Jake White's ideal Bok Backrow for the World Cup. Agree?

[hench]

World Cup-winning former Springbok coach Jake White – on RugbyXV.co.za – answers questions on his best Springbok loose trio and when the Boks would want to face New Zealand in the World Cup.

Q: Hi Jake. Who would be your run-on Bok loose trio for this year’s World Cup, taking form and injuries into consideration if they had to be chosen today. Difficult I know, but please give us some insight into who you would be looking at and why?

A: That is a tough question, because the Boks aren’t playing this weekend. If you had to pick a side from week to week, you’d be picking different combinations all the time and that would be inconsistent, showing no faith in your players. My first choice Bok loose trio would be Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and either Danie Rossouw or Pierre Spies at No 8.

That former trio won us the World Cup, and they can do it again. Pierre has been under pressure because sides have acknowledged his danger by putting two defenders on him. He needs to add to his skills set, but having extra defenders is a positive for other runners outside him as there is more space for them.

 

[PaarlBok]

Bok backrow for me: Brussouw/Juan/Schalk. Alberts from the bench. Brussouw a must.

 

[REDinCPT]

i think it's too early to call for schalk and we should probably be ruling juan out due to his long term injury.

open - Brussow definite.
blind - Alberts? not so sure about a start but definitely on the bench. his impact is something to behold but i think if he tried doing what he does in super rugby from the whistle in a test match, he'd get knocked out sooner rather than later. how about josh strauss as a bolter?
8 - i'd like to see kanko get settled in this position.

 

[Aussie D]

What's with Jake White's insistence on not playing a fetcher?

 

[PaarlBok]

i think it's too early to call for schalk and we should probably be ruling juan out due to his long term injury.

open - Brussow definite.
blind - Alberts? not so sure about a start but definitely on the bench. his impact is something to behold but i think if he tried doing what he does in super rugby from the whistle in a test match, he'd get knocked out sooner rather than later. how about josh strauss as a bolter?
8 - i'd like to see kanko get settled in this position.

On current form Alberts a shoe in. Brussouw agreed while on form Francois Louw is also briliant, next man in for me is Duanne Vermeulen. I'll have him way ifo Kankowski. Perfect pick against the All Blacks. Strauss started with a bang but he seem to lost his mojo . Worried like hell about the Brutes trio form.

 

[jason]

Open - Brussow, Blind - Alberts, 8 - Vermeulen. I'd have Juan Smith in there somewhere but he's injured right? I haven't seen Spies play to his full potential since the 2009 Super 14, so overrated. Alberts is in sensational form and you need a fetcher like Brussow.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

As much as I respect Jake, he's taking the piss with Spies right? That bloke should be playing on the wing, not at 8.

Brussow, Juan (if fit), Schalk.

Assuming Juan doesn't get up, Brussow, Alberts, Schalk.

 

[qwerty51]

LOL at the reason he thinks Spies is having a lean period. Two defenders my ass.

Backrow should be and if it was it would be second best backrow there.

6. Brussow
7. Smith
8. Alberts

 

[Blitzbok]

Right now it's very easy to select the backrow. It has got to be 6.Brussow, 7.Alberts, 8.Rossouw. Schalk no longer possess the physicality of years gone by, Spies can not be depended on, Kanklownski is too woeful to be taken seriously. Provided that Juan makes a miraculous recovery, then Alberts at 8, Juan at 7. We lose a key attacking weapon in Juan's absence, provided that he is a key lineout jumper at the tail providing great attacking ball. I really hope he makes it in time, as we are really up against it with the worst coaching setup in test history at the helm.