My Springbok starting XV for next weekend.

I a watching the game again and thinking about what I would like to see in the starting XV next weekend.

There are three players who although quality, I think needs to get amessage from Heyneke Meyer.

Bismarck du Plessis.

He made a host of stupid errors in the match, a few skew line outs, in the first five we were on attack and as he was tackled he kept on crawling which gave a penalty to England and he also recieved a penalty for being in front of the kicker.

Adriaan Strauss didn't get much game time, but he is a man mountain who brings as much physicality as Bismarck and has been much better in the discipline side of things for the Cheetahs this season, he isn't prone to brain farts.

Francois Hougaard.

He is a talented young man but had a very poor game apart from his snipe past the ruck. His box kicks weren't accurate and his exuberance of youth cost us 3 points, my biggest concern was his pfaaffing behind the ruck at times.

Ruan Pienaar showed on the time he was on that he is pure class and never looked in trouble, granted by then the forwards was in the ascendancy.

Zane Kirchner.

I don't think he brings anything to the table that Lambie doesn't bring in spades.

So ,my Starting XV would be.

1. Beast
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Juandre Kruger
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Willem Alberts
8. Pierre Spies
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Frans Steyn
13. Jean de Villiers
14. JP Pietersen
15. Patrick Lambie.

We will have more discipline in the forward pack whilst losing no physicality, our service at the base of the ruck will be more consistent and Lambie from the back will create a much bigger threat.

I wouldnt remove Bismarck , Strauss is good but Bismarck was a mountain yesterday penalties and all . Bring on struass as the Impact player same as Hougaard .And finally 8 . Spies needs to be benched would prefer Keegan Daniel starting

I am also worried about Spies, but Keegan is not a big guy, Marcell still needs someone to help and lead him, and if you take SPies out our backrow is very inexperienced.

We miss Schalk.

biltongbek wrote:I am also worried about Spies, but Keegan is not a big guy, Marcell still needs someone to help and lead him, and if you take SPies out our backrow is very inexperienced.

We miss Schalk.

Yer to be fair Spies was very good in the lineout .But in the loose he's just tooooo upright his size is a hindrance and Keegan is much more effective .What he loses in size he more than makes up for in skill. He would make so much more meters than spies and he's not bad at fetching either

Well maybe we must get etzebeth to kick him in the nuts every time he gets the ball, at least his body position will be better.

The 3 of us spoke a lot about the merits of Bismarck last week and whether he was worth the risk compared to a safer option in Strauss.

Playing at top of his game he is the best hooker in the world by far but he is very costly and if he does this against better sides than ENG it could be the difference between winning & losing... in far more important games then yesterdays.

Dropping a guy sends out a message to him... often does the very best players a world of good. Better to drop him now then have to drop him against NZ lets say.
I reckon Strauss deserves a punt.

We all know that Hougaard is not a natural 9... he's a fill in guy when your top scrumhalf gets injured. He offers a lot outside of positional responsibilities but his core skills are poor compared.
If Hougaard was your one world class player then sure you pick him but when he's preventing quick release or putting in poor balls, getting charged down etc he's preventing the boks from moving forward.

On the wing however he is very very dangerous.... I'd be very tempted to play him there... he is quick enough, much more explosive than Habana or Pietersen (reminds me of Habana 04-07) and offers all round smart play.
Against big sides such as ENG, WAL or NZ he won't get that room required which makes his selection attractive.. its the same for Spies.

Spies misses tackles, doesn't carry well and hardly gets any turnovers etc.

If it wasn't for Spies' efficiency in the lineout I'd say Daniel would be a better alternative for sure. However once Vermeulen gets fit he's take the position if Meyer has any sense.

One thing I would add concerning Etzebeth is that a) ENG did their homework on him and b) SA didn't look at how he played in SR this season and devise plans for him.

You look at the stats and think wow 125kg but you also have to remember the guy is lean and very top heavy... too top heavy probably.... his legs aren't strong enough and therefore guys can knock him back/upend him, it happened against ENG and its happened in SR. It never happened to a guy like Bakkies who was equally tall and heavy.. the difference is tha Bakkies was probably less bulky up top and had a lot more strength in his legs. In the end he's a young guy so he will change but its something his conditioning team should look at.

We at the Stormers always put a man behind him, literally hanging onto his shirt to counter the balance... it means we get him crashing through tackles and makes sure he won't get dumped. SA should follow suit.

If you look at his carries he went a total of 2m forward in 6 carries. Did well oherwise... just an observation.

I'd love to see Jacques Potgieter introduced some time, he's a beast.

Thanks boss.

gowales wrote:I'd love to see Jacques Potgieter introduced some time, he's a beast.

He might be a good option in place of Coetzee, especially if Meyer wants a bit more grunt in the backrow

like to see Kolisi in there, have only seen him in 1 game (against the bulls last week, recently got sky reconnected) but he was phenomenal

My future team and explanations

1.Beast - needs to find his international rhythm then he's good to go
2.Bissy - our BEST hooker bissy is a beast Strauss is not as physical
3.Coenie - Englands scrum can attest to his presence plus the poor man who got bumped of , least penalty prone . plays tight and loose
4.Eztebeth - Needs to be supported when running then he'll be a beast
5.Kruger - Main jumper and extra ball carrier
6.Coeztee - Given time he'll be incredible
7.Schalla - and key loosie , he'd balance everything out and guide Coetzee
8.Alberts - Wrecking ball at 8 better than Spies
9.Hougaard (They really need to stop making him kick )
10. Morne - tactically astute but goal kicking been off lately
11.Habana - Looks to be in good form
12.Frans - Main Attacking weapon
13.JDV - captain
14.JPP - Needs to be more involved but i'd prefer Aplon
15.Lambie - pretty good when allowed to attack and increase his kicking duties , less hougie kicking

he's been like that all season Galted. I remember being in the stands at newlands when he played his first SR match thinking... who is this guy, he's a beast!

He lacks a little technical knowledge which could exploit him in test rugby but that will come with time.

I am happy with that team Bullsbok, but I wouldn't want to move Willem from 7.

I would argue we need someone bigger and more physical at 8 though.

Just not sure who, perhaps Josh Strauss or Duane Vermeulen

fa0019 wrote:he's been like that all season Galted. I remember being in the stands at newlands when he played his first SR match thinking... who is this guy, he's a beast!

He lacks a little technical knowledge which could exploit him in test rugby but that will come with time.

Ja kolisi is a trojan . i cant wait to see him unleashed on the world stage

Honestly what happened to Spies? He appeared immense what, 5 years ago? Incredible speed, quite abrasive in contact and physical whilst carrying the ball, but was perceived as not getting through enough work in the tight.

Now, as in the last test, he appears anonymous but for his lineout skills. What's up with him?

Captain, Spies disappears in a confrontational match. He needs space.

He doesn't understand close quarter combat requires a different body position.

Spies should go back to the wing. Not suited to the rough and tumble of forward play at all.

When Spies came onto the scene he was huge, too huge in fact... he probably could have entered national bodybuilding competitions. Added with his pace he stormed onto the test scene.

Then he had to "retire" because of blood in his lungs but after 12 months he was cleared so returned but never was as fast as he previously was, never as big as before.

These days he's half the player he was.. he can carry the ball but isn't prolific, he has one of the worst tackle rates in SA rugby, isn't great on the floor but is a useful lineout option.

Aplon and Dean Geryeling has been called up, Coenie has a stiff neck and shoulder and Zane Kirchner is definitely out for the second test.

I think Oosthuizen is a loss for South Africa, he looked quite good when he came on.