Jantjies gets another chance in the 10 jersey along the re-united centre pair of de Allende and Kriel. Kolbe will most likely make his debut off the bench.
Mbonambi starts in place of Marx who drops to the bench. Kitshoff starts and Beast drops to the bench, but Rassie has retained Malherbe at 3.
The loose trio looks a little more balanced with a bruiser in PSDT at 7 and Kolisi at 6. I am not sure if these guys will be able to compete with both Hooper and Pocock at the breakdowns.
Springboks:
15 Willie le Roux
14 Makazole Mapimpi
13 Jesse Kriel
12 Damian de Allende
11 Aphiwe Dyantyi
10 Elton Jantjies
9 Faf de Klerk
8 Warren Whiteley
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit
6 Siya Kolisi (c)
5 Franco Mostert
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Frans Malherbe
2 Bongi Mbonambi
1 Steven Kitshoff
16 Malcolm Marx
17 Beast Mtawarira
18 Wilco Louw
19 RG Snyman
20 Francois Louw
21 Embrose Papier
22 Handré Pollard
23 Cheslin Kolbe.
Wallabies:
15 Israel Folau
14 Dane Haylett-Petty
13 Reece Hodge
12 Matt Toomua
11 Marika Koroibete
10 Kurtley Beale
9 Will Genia
8 David Pocock
7 Michael Hooper (c)
6 Lukhan Tui
5 Adam Coleman
4 Rory Arnold
3 Allan Alaalatoa
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
1 Scott Sio.
16 Folau Faingaa
17 Tom Robertson
18 Taniela Tupou
19 Izack Rodda
20 Ned Hanigan
21 Joe Powell
22 Bernard Foley
23 Jack Maddocks.
Tweet
Look its a strong Bok bench and as much as Rassie needs a win i think he is more giving last chance saloon to a lot of these satrting guys to see if they really should be in his plans or not. So i reckon this weekend is make or break for a lot of guys and even Rassie’s plans. Dont underestimate the Aussies based on those losses to NZ
I think it’ll be a long day at the breakdown. Kolisi is not an out and out fetcher and is not a blindside. Whiteley and Duane the preferred no. 8’s, but Kolisi is captain. Makes it very tricky.
Jantjies needs a BIG game if he wants to stay in the Bok plans.
@StevieS (Comment 2) : Still think Kolisi plays like an 8. Vermuelen can be the prefered 7 with PSDT at lock. Would still like to see Van Staden get a run but guess its not going to happen
Good to see our best 12 back on the park.
@SheldonK (Comment 3) : I agree on all your points. Van Staden needs a proper chance.
@McLovin (Comment 4) : In what universe is dip shit de Allende the first choice anything.He hasn’t played since Andre smoked him and he comes straight back into the starting line up, coupled with the crab, sideways running Kriel
.Erasmus is starting to resemble Heynekke Meyer with his dumb selections..
From 10 to 15 there is not one player who can tackle in that backline.
Biggest laugh is Jaantjies,his last game was horrible.
@McLovin (Comment 4) : Nobody is rising to the bait 😆
I hope De Allende gets back to his best.
The last chance saloon seems to be a perpetual thing. These clowns have been last chancers for more than three years and as many coaches now. There really is NO excuse for one to keep bringing them back unless you’re not the great coach you advertise yourself to be and your just grasping at straws. Jantjies has been on the fence since snorre Kriel and de Allende for 3 years or more now? FFS shit or get off the pot is no longer relevant that time had passed a year ago already.
@McLovin (Comment 4) : The legend returns….has he ever left?
@coolfusion (Comment 8) : I just wonder how many of that starting 15 are on Bok contracts? And perhaps that is playing a hand in selections
Well consistency in selection surely doesn’t look like a priority for Rassie at the moment which can be both good and bad is different ways. Our record in Australia has not been good the last few years so getting a win there will be an upset IMO.
Hopefully Marx being demoted to the bench adds a bit of fire under his ass. He was totally MIA in Mendoza.
@The hound (Comment 6) : He was injured. Freak accident. Prop or someone of similiar shape fell on him outside the field of play. Just glad he recovered.
@McLovin (Comment 13) : No. Andre tackled so hard that he had to take time of to get over the nightmares.
@McLovin (Comment 13) : A “prop” that can run faster than him – that should have brought the message home to him.
I can not make out what Rassie is trying to do here, other than putting the most tried and failed Bok backline together. How Marx, Andre, Am and Beast got dropped but Malherbe keeps his place is beyond comprehension. I know Pollard has been beyond rubbish but I still feel worse with Jantjies starting. I’m not looking forward to this game as I feel with these combinations we have 0 chance on Saturday.
Just one more think, what the hell did Andre do to get dropped?
@Hulk (Comment 17) : Rightly or wrongly i think Rassie believes De Allende and Kriel provide more attacking creativity and are more experienced than Esterhuizen/Am.
Australia by 15+ unfortunately
@SheldonK (Comment 18) : You used attacking creativity and de Allende in the same sentence. What’s next, fantastic distribution…?
Sounds to me like Rassie needs to decide if he is going to be the agent of change or just a caretaker and a placeholder. Contracts or no.
I’ve always respected Rassie as a coach who thinks out the box and doesn’t care what the media think. But this weeks selections don’t say either of these things to me.
@coolfusion (Comment 20) : Was just trying to pry inside Rassie’s mind and thats all i could possibly come up with. Im not sure who is on a Bok contract but i thik those that are Rassie is being pressured to play to get a return for investment.
@Hulk (Comment 16) : Rassie has clearly stated his objectives. He has to balance winning, with building experience amongst a broader base, and still deal with targets imposed.
So keep all that in mind, when trying to assess his selections. He has already given players like AM, AE, Mapimpi and Sbu Nkosi chances to show their worth. If Sbu Nkosi, Coenie and JLduP weren’t out injured, they would likely also be in the squad. That said I think Brink has shown more promise than JL of late.
Hooper withdrawing gives the Boks a bit more of a chance, although Pete Samu is still a good player.
@SheldonK (Comment 23) : Well kriel and de Allende I think signed late 2016 or 2017 so they’re probably still covered. However my comment about Rassie deciding what kind of role he is going to play stands. You can’t be a revolutionary and a keeper of the old ways at the same time. He needs to grow balls and follow his conviction
@coolfusion (Comment 26) : I beleive Rassie entered this role with the best intentions about what he wanted to do etc. Those thoughts and ideas changed quickly and i believe as much as he tries to say the right things in the media he is a smart chap and is basically doing what is needed to keep his bossses happy in term of playing contracted palyers and hitting other targets. Winning games is an after thought…if he does ok at next years RWC then bosses will be happy. So think we need to view selections going forward with that in mind.
@KingCheetah (Comment 24) : Apply your logic to Britz,it doesn’t pan out, that selection is so obviously jobs for pals, how the fuck can you justify his selection ahead of Akker or Bismark .Total bullshit you can’t even pull the quota card on that one.
What I don’t like is his habit of including his old W.P pals straight from injury into the test arena without even a Currie cup warm up game, first Ethebeth who was horribly unfit and now donkey DeAllende,
@The hound (Comment 28) : think we can forget about seeing Frans or Bissy as neither want to play for Bokke. Now I don’tknow this as a fact but both had chances and then got injured just before getting on the plane.
@JD (Comment 29) : Personally i feel we wont see any of the guys playing in France playing for the Boks. The guys playing in England very possibly
@SheldonK (Comment 30) : Kolbe is playing in France and so is Vermullen
@The hound (Comment 31) : I believe Vermuelen has left Frnace though? Kolbe wont be around long i feel. I do still think the first NH tour match each year should be the Boks vs an Overseas based SA team.
@JD (Comment 29) : Those injuries were bullshit,somebody decided to exclude them at the same time that ,Louw.LeRoux,Faf,and Vermullen were cleared to play.I don’t believe that Frans and Biizmark would have made themselves available if one, they didn’t want to play for the Boks and two, they were injured.
What makes all the more bullshit is that no attempt was made to include them after they recovered from their injuries.
Imagine Bismark coming on to sub Marx with 20 to play a coach’s dreamland any suggestion he is over the hill must be balanced against the selection of Britz.Equally Frans on the bench covers so many backline positions.
@The hound (Comment 33) : Yeh look ideally the Bok bench could be: Beast, Bismarck, DuToit, Snyman, JL DuPreez, Pienaar, Lambie, Steyn. Yes not all are every fans favourite but each one knows how to win games and huge experience and every opposition would be weary of that bench.
@The hound (Comment 28) : Etzebeth had a cracker first game back old boy. And de Allende played a currie cup game against the Pumas last week. Try putting down the brandy and opening both eyes when watching rugby. 😉
@McLovin (Comment 35) : Nonsense, Brandy definitely improves both vision and logic
@SheldonK (Comment 36) : Certainly makes me very clever. And brave.
@McLovin (Comment 35) : Etbetheth got a yellow card, for a stupid cynical rookie mistake, and was monstered the whole game by Lavaninni ,and hell yes the Pumas are the perfect warm up for the Wallabies,
Brandy is a Province thing, we don’t drink it in the last outpost Spook is our poison.
On a seriaas note. Rassie has clearly explained the Brits hooker situation more than once. As far as Bismarck & Fransie goes I’m certain there’s a very good reason(s) for their non- selection/ availability, and it’s got f-all to do with provincial bias or and other tin foil hat conspiracy spewed by some.
Calm down ladies. Rassie is on it.
Boks by 20+ tomorrow.
@The hound (Comment 38) : I agree he was shyte in his 2nd game back. Maybe he overdid it in the first.
More of a wine drinker myself.
Brandy is for the Bulls fans.
I don’t know what the deal with Bismarck is, he was selected, and then an apparent injury. Club interference? Etzebeth had a stellar match in his first match, so that really makes your assertion null and void.
@McLovin (Comment 39) : ” Rassie has clearly explained the Brits hooker” – I miised it, Like I miss most Rassie things these day – care to enlighten me if its a short answer?
Same selections as the previous two years and expecting a different result….phew
@Bite me (Comment 43) : Maybe the cheque to the ref will actually clear this year? 😎
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 42) : He said Brits is Blitz 😎
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 42) : Long story.
@McLovin (Comment 39) : Please explain the Britz selection then.He hasn’t played international rugby since 2012,surely we can’t be that hard up for a hooker,can think of so many to pick ahead of him,Akker,Robbie Coetzee,Craig Burden,even Chilliboy,but then thankfully we haven ‘t got around to Scarra Ntubeni,but that will come.
@SheldonK (Comment 45) : Im sure Brits was pulled from retirement into the Bok setup – I guess that is Blitz.
I like my Blitz under a big pile of black charcoal.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 48) : haha after these next 2 weeks Brits could be under the charcoal ashes of this Bok team…
@SheldonK (Comment 49) : Then he would be like many of my chops – burnt to a frazzle.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 50) : Some people like them crispy
Glad I am not a TMO – touch and go decision whether Argentina scored a try
@McLovin (Comment 46) : Summarise, it in under 3 words, eg goofy smile, experience etc.
Working today so cant watch the AB’s game but catch snippets every now and then and when ever I watch its the Argies that are playing beaut rugby, showing real character and handling really well. Long may it continue.
I know players are not meant to be tackled in the air while receiving a kick, but surely if a guy’s feet is off the ground when receiving a pass he is fair game.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 54) : These Argies are close to becoming my second team in international rugby.
The All Blacks are lethal – scary that this was a team with a bunch of second string players getting a chance. Argentina has been dominating most aspects of this game and still looses 46-24.
No Folau, Pocock or Coleman today – maybe the Boks stand a bit of a chance today
Australia exposes our poor defense out wide and after a few pick and goes scores
7-0 after 3 minutes of play
@Bokhoring (Comment 58) : The Aussies won’t need them
7-3 after Jantjies penalty from 10m line
Great defense Mapimpi!
We keep slowing the lineout down. Jackson is going to give free kicks against us.
Mnonambi scores from the maul.
Quick ruck ball and just two attacking players on the open side of the field, so we play that direction 😕
10-7 At least Elton can kick for poles
The maul is probably our only effective attacking play.
@Bokhoring (Comment 67) : Thank Jah for small mercies
We really do like to play at a glacial pace
De Allende is super kak – definitely not better than AE
Massive overlap and we kick it away. Fucking morons!
@Bokhoring (Comment 71) : Neither is the answer
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 73) : Frans Steyn / Serfontein
The quality from both teams not close to what NZ and Arg served up
WTF Faf?
@Bokhoring (Comment 75) : This is like watching last night’s game.
Nice kick Faf
Mapimpi scores
Nice pass to Mapimpi and over in the corner
15-7
Etzebeth has been solid at the restarts
Faf is really slow behind the rucks today
Great covering by Kriel saves a certain try. Then a typical Saffa lineout fuckup gifts the Aussies a try. Idiotic.
Bongi and Kolisi hands the try to Aus. What where they thinking?
15-14
Mapimpi off. Kolbe on.
Mapimpi now replaced by Kolbe – looks like an injury
Marx replaces Mbonambi before half time
Great turnover by Kitshoff, ball goes wide and Willie kicks it into touch. 🙄
Faf knocks behind the ruck after Boks starting to put some phases together
Awesome build-up through the phases and then at the crucial moment Faf knocks at the base of the ruck.
Kitshoff is a monster at scrum time
18-14
Great scrum earns a penalty, which Jantjies slots easily
Hodge kicks a 53 m penalty to make it 18-17 at half time
Personally I would think bissie Akker and burden should be Hooker options. I do think there was interference with steyn and bissie missing out I can’t fathom how they can’t be your players of choice bissie for his strength and fetching abilities and smooth lineout handling steyn offers the kind of versatility that cannot be ignored he would have had center full back and even flyhalf options now which is a sore lack.
@coolfusion (Comment 97) : Both these guys would fix major problems we now face.
@coolfusion (Comment 97) : Marx, Bismarck and Burden for me. Akker need to work on his throw
Faf is terrible today – nothing like the Faf we saw against England
@Bokhoring (Comment 99) : Sure that too. Adding a bissie or burden would next to kitshoff would bring Thomas back in play we saw how his the picks up with good lh next to him Bismarck and burden would only compliment that in terms of stability scrumtime
@Bokhoring (Comment 100) : Time to reconsider Ruan pinaar
@coolfusion (Comment 102) : You’re kidding, right?
For me the shopping list must be bissie burden pienaar steyn Marcell Coetzee the fact that they’re all ex sharks has nothing to with it.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 103) : You rate papier and Paige higher? Really?
We fuck up another lineout
Another lineout fuckup, almost leads to another Aussie score
@coolfusion (Comment 105) : I think Pienaar would be the right guy as far backup.
@coolfusion (Comment 105) : Who said anything about them? I would rather bring Dave von Hoesslin out of retirement.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 109) : Then who Ross Cronje?
@coolfusion (Comment 110) : We need to invest a lot more into Wright to see results and schreuder is on and off
Aussie scrum is suddenly dominant as well
@coolfusion (Comment 110) : Yes, or Cam. We need guys to gain experience for the future.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 109) : Let’s be realistic here.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 113) : Cam is good but he needs much more time.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 113) : Yes for Cam
WTF are these Boks doing?
Boks do the slow walk to the lineout so the Aussies go on without them
@coolfusion (Comment 115) : Problem is his own coach don’t even seem to rate him
Guys Cam hasn’t even pushed Shreuder out yet on a provincial level. For me you have to be the uncontested nr 1 choice in your union first.
20-18 Wobblies lead
@Bokhoring (Comment 119) : And I agree to that. Like I said we need to invest much more into him. But for now he lacks the airtime to do his thing.
@coolfusion (Comment 115) : South African rugby will never come right if we keep playing the old ballies to plug holes.
@coolfusion (Comment 120) : I disagree with Rob Sr on that one – Cam has a much better pass and box kick than Louis – he needs to play to work on his decision making
@coolfusion (Comment 120) : That says more about the selection policies than anything else
I now see where Stringer gets his ass slapping habit at scrum time from
@Bokhoring (Comment 126) : Was at WP too long
One off charges from the Boks always lead to turnover penalties
@Bokhoring (Comment 128) : Yet that’s one of our “A” plays
Clever kick from Faf with good chase from Diyanti gives us a 5m lineout
Bok attack is like watching hamsters playing in treacle
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 123) : Plug holes or provide backup? Other teams still using star old ballies effectively as well. Kieran Read 32 Jerome kaino 35… Your point?
How the fuck was that forward????
@coolfusion (Comment 132) : Bismarck 34
@coolfusion (Comment 132) : Those are forwards. Besides, Read would walk into any side. Pienaar not so much.
Faf gives away another penalty from being overeager
If the Aussies score now it’s probably game over.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 135) : Conrad Smith 37
Can we just hook that ball straight out? Too much risk to hold the ball in when your scrum has lost its dominance
@coolfusion (Comment 138) : Now you’re clutching at straws 😆
23-18 Wobblies lead
@coolfusion (Comment 138) : No way the All Blacks will select him today
Hooper needs a good snotklap
It doesn’t look like we’re going to win this game.
Willie cannot catch a fucking ball today
FFS! Another pass that wasn’t forward!
That is not forward
Kolisi has zero ref management technique. He only manages to piss off the refs
Kolisi is clueless at ref management
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 149) : He needs to watch tapes of Creevy’s games
Time is running out for the Boks
Boks are clueless on attack
Our backline attack consists of 12 bashing it up. That’s the ENTIRE arsenal.
@Bokhoring (Comment 152) : Next weekend is going to be slaughter
Aussies win. Both teams were crap – Aussies just less so
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 153) : We had some variation there – 13 bashed it up
@Bokhoring (Comment 155) : Jip. And the likes of Keohane reckon we’ll beat the AB’s in Joburg. He must have moved from coke to crack.
Ellendig brings absolutely nothing to the party. Gets the ball and drops his head to charge forward. We may as well play a prop at 12
@Bokhoring (Comment 156) : 😆
I’m off. Enjoy the weekend.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 140) : No the list goes on I haven’t even spoken about NH. I agree britz was dumb since he’s been out long but who would you have in a win or get fired game. Id put bakkies in and Jannie and bissie if they have been active and can be effectively used. All black seem indomitable because they have such a strong backbone if legacy players supporting while Young blood is brought in. We either don’t bleed the new talent in gradually or panic and go to all old men. It’s about finding the balance I think. And making the hard calls making the squad elite in all respects. That’s when people fight to get in. If you can beat bakkies you can get the spot. If you can lift Kieran Read you can be the new nr 8.
So another Stormers team fails once again to win away from home
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 160) : Ja dude I think you’re right we will get a blue eye next week and the week after.
@coolfusion (Comment 161) : Yeah, but you need to pick old ballies who did actually perform is a Bok jersey. Last 9 who consistently performed in a Bok jersey was Fourie du Preez. Since then Faf had some great games, but also some crappy ones.
@Bokhoring (Comment 164) : Given our current stocks and options I think Ruan can add value he can also shore up kicking duties. For me Steyn is a big problem solver but Ruan as backup to faf is not a bad option.
@coolfusion (Comment 165) : Never a fan of Pienaar at 9 – wished he stuck with the 10 experiment.
@Bokhoring (Comment 166) : For me he can be impact and sub. But Rassie must get Cam in and train him for the year after
@coolfusion (Comment 167) : Of Cam was ready now my argument would be different.
If we could get our first three bissie or burden with kitsie and Thomas or even Vincent Koch our front foot could be so much stronger then add Marcell too. Scrummies may have a much better time of it.
So here’s a question for everyone – as long as we have discrepancies in ‘pay grades’ will the best, on form, players be played? E.g. (and I don’t know figures so this is purely hypothetical) if Beast is paid more than The Tank, but The Tank is playing more in form rugby, it seems that The Beast will get preference to start games and get more game time so as to warrant the extra spend. Is my assumption true? If so, is this not an issue with choosing the best, most in form players?
Rassie must be starting to regret his decision to coach the Boks by now. I see he is also taking heavy flack for replacing Mbonambi so early.
If we look at the consistent garbage our teams deliver in Super Rugby over the past few years, how do we expect any coach to get something out of this sorry lot? We just end up recycling coach after coach, but there is no coach in the world that can put a rabbit out of the hat.
Rassie not doing much better than Coetzee at the moment and could end the year being much worse. Until the Boks/Sa teams learn to pass the ball to each other more we are always going to struggle against the better teams. Making 1 pass and then taking contact isnt going to break through any half decent international defense. Cannot believe the number of stupid/naiive decisions they make on the field…and im afraid that is down to leadership. As for their gifted 7pt try…who the hell made that decision and then Kolisi too afraid of being tackled so just leaves the ball…what kind of captain is that. I really felt for Mbonambi as Kolisi is the one that should have been hauled off the field.
@SheldonK (Comment 172) : Firstly I think Rassie needs to take major blame for this performance. I am not clear exactly what the plan was on attack. The Boks seems to think variation is when 9 passes to 13 instead of 12 (who then drops his head and bashes it up). Rassie selects a scrumhalf on the bench he does not seem to trust. When your star nine starts losing it and gives away stupid penalties, you need to be able to yank him and replace with your reserve.
However no coach can make gold out of cow dung. That is pretty much what we have available in SA at the moment. Rugby is a game of many skills and instead of our players gaining some (like knowing how to pass players into space) we have now even lost some of those (e.g. lineout) we used to be very good at.
Then decision making just totally lacking – Faf calls another 3 Boks to pile into the first ruck (with already 5 Boks lying in there) of the game in order for him to execute the most useless box kick ever. Wallabies run it back on the right edge of the field while a bunch of our players still trying to extract themselves from the ruck – gaining plenty of metres.
Faf and Willie have been terrible for these last two tests. The problem is when they don’t perform, we have absolutely no creativity on attack.
@Bokhoring (Comment 173) : 100% agree with that comment
@Bokhoring (Comment 174) : We saw glimpses of this during the England series when they either were subbed or in the last test didnt play well. Faf returned from the UK and was doing the basics well but as time has passed he has fallen into his same bad habits. And Mallet put it perfectly when he said Willie is playing no contact rugby
@The hound (Comment 162) : It came as a shock to me thats for sure.
I was honestly expecting our joint worst franchise to beat an international team away from home. We can also look forward to the mighty Kolbe replacing Mapimpi this weekend. Where is Juan De Jong and Dillon Leyds they must be close to a return.
On a serious note though how bad are WP scrumhalves that they cant make this bok side? if they could even pass 10 meters Rassie would pick them.