3 Stormers players in the Springbok sqaud

Spies is lucky - not for me - I hope Mvovo gets a run very good and the Dup brothers suspect (penalties waiting to happen)

chicken 'n chips Wrote:

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> This squad selection will give England a boost.
> Reeks of Northern favourtism. How can they stick
> in Oliver instead of De Jongh for starters.

Also sorry for De Jongh, but it will be Frans Steyn & Jean De Villiers as centre's, then there is JJ (i've been watching him since 2009) he is brilliant, and you can play him wing or centre, we have so much talent, it's scary. Just give Meyer a chance. The first test is going to be hard, but I think this squad is gonna be to physical for England.

Springbok captain should be Adriaan Strauss(tu)

Tero Wrote:

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> Springbok captain should be Adriaan Strauss(tu)


To be a Springbok captain you need to earn respect. Strauss is a good 2 and an honest player. How do you rate him against Bismarck? What has been won under his captaincy? And look how they lost games in Bloem when they were ahead by more than 20 points. A Bok kaptein? Big no

I will go with Jean De Villiers.......or Spies. Spies not playing well at the moment, but HUGE respect towards him from other players. He is an 100% role model, but not my choice. Hope Schalk Burger get better soon

Why so many?

Craig Eudey Wrote:

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> Why so many?


Sharks?

You mean the Sharks of last week or yesterday's guppies?

To be the captain of the boks one does not have to play for the big franchises ie. Sharks, Bulls, Stormers. Adriaan Strauss is a powerful leader and is well respected by his peers.

Tero Wrote:

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> To be the captain of the boks one does not have to
> play for the big franchises ie. Sharks, Bulls,
> Stormers. Adriaan Strauss is a powerful leader and
> is well respected by his peers.


Is he better than Bismarck? or are we going the old route again?

IMO Adriaan is better than Bismarck

Tero Wrote:

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> IMO Adriaan is better than Bismarck


OK, not going to argue. I rate Adriaan, but Bismarck is no1. Also like Callie Visagie ex Matie now playing for the Lions

It doesn't matter who a coach picks he is always going to be caned.

When White was appointed coach he recalled Montgomery & Du Randt. Everyone had effectively forgotten Montgomery and a lot of people thought that Du Randt had retired. Both played pivotal roles in winning the 2007 World Cup.

The names that are recurring in the 'complaints' column are unlikely to make the matchday 22 so will soon be forgotten. I believe the actual team picked for this coming Saturday will closely resemble what everyone has expected all along.

Nevertheless - there are a couple of issues which people seem to forget whenever a side is selected :

1.) Kolisi has had an excellent debut season. He had a blinder on Saturday. But the side was, in all likelihood, already chosen before he ran onto the field. He is, nevertheless, included in the wider squad so the process of grooming him is well advanced. His time will come. But he has still to show whether he can step up to test level. I think he can and the best part of it will be that he will be there on merit!

2.) I feel sorry for Brussow, De Jongh & Aplon. But, once again, there are always going to be players rated 'unlucky'. It is far from being the end of their careers and there is nothing to suggest that they will not later force themselves back into contention. Injuries and loss of form can change the picture in the space of a fortnight! ( By way of example - just look at the case of NZ flyhalf Stephen Donald - he ended up effectively winning the world Cup for NZ after being earlier discarded for some very poor performances. No way would he have imagined he would play in the black jersey let alone in the final as he was fourth choice in the pecking order. Yet injuries conspired and he took his shot at glory ).

3.) The coach's snubbing of Stormers players gives the leading SA franchise a glorious opportunity to rest and regroup for the latter matches in the Super 15. It would be nothing short of churlish if the country does not get behind this side and support them in their quest for higher honours in this exceptionally tough and demanding competition. They have earned it the hard way.

4.) Lastly - despite the outcry - did many more of the Stormers REALLY deserve selection? Two (possibly) deserving backline players were excluded from a backline that has patently failed to impress or penetrate this whole season. There was compelling evidence to suggest that, just maybe, they are not the answer.

The Stormers are clearly more than the sum of their parts. But perhaps on a 'man for man' basis not the best we have.

In my opinion no coach will willfully exclude players that could be assets to a team. But all coaches have visions as to how they see 'their' team in its final form. Let's see what Meyer manages to achieve. If his early selections flop there will certainly be changes. But England present a specific challenge starting this Saturday and we need to play the team in front of us first.

My only hope is that somewhere along the line we actually start to play some rugby. The creative efforts from our leading sides have been diabolical in recent weeks and THAT makes me apprehensive.