personally I feel a 12 is a 12 and a 13 is a 13. Look at the difference in performance of Steyn at 12 and at 13, de Villiers at 12 and at 13 and also de Jongh, who is better at 13.

Fantasy combination:

9. Hougaard
10. Goosen
12. F. Steyn
13. J. Taute

The same can be said about Spies. Also remember that Elstadt has not found the form he had last season but he is steadily improving at number 7.

Spies has never been my preference. Vermeulen is but he breaks all the time.

But to suggest that Elstad is reeady for test rugby at 7 is a bit off the mark.

 

[Blue]

Well that was a right drubbing the Sharks handed the Stormers.

Fourie played his guts out from openside for the Stormers but the rest of the Stormers pack were outpaced, outscrummed and outmuscled. Their pack was terrible and with Loftus looming they should be worried.

The Beast and Willem Alberts are hitting form which is great for the Boks. One more good game for Alberts and he will stitch up Bok 7.

Paarl, after this game do you still think Elstad is a Bok contender? Surely not? He is soooo slow and the reason he never carries is because he is never in position to take the ball in the first place.

 

[whatty]

Alberts was huge, certainly the front runner IMO.

 

[Blue]

Alberts was huge, certainly the front runner IMO.

Yeah we easily forget how good he was in the RWC last year. Hell of a player when he's fit and up for it.

 

[Blue]

So it's nearing time to make some Bok predictions for the first test. With five days of preparation it is widely expected that selections will involve as many as possible combinations which makes sense.

I am going to ignore the rumour that Fourie du Preez will be captain for now. It was started by Keo and he has a blog that sells adverising so we leave it there for now.

These are not necessarily my preferences but what I think Heyneke will do.

Lambie
Basson
Juan de Jongh
Jean de Villiers (c)
Habana
Steyn
Hougaard

Spies
Willem Alberts
Brussow
Etsebeth
Bekker
Jannie du Plessis
Battleship
Beast

Bench: Coenie Oosthuizen, Adriaan Strauss, Juandre Kruger, CJ Stander, Frans Steyn, JP Pietersen, Jano Vermaak (possibly Ruan Pienaar)

You could substitute:
Basson for JP Pietersen
Greying for Oosthuizen
The two international guys on the bench as trhey have not been allowed to meet with the Boks.

Give or take here or there I think that will be close?

 

[tigerland12]

You could do alot worse then that side Blue. Still pretty strong side. Personally I'd have JP over Basson and maybe Chiliboy Rallepelle on the bench. Keegan Daniel is in great form, but is it safe to assume he wont get a look in on the bench because he isn't six foot six and 115kgs

 

[Blue]

Actually thinking about it again Marcel Coetzee has made a case to play ahead of Brussow but might miss out initially to go with the experience of Brussow. Apparently Meyer rates Coetzee highly but as an openside and not a blind side.

For my money Adriaan Strauss he been sensational. Reason I am picking him is I know Meyer is a huge fan. He has tried to lure him to the Bulls for years now.

Interesting you should talk about Daniel. Seriously, I would play him at 8 ahead of Spies but like I said I picked that based on what I think will happen. Don't care about Daniel's lack of size. That's a mountain of meat in front of him.

 

[tigerland12]

Agree in regards to Daniel, he has been one of the best from South Africa this year. He is very dynamic and explosive with ball in hand, good in the line-out, leadership qualities and good in the tight stuff. He'd have my vote in the 22.

And with Strauss I tend to agree, I just figured Chilliboy has been in the squad and developed there for many years.

 

[Brisbok]

That forward picks itself really and I can't see it being any different to that! I would also go JP over Basson. If that's the case I would also think about going Aplon over Basson on the bench because he covers wing and FB. Basson's aerial skills are definitely suited to the Bulls type game plan though, as are Kirchner's? If du Preez is picked at 9, could we possibly see Hougaard on the wing?

I wonder if Meyer rates de Jongh as a test quality 13? I certainly do and would definitely start him. But will Meyer go with the bigger, more conservative option? Steyn and de Villiers or de Villiers and Olivier? I hope not.

So many question marks in the backline! Cannot wait for him to announce his squad so we have more of an idea of his thinking!

 

[Blue]

That forward picks itself really and I can't see it being any different to that! I would also go JP over Basson. If that's the case I would also think about going Aplon over Basson on the bench because he covers wing and FB. Basson's aerial skills are definitely suited to the Bulls type game plan though, as are Kirchner's? If du Preez is picked at 9, could we possibly see Hougaard on the wing?

I wonder if Meyer rates de Jongh as a test quality 13? I certainly do and would definitely start him. But will Meyer go with the bigger, more conservative option? Steyn and de Villiers or de Villiers and Olivier? I hope not.

I would be happy with any one of APlon, JP or Basson.

I think JP might win because of his size.

As for centres I think you are right. I would be happy wiht Steyn/ JdV but please just not Olivier.

 

[PaarlBok]

Well it look like FdP and Pienaar will be included in the Bok squad.

The SA BaaBaa teams have been picked and will be coach by Jimmy Stonehouse, the Puma's coach
SARugby

Three players with Springbok Sevens experience have been named in the SA Barbarians teams to take on England in two mid-week matches during next month’s five match tour, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced on Monday.
Current Bok Sevens star, Cornal Hendricks, as well as veterans Danwel Demas and Mpho Mbiyozo, have been named by the SA Barbarians selectors in strong combinations to meet the tourists, chosen from the Absa Currie Cup First Division teams.
EP Kings’ centre Wayne Stevens will captain a SA Barbarians (South) combination to meet England in Kimberley on June 13 (kick off 15h00). JW Jonker of the Pumas will captain the northern SA Barbarians selection against England in Potchefstroom on June 19 (kick off 19h10).
All 44 players will assemble with head coach Jimmy Stonehouse – and assistant coaches Eddie Myners and Oersond Gorgonzola – in Durban on Wednesday for a preliminary three-day training camp.
SA Barbarians (South) v England, Kimberley (June 13)
15-Jacquin Jansen (Boland); 14-Cornal Hendricks (Boland), 13-Kempie Rautenbach (SWD), 12-Wayne Stevens (EP Kings, captain), 11-Norman Nelson (EP Kings); 10-Elgar Watts (Boland), 9-Boela Abrahams (EP Kings), 8-Jacques Engelbrecht (EP Kings), 7-Shaun Raubenheimer (SWD), 7-Mpho Mbiyozo (EP Kings), 6-David Bulbring (EP Kings), 5-Nolan Clark (Boland), 3-Ross Geldenhuys (Boland), 2-Hannes Franklin (EP Kings), 1-Corne Fourie (Pumas).
Replacements: 16-Clemen Lewis (Boland), 17-Dean Hopp (SWD), 18-Ben Venter (Border), 19-Zandre Jordaan (Boland), 20-Ntando Kebe (Border), 21-Ricardo Croy (Boland), 22-Ntabeni Dukisa (Border).
SA Barbarians (North) v England, Potchefstroom (June 19)
15-JC Roos (Pumas); 14-Danwel Demas (Pumas), 13-JW Jonker (Pumas, captain), 12-Joubert Engelbrecht (Leopards), 11-Deon Scholtz (Pumas); 10-Coenie van Wyk (Pumas), 9-Shaun Venter (Pumas); 8-Nicky Steyn (Griffons), 7-MB Lusaseni (Leopards), 6-Jaco Bouwer (Pumas), 5-Rudi Mathee (Pumas), 4-Eduan van der Walt (Pumas), 3-Ashley Buys (Pumas), Torsten van Jaarsveld (Pumas), BG Uys (Leopards).
Replacements: 16-Pellow van der Westhuizen (Pumas), 17-Zane Kilian (Valke), 18-Boela Serfontein (Pumas), 19-Martin Sithole (Griffons), 20-Johann Laker (Leopards), 21-Hoffman Maritz (Leopards), 22-Tertius Maarman (Griffons).

 

[PaarlBok]

Ja Alberts hit form right at the right time. Liebenberg was poor aswell.

 

[maxdacat]

Is Matfield a serious contender for a comeback (IRB rules aside)?

"New coach Heyneke Meyer had been considering bringing the 35-year-old out of retirment for the three-test series against England next month to add some experience to the side."

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_7776695,00.html

As an aside, how does someone stay that photogenic after spending so long in the forwards?

 

[Blue]

Well the IRB laws won't allow him top come out of retirement for England so we will never really know.

The idea was that he would play in the England tests only.

Latest news seems to be that Fourie du Preez will captain the Boks which I find 50% exciting and 50% perplexing.

According to reports he is very fit but I am worried abotu the reaction of the players to it and they would see him as an "outsider".

Add to that that he has gone on record that he dislikes captaincy.

Jean de Villiers should captain but let's wait for Saturday.

 

[Bardon]

Manu Tuilagi has been cited for a tip tackle in the English Premiership final so it's possible he could miss this tour. Hearing will be tonight.

 

[Blue]

So if he is out ho would they play in the centres? Flood and Barrit?

 

[Bardon]

I suppose their 3 options combination wise if he isn't there would be a 10, 12, 13 of:

Farrell, Flood, Barritt
Hodgson/Goode, Farrell, Barritt
Farrell, Barritt, Turner-Hall

For Lowe to get a run there would probably have to be another exclusion through injury or wholesale changes if England took a bit of a pasting in one of the tests.

 

[PaarlBok]

OK so with Steyn back look like the Bok team will probably look like this.

Dunno.

 

[Blue]

OK so with Steyn back look like the Bok team will probably look like this.

Dunno.

Come one Paarl. Spit it out. Cat bit your tongue?