The Bokke will be playing Ireland in their first game of their Grand Slam Tour on the 6th. After a physical battle Between the Mighty Sharks and Wp last night, many are walking wounded. The assessment of fitness will be key in selecting a physically strong side to face Ireland.
As Rob has stated earlier Juan and JDV are carrying injuries following the battering they took at the hands of The Sharks last night. At least another Shark in Adi Jacobs has been called up. Many of The Sharks and Wp players will still be feeling the effects of the CC final for the next few days; so who are the best bets and fresher players that will have to start our Tour?
Up front we have to hope that our Sharks front row are ready because they clearly are our strongest option.
1.Beast 2.Bissie 3.Jannie
Bissie should be in good shape as well as The Beast, but Jannie came off with a limp last night which might prompt PDV to start with CJ if jannie doesn’t recover. Coenie will get his chance against Scotland would be my guess. Beast should get a rest then in preparation for the England game.
Locks are very easy to select. Vic and Bakkies with Flip coming on for Bakkies at around 60 min.
Loose Forwards are tricky, Burger might not be 100% after being rammed by Alberts on a few occasions last night. Willem also had a slight limp throughout the second half last night, but i think he should be good for about 40 min on the weekend, because lets face it his body has been through a lot this CC. Juan and Spies will Obviously be fresh. PDV will try to selct the 6. Burger 7. Juan 8. Spies combo, but if Burger is not fit don’t be surprised to see Keegan getting his first Springbok cap. If all are fit Alberts should be at 19 in cover for Juan and Spies.
Halfback should be Hougie and Steyn when we take into consideration the lack of preparation time for this first game. Ruan should be at 20 and I am really hoping Pat is at 21 as cover for Morne.
Centre is a real unknown at the moment. Juan and Jean are in pain and don’t sound fit enough for this weekend. Both might tour or both might drop out, but i don’t think either will play this weekend due to their injury worries. Therefore the old Sharks combo of Frans steyn at 12 and Adi at 13 would be our safest options. Hoping JeanD is fit enough, because we really need Frans at 15 and Pat is now officially a 10 and should not be moved abck to 15 in order to keep his development at 10 on a roll.
Back Three should be those with the caps. Bryan, Aplon, Frans. Not sure about Frans because of JDV injury worries, but if Frans moves to 12, Aplon would be our next option at 15 and Mvovo can then come onto the wing for his first cap.
Really hope the injuries are not serious and that we can choose some established Combo’s. We will probably get more insight tomorrow after Boks have been assessed by medical staff. Good Luck to the Bokke we behind you!!! Really looking forward to a really good tour from the Guys.
UPDATE:
Fattman tells me F. Steyn will only be available after Ireland game. Hope one of Juan or Jdv is fit enough.
Possible Line-up-
1.Beast 2. Bissie 3. Jannie
4.Bakkies 5. Matfiled (C)
6. Burger/Keegan (pending fitness assesments) 7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard 10. Morne Steyn
11. Habana 12. JDV/Lambie (p.f.a) 13. Jacobs 14. Mvovo
15. Aplon
16.Chilli 17. Cj 18. Flip 19. Alberts 20. Pienaar 21. Lambie/Jantjes (p.f.a) 22.Bjorn Basson.
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As far as I know Frans is only joining after the Ireland game
@Fattmann (Comment 1) : Then we might be a bit screwed at Centre…Aplon then a definite at Fullback…eish
How about pdv calling up brad barrit for the boks???
@Ben (Comment 3) : cant happen he has already played for an England side the Saxons I think The England 3rd team
He can’t. Barritt has alreade played saxons. Can no longer represent SA. Also, he dislocated his finger yesterday and is out for 6 weeks
@Fattmann (Comment 4) : didn’t know that. Meyer bosman might have to step up or maybe lambie at 12 and adi at 13
@robdylan (Comment 5) : Technically that’s not quite right Rob. A player may play for another country as long as he does not play for their senior 1st team. Saxons is not considered seniors first team so he would be fine. However, I do believe he got a cap for England against the New Zealand Maori. And because of that, he could no longer represent any other country.
@rugbypedia (Comment 7) : It’s not only the senior 1st team. 2nd team and Sevens also. Saxons are England’s 2nd team.
A Player who has played for the senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team
of a Union is not eligible to play for the senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team
of another Union*.
*From the IRB’s site.
@McLovin (Comment 8) : Sh1t! Sevens as well! Thanks for setting that right. I am surprised about Sevens, really am. Can you represent a country at League, and then go play Union for someone else?
@rugbypedia (Comment 9) : yes, you can, cos League does not fall under the auspices of the IRB
@robdylan (Comment 10) : And league is for girls anyway.
I see some dumb people (rugby365) r upset that Adi has been called as back up. People tend to forget that he was our best player for the boks a couple of seasons back. He is the best natural overall attacking centre in SA…and i will always stand by that statement. Go Adi Jacobs u Biscuit!!!
League has to be the stupidest sport ever invented. It’s even worse than cricket. And formula 1
@robdylan (Comment 13) : what the heck is wrong with cricket and F1?
@robdylan (Comment 13) : From the Saru website
Two overseas-based players were named in the party in Ulster’s Ruan Pineaar – who will join the squad in Johannesburg on Sunday – and Frans Steyn (of Racing Metro in France), who will be available following the opening Test against Ireland.
IF JdV and JdJ will get rested (time to recoover from their injuries), then i suspect that either Bosman might get a call up, or that Crusty/Janjies might get drafted in and Frans Steyn gets to fill the centre role. mho
@robdylan (Comment 13) : F1 must be one of the most boring ‘sports’ out there.
Might as well watch scalextrics.
Adi Jacobs go out and shut-up those idiots on rugby365
On the subject of cricket.
Pakistan beat SA by 1 wicket in the 2nd ODI.
Abdul Razzaq smashing 2 sixes & a four in the last over. And a 109 from 72 balls to boot.
@Charlie (Comment 18) :
@McLovin (Comment 19) : Really don’t know what albie morkel is doing in the team! When last did he bat well and he bowls like a crab!
@Ben (Comment 21) : He bowled 5 overs for 52 runs today.
@Ben (Comment 21) : @McLovin (Comment 22) : eish we just won the CC2010 and is it old news already
@McLovin (Comment 22) : my point exactly and I think he got 1 run with the bat before he was bowled
@McLovin (Comment 19) : How did SA throw that one away????
@lostfish (Comment 25) : Might have to check with the bookies.
ok are the Emerging boks not then the SA 2nd team then?
If not what are our second team called then?
I must say I have never ever seen Kings Park like Saturday night. it was awesome guys
@Ben (Comment 14) : they suffer from the inexcusable curse of not being rugby
@robdylan (Comment 5) :
What bad luck is that for Brad.. I feel sorry for the oke..
@Ben (Comment 21) :
How could they drop Theron after his amazing bowling in the previous 3 matches?! Idiots!!
I wondered about Adi when the squad was 1st announced..chuffed to see he got a call up though , we need his experience and we are very thin at centre.I just hope Juan will recover in time.
Funny on alot of sites people are quick to jump on the bandwagon with the usual tripe following a Adi selection or any ‘other’ for that matter ..but never give input asto why and who should go…
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 32) :
It’s OVIAAS !!! Adi’s not a favourite on other sites… 
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 31) : dude exactly rusty is a legend would pick him over any one of those bowlers who played last night!
@Charlie (Comment 33) : who are you my friend?
I would like to hear your guys opinion on my preffered backline for the boks…something a bit different…9 Hougard, 10 M.Steyn, 11 Habanna, 12 Jaun dv, 13 Mvovo, 14 Basson, 15 Aplon….I would like to see Mvovo being tried out at outside center…..Just imagine all the attacking possibilities with him there and Basson or Habanna on his outside…He is a strong runner and got speed…and i do think he is defencivly up for it..What do you guys think
Have you guys heard about some of the stories in Hershelle Gibbs’ new book??
Hectic I tell ya!!
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 32) :
It’s called the ‘herd mentality’
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 32) : I wasn’t surprised when he wasn’t announced as he has only played 20 minutes of Currie Cup this year.
I just hope he is actually fit enough to play for the Boks. It will suck if the Boks break him and we can’t use him next year for SupeRugby.
@lostfish (Comment 39) : I like Adi, but I don’t understand this selection.
He has has hardly played all season through injury. I would have giving Strauss or Doppies the nod – guys who are match-fit and in form. On the last few weeks’ performances Strauss is the best number 12 in SA by a long shot, just going by his defense and influence at the breakdowns.
@McLovin (Comment 11) :
@wpw (Comment 37) : Whatever happened to the sportsman’s version of “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”? He must need money badly to write such a trashy book.
@lostfish (Comment 42) : I agree 100%!! Its also not very hard to figure out who he refers too without naming them..
@Ice can’t wait anymore (Comment 43) : The waiting is OVER !!!
@Ben (Comment 3) : he can’t anymore. Brad played for some English team before, not sure which one but it makes him ineligible for selection by any other country.
@Fattmann (Comment 4) : @robdylan (Comment 5) :
i was just making sure that Ben got it .
@rekinek (Comment 45) :
@robdylan (Comment 13) : No. American football is dumber than league.
@wpw (Comment 37) : It just made me realise I should have tried harder at my cricket in school.