Former Springbok coach, Jake White, believes that Frans Steyn should be South Africa’s fullback. White feels the national selectors largely got it right with the Bok squad chosen for the series against the British and Irish Lions.
But a few eyebrows will be raised over Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner – he was left out of the team despite a superb performance in the Super14 series.
“I think Frans will play at fullback and this will be a good option. You get a good kicking boot with him there,” said White.
“If you don’t pick Frans on fullback, then Morné Steyn is a must as flyhalf with his ability to kick for posts. You could also play JP Pietersen at fullback, but he is not a kicker.”
“If you pick Ruan Pienaar at flyhalf, then you have to have Frans as an additional kicker in the team.”
Stephen Nell writes for Sport 24 that White added that he would have picked Smit as hooker. “I don’t know if I would’ve moved South Africa’s best captain of all times to tighthead prop. The Lions series is not something for which you plan longterm. You simply have to win the series,” he said.
“I do believe it is a brilliant group. We can’t go wrong with them.”
Phil Pretorius:
Former SWD Eagles coach, Phil Pretorius was surprised that the selectors had not picked the best fullbacks from the Super14 series.
“It is an extremely talented group and South African rugby is clearly at the crest of a wave. We look even stronger than when we won the World Cup,” said Pretorius.
“If I were in the shoes of the Lions, there would be a few positions on which I would focus. Andrew Sheridan (the English loosehead prop) for example destroyed Australia’s scrum in the quarter-final of the World Cup. There is no outright tighthead prop in the Bok group.”
“I would also be worried if Ruan Pienaar is chosen ahead of Morné Steyn as flyhalf. Ruan is actually still a scrumhalf and this is a possible weak link.”
“South Africa’s in-form fullbacks in the Super14 series were Zane Kirchner and Stefan Terblanche. Don’t tell me Stefan is too old. The series against the Lions is a one-time affair.”
Dawie Theron:
Griquas coach, Dawie Theron, expressed support for the squad but would have liked to have seen more depth in the tighthead prop position. He believes John Smit would be able to hold his own in the no 3 jersey.
“I would have liked to have included Jannie du Plessis, but he perhaps did not do enough in the Super14 series to make his mark,” said Theron.
“Morné Steyn is an example of a man who made his mark. He was initially out of favour, but simply showed that he was the best in the country. When the opportunity presents itself, you have to grab it. I believe you choose based on form and not potential.”
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Jake White’s English has got a lot worse…
@robdylan (Comment 1) : 🙂 ❓
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) : “best captain of all times”?
“pick Frans on fullback”?
@robdylan (Comment 3) :
🙂
Frans to me too is the obvious choice for fullback given the squad.
And why would John not be the best captain of all time?
Only thing he needs from a Bok perspective is a Lions series win and he would have done it all…
I’m also concerned that there is no specialist fullback…I’m also one of the people that think Frans Steyn will be a great fullback….but you can’t let him play his first game at Fullback in 2 years(?) This is not a time to experiment. I’m also concerned that we don’t have a specialist fetcher..we need to play the game fast against the Lions and no offence to Schalk but he is nowhere near Brossouw or Stegman in the fetching department.And I would have felt better with BJ Botha there for a back up tighthead.
@Morné (Comment 5) : amen
Having said all that PdV has taken a leaf out of JW’s book and he is sticking to the same core of players…remenber how we all lambasted JW when he didn’t select players on form all the time..and he won us the world cup.
@Pokkel (Comment 6) : 4 players there should not have been in the squad
chilliboy
rose.. sphagetti man
january … the new oros man
nokwe ,, fast as hell with no denfence and poor under the high ball he lacks a lot of rugby skills
in their place i would have had … BJ , brussouw , cockott or vermaak and kirchner
we have enough good players like wo and jaques fourie to cover wing if need be and remember there is odwa already there too
@sharks_lover (Comment 9) : in saying that chillilboy is starting to look like the chilliboy of old again
@sharks_lover (Comment 9) : You unfortunately are not looking at the “big” picture and due to our past you have too!!
F.Steyn will be a much better fullback than flyhalf imo
@sharks_lover (Comment 9) : BJ plays overseas bru, no chaans he is making that squad.
@sharks_lover (Comment 10) : I still think he will become better, if he is not thrown into a depth he cannot handle. I believe the Bulls are doing a great job and in the next four years he will become the next Bok captain
@sharks_lover (Comment 9) : I agree with your replacements although I think Nokwe should be there or there about to take in the Boks experience, cause he has the talent.
I know Nokwe got pushed in the face by Joe Pieterson, but for the rest of the Super 14 according to some stats I saw on this site Nokwe’s defence wasn’t too bad this year.
Play Frans at fullback, make him take a drop everytime he gets the ball, if he gets 50% we win by at least 20 points. We may as well, if Rose gets on the field we are Fcked anyway.
@Pokkel (Comment 15) : I don’t think Nokwe slipped any more tackles than Frans Steyn or Adi this Super 14 🙄
@Whindy (Comment 14) : windy i am looking at that picture but im also seeing the short commings
firstly if its an extra wing we need nokwe shouldnt have been there , if it has to be a playeer of colour haaikona ndugane is much better , not as fast but a far better rugga player like his brother
kirchner i agree should have been there
in place of RJ ?? we aint got another good none white so what now ??
@JarsonX (Comment 12) : @billy (Comment 16) : I also think that Frans will make a great fullback…but fullback play is all about positioning and that only comes with game time and to throw Frans to the Lions
in at fullback could be fatal.
pokkel i seen nokwe miss plenty tackles mate
and he is useless on cover defence
he is a good finisher thats for sure
@Pokkel (Comment 19) : I dunno, Frans’ positioning isnt bad, i have seen way worse in the green and gold.
@Morné (Comment 5) :
Rob doesn’t have a problem with John being called the best captain of all time, he has a problem with him being called the best captain of all timeS, which was a grammatical error. 😉
As was pick frans ON fullback. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) : 😆