South Africa XV Vs Lions

GiftofGab

Just wondering what people think the best South African XV team should be to face the Lions.

Unfortunately I havn't been watching the Super 14 championship this year (I hope to catch up on it after my exams) so I don't know what players are playing well, playing bad and what youngsters are potential wonderkids.

Also, I would like your opinion on what our chances are??

remus808

I try to keep an eye on the S14.. I would play the following: (other possibilities included)

1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. John Smit/Bismarck Du Pleiss
3. Gurthrö Steenkamp/John Smit
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield
6. Juan Smith
7. Schalk Burger
8. Ryan Kankowski/Pierre Spies
9. Fourie Du Preez/Rory Kockott
10. Ruan Pienaar/Butch James (if they let him)
11. JP Pietersen
12. Francois Steyn/Jean De Villiers
13. Jean De Villiers/Adi Jacobs/Jacques Fourie
14. Bryan Habana
15. Stefan Terblanche

chupacabra

Might aswell have posted this in http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055513816 instead of making a new thread.

Serenity Now!

karmabass wrote: »

15. Stefan Terblanche

Not a chance.
Ditto Butch James

f1dan

Hasn't Conrad Jantjes had a few starts recently at full back?

chupacabra

Serenity Now! wrote: »

Not a chance.
Ditto Butch James

Terblanche is quite simply the form FB in south africa at the moment, was last season too. He is just too old and too white to get a call up.

thomond2006

chupacabra wrote: »

Terblanche is quite simply the form FB in south africa at the moment, was last season too. He is just too old and too white to get a call up.

Tell me, is race still a factor when SA teams are selected? I hope not. :(

anonymous_joe

thomond2006 wrote: »

Tell me, is race still a factor when SA teams are selected? I hope not. :(

Biggest factor after form in some ways. Some might say before form.

Most South Africans I know are Afrikaaners, and they'd certainly claim to be a bit underrepresented.

If a black player can be picked over a white player without weakening team, that will probably happen, because, well, they feel it has to.

Why is someone like Mwatawaira starting when you've got the likes of Botha and Van Der Linde (admittedly both up here)?

Serenity Now!

thomond2006 wrote: »

Tell me, is race still a factor when SA teams are selected? I hope not. :(

When was the last time you saw a coloured person playing rugby for Ireland?

chupacabra

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Biggest factor after form in some ways. Some might say before form.

Most South Africans I know are Afrikaaners, and they'd certainly claim to be a bit underrepresented.

If a black player can be picked over a white player without weakening team, that will probably happen, because, well, they feel it has to.

Why is someone like Mwatawaira starting when you've got the likes of Botha and Van Der Linde (admittedly both up here)?

Very true unfortunatley. After RWC 2007 and when Jake White left; SARU (under pressure from the government) put more strict measures on the quota system for non-white players in the squad and hired a coloured coach. As a result the amount of black/coloured players called up over more talented white players in various positions doubled if not trippled. Admittedly not as much as i thought it would tho so i think De Villiers deserves alot of credit for not just transforming the entire team for the sake of the racially biased government.

chupacabra

Serenity Now! wrote: »

When was the last time you saw a coloured person playing rugby for Ireland?

What exactly are you implying? That we should hand caps out to the vast VAST pool of non-white players we have in this country? :pac:

thomond2006

Don't know if there is a black player that can qualify to play for Ireland at the moment.

ffs, I have started a race debate. Sorry, mods. :D:(:(

Serenity Now!

chupacabra wrote: »

What exactly are you implying? That we should hand caps out to the vast VAST pool of non-white players we have in this country? :pac:

I'm saying that you only see it from the outside and stupid statements such another's about a player being "too white" to be chosen belong down Luke Watson's u-bend.

anonymous_joe

Serenity Now! wrote: »

I'm saying that you only see it from the outside and stupid statements such another's about a player being "too white" to be chosen belong down Luke Watson's u-bend.

In all fairness, dude, there's a big difference between the make up of Irish society and South African society.

Rugby is one of the cultural foundations of Afrikaans society. Rugby is the game of Apartheid. The fact is, we may not be South African, but we can comment. The current coach of South Africa is a joke. He's the Lievremont of the Southern Hemisphere, and he's there for political as well as sporting reasons. Let's not pretend this isn't true.

South African rugby will for the foreseeable future have to remember its past. That means political interference.

thirdmantackle

strangely i have to say there are very few new-Irish players playing in ireland

even at schools or club level i have never seen any. or even eastern european sounding names on teamsheets

anonymous_joe

thirdmantackle wrote: »

strangely i have to say there are very few new-Irish players playing in ireland

even at schools or club level i have never seen any. or even eastern european sounding names on teamsheets

Why would they?

No-one outside of a handful of countries plays rugby.

You're far more likely to find people playing football.