Springbok Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Emperor1989

South Africa lost all shape when Morne Steyn went off.

This team badly needs him and it showed today.

A win is a win....

Emperor1989

Alberts was Man of the Match for me. Some display

Emperor1989

South Africa: 15 Willie Le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw/Siya Kolisi, 6 Willem Alberts, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 JJ Engelbrecht.


Disappointed with this team....no way should Peter Steph Du Toit been dropped and should be starting along Jan Serfontein and possibly Coetzee. Goosen could have also been given a bench spot. I guess Meyer is more interested in actually winning quite well that giving more of these players game time. I suppose he has to pay Scotland the respect they deserve.

Emperor1989

Father figure Bakkies

Emperor1989

Didn't get a chance to see the game but that is a big win for the boks.

Massive test next week but its good to see the strength and depth now start to show its self.

Swiwi.

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Didn't get a chance to see the game but that is a big win for the boks.

Massive test next week but its good to see the strength and depth now start to show its self.

Scotland *cough*.

France this week, I think, that will be a big game.

Morf

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Father figure Bakkies

They could do a lot worse.

For all his disciplinary issues he's had a very successful career and any enforcer lock in SA would idolise him.

Emperor1989

Gone for a 6 2 split on the bench. This is just going to be mamooth physicality upfront from both teams.

South Africa: 15 Willie Le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Bakkies Botha, 20 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 21 Siya Kolisi, 22 Jano Vermaak, 23 Patrick Lambie.

With Pienaar at 9 expect the plenty of garryowens and punishment to go along with it.

This is what rugby is all about to me....2 packs fronting up whoever is better wins...simple

Emperor1989

I think this will be a closer match than people suspect....handicap is 6 I would have it more at 3.5 at most.

CatFromHue

Emperor1989 wrote: »

I think this will be a closer match than people suspect....handicap is 6 I would have it more at 3.5 at most.

Was it the 2008 or 2009 Autumn Internationals where a strong SA team went to France who didn't have a great season and the French, as they do, played brilliantly and won?

Emperor1989

CatFromHue wrote: »

Was it the 2008 or 2009 Autumn Internationals where a strong SA team went to France who didn't have a great season and the French, as they do, played brilliantly and won?

More than likely, havent won in France since 97...baffling to me but their you go.

matthew8

It's hard to take head-to-head into account giving the countries haven't played eachother since 2010 and did not play frequently before that. As regards the team that will start, I like it. I think the gap between Steyn and Lambie is bigger than the gap between FDuP and Pienaar. SA really should have too much for France, I might even back them -6.

Emperor1989

I backed Boks -6....

After much thought....and with Steyn on 10. I just suspect its going to be a real typical South African power game tonight.

Emperor1989

This is a good as start from the Boks d in years.

Physical

Emperor1989

Good win for the Boks against France and really smothered them with their physicality.

Cooenie did a great job in his first big match at tighthead, Le roux was spot on with his tactical kicking. Jacque Fourie on Defense was very important also. Alberts was just out of this world along with Flip Van Der Merve. That was a huge display and now there is a hell of a lot of depth to pick from.

Meyer has done a marvelous job af moulding a team of star veterans with young talent. Next year the Boks will need to be looking to win the Super 15 and to set a platform to launch them into winning the 4 Nations.

NZ will know they are going to have to keep pace and improve if they are going to win in 2015.

The upward curve of Meyer Boks since he took over looks like Google's share price since 2000.

Emperor1989

Just have a quick thought of who will be in the reckoning now for the World Cup squad in 2015.

1. Beast, Cooenie, Steenkamp
2. Bismark, Strauss, Chiliboy Rapelle, Schalk Brits
3. Jannie Du Plessis, Frans Malherbe, Cooenie and Adriannese, Nynake
4. Etzebeth, Botha, Andress Bekker
5. Flip van Der Merve, Matfield, Pieter Steph Du Toit
6. Schalk Burger, Coetzee Francois Louw, Henrich Brussow, Lappies
7. Alberts, Juan Smith, Arno Botha, Siya Kolisi
8. Vermulen and Spies
9. Du Preez, Pienaar, Van Ziel
10. Steyn, Goosen, Lambie
11. Habana, Hougharrd, Raymond Rhule
12. De Villers, Francois Steyn, Jan Serfontein
13. Fourie, JJ Englebrecht and Jaco Taute
14. JPP, Jan Serfontein
15. Willie Le Roux, Kirchner


Their is a lack at depth at 10 and 9 should the front line get injured and they needs to develop next season. Maybe the guy at the stormers at 9 can improve sufficiently to overtake Pienaar. Francois Steyn can slot in at 10 also and that might be worked looking at as Meyer has always indicated he will try and fit him in whereever or whenever he can.

The next step for this team is that they need to start delivering provincially and actually win the Super 15. With John Smit at Sharks now oncewould expect a huge change in their fortunes from last year.

I think Swiwi is going to be getting concerned if that depth in the front 8 stay healthy.

Emperor1989

8 Facts about 2013

– The win in Paris was their first away from home against the French since 1997.

– The wins against Wales (24-15), Scotland (28-0) and France (19-10) take Heyneke Meyer's win tally to six from six in the northern hemisphere, as the Boks won all their games on the 2012 tour, too.

– The last time the Springboks returned with back-to-back 100% win records on tours to the north was under Nick Mallett in 1997, after André Markgraaff came back triumphant from the 1996 tour.

– In 2012, the Springboks scored 245 points in 12 matches (23 tries). This year, they scored 404 points (47 tries) in the same number of matches. The opposition in June, in the form of Scotland, Samoa and Italy, may have been less testing, but still a great improvement.

– The four tries the Boks scored at Ellis Park was the first time in three years that the All Blacks had conceded four tries.

– The 73-13 win over Argentina at Soccer City was the biggest win in the history of the Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations.

– The Springboks won their first-ever Test against the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium when they won 38-12. It was also their first win in Brisbane since 1971 and the first time since 2001’s 20-15 win in Pretoria that they managed to keep the Australians try-less.

Emperor1989

Nelson Mandela has died today.

A big loss for South Africa and the Springboks.

RIP

[Jackass]

Was looking for a thread to mention the same. RIP Nelson Mandela, not only a great statesman who addressed and overcame some of the great injustices and atrocities that occured during his life time, but in a sporting context, he brought the Springboks out of the international wilderness, helped shape rugby in SA into a team for the people, not the team of the oppressors - his impact on South Africa and the world spans a far greater context than just political, he helped shape the rugby world that we all love into what it is today and for that we can all be greatful.


Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2014

Emperor1989

Great Article from the SA Rugby Mag

Madiba always had the Midas touch when it came to South Africa’s rugby players — and South Africa’s on-field rugby fortunes.

The Springboks have always appreciated him. They have loved his contribution to the game as their most influential team-mate. They have never taken him for granted. I know this from experience when working with them.

Any audience with the great man was seen as a privilege. There was never the assumption that it would happen. There was never anything but gratitude when Madiba would invite the Springboks to his Houghton residence.

The players were respectful but also delightful when interacting with a man who engaged with the squad as a wise, but loving, elder would his grandsons.

There was always kindness and care when the Boks were in Madiba’s company. The new members would be awed. Those who had interacted were never dulled by the prospect of being there again. There was always a photo opportunity, and an encouraging word. The kindness was never assumed and the opportunity never abused.

It really was all about the players for Madiba. They were his boys.

He should not have cared about rugby after Sarfu president Louis Luyt declared war on the South African government in 1997 and forced Madiba to testify in court as to why he, as the country’s president, had sanctioned a commission of inquiry into the sport. The accusation was Madiba had not properly applied his mind. It was crass. It deserved retaliation, but Madiba resisted.

He never punished the sport for the actions of an individual. He saved the Springbok emblem, despite the history of white South African rugby. He believed the emblem could symbolise rugby excellence in a united South Africa.

The players also believed this.

Madiba had a unique way with the Springboks. He was especially fond of 1995 World Cup-winning captain Francois Pienaar. He would always enquire about Francois. He asked about Pienaar’s health because of the assumption that rugby was a brotherhood in which one Bok cared about the next, regardless of generation. He assumed today’s Bok knew the history of who went before – and cared.

Madiba always had an anecdote, told with understatement but with passion. He encouraged humility and never spoke at the expense of the opposition.

He took joy from any Bok win but mostly he took joy from the Springboks’ participation. The game was about opportunity: to play and to showcase their qualities as men who were leaders because of the influence of sport.

Madiba urged players to be thankful for their natural talents, to be respectful to work ethic and be mindful that victory was not always in the on-field result. The Boks, in my experience, were always embraced with equal affection.

Madiba’s office had invited a group of senior Springbok players, management and their partners to his 85th birthday in 2003. Bill Clinton was there. Bono was there. Madiba’s family and closest comrades were there.

The Boks were late because the Test against New Zealand, at Loftus, had only finished at 7pm and even with a police escort the Boks could only make it to his celebration just after 8:30pm. The Boks, mindful of any interruption, tried to slip in through the back, but Madiba was having none of it. They were announced on entry and given a rousing applause. The irony was that the All Blacks had just inflicted the biggest defeat on the Boks in South Africa in the history of their battles. The Boks had lost 52-16.

The cheers of Madiba and his guests embarrassed and humbled the players and management present on a night when all expected jeers because of the on-field humiliation.

It was the Madiba way. His smile was about seeing his boys in green and gold. It was not about the result. It never was.

The Saru officials and a decade of Springbok players and management should never forget the efforts of Madiba’s personal assistant Zelda la Grange and Springbok public relations manager Annelee Murray, who between them were instrumental in ensuring regular contact between Madiba and his boys.

Logistically, these two made the seemingly impossible possible in spite of presidential and team schedules.

In my time as publisher of SA Rugby magazine, Zelda and Annelee also accommodated a photo session with Madiba to celebrate the Springboks’ centenary year in 2006.

It was a historic moment when Bok coach (in 2006) Jake White and captain John Smit presented Madiba with a Springbok blazer, helped him put it on for purposes of the cover shoot and thanked him for always being an inspiration to the Boks and for saving the Bok emblem.

Only Madiba, Jake, John, Zelda, Annelee, the photographer and myself were at the 45-minute private session.

It was a privilege to be in the room that day, as it was to be in a room with awed Boks and Madiba at his 85th birthday celebration. Jake and John
said the biggest thank you they could give Madiba was to bring him back the World Cup from Paris in 2007.

Jake told Madiba the Boks owed him a new story and another hoist of the cup. A year later Jake and John delivered on their promise.

Madiba welcomed them with the cup, but the welcome would have been as kind and spirited had they been eliminated in the first round.

It was the Madiba way.

Emperor1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzyc0jOh3Mg

Inspirational

Emperor1989

Worst kept secret in all of Rugby.

Victor Matfield return to the Blue Bulls and Springboks for 2014 in hope of winning a place to the 2015 World Cup

Emperor1989

Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Flip Van Der Merve, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter Steph Du Toit.

Should this move happen that Matfield is included could result in Du Toit being pushed across to 7 (which is 6 for everyone else) should Alberts be injured.

housecore93

Just curious, why does Jean Deysel never get a run for the Springboks? I always liked him since I first saw him play against the lions in 2009.
Strong ball carrier and he's the captain of the Sharks.

yimrsg

housecore93 wrote: »

Just curious, why does Jean Deysel never get a run for the Springboks? I always liked him since I first saw him play against the lions in 2009.
Strong ball carrier and he's the captain of the Sharks.

I thought Keegan Daniel is the captain of the Sharks are you thinking of him? South Africa have loads of depth and quality in the backrow so competition is fierce. You need only look and see how guys the calibre of Strauss and Stander were let go so readily and Brussow has been largely overlooked. Deysel would been at or below the quality of the above so he's not going to stand out.

Meyer tends to favour Bulls players too and before that, Smith, Burger and Spies were the undisputed first choices. The Potgieters and Kolisi are getting a run now. Daniel got a run in an all Sharks backrow but didn't really shine as they were ill suited to Meyer's tactics and possibly due to Meyer not being sure of what his best squad.

At the Sharks, Willem Alberts is ahead of him at blindside for SA and the Sharks though he was moved to the 2nd row for a stint, Kankowski can play there too. The Sharks are probably one of the best stocked sides in the backrow in Super Rugby; Kankowski, Coetzee and Botes would be competing with him for game time.

housecore93

Your Probably right, they have some serious depth there. I'm just surprised that he only has about four caps or something because some of the above I wouldn't have been crazy about. But I really haven't seen enough of Deysel to say he should be in the squad, I just remember him and was reminded of sean O'Brien.

Yeh I don't think Daniel is a Meyer type of player, I remember when he was tried out and as you said, it didn't go great.

That's some power in the Sharks backrow. Coetzee I like a lot too.

Emperor1989

housecore93 wrote: »

Just curious, why does Jean Deysel never get a run for the Springboks? I always liked him since I first saw him play against the lions in 2009.
Strong ball carrier and he's the captain of the Sharks.

Deysel never really got a big run in the team but still had 4 caps by the age he was 24 I think. He is a little unforunate as he is a hell of a player when going well but he has fallen off the past few years. The strength and depth in the South African backrow is very strong however. Now with Burger, Spies and Arno Botha all returning from injury their is going to even more competition and possibly Juan Smith down the road.

I am afraid Daniel has been proved to be a lightweight at International level, his work ethic is no where someone like an Alberts or a Vermulen. He doesn't have the lineout nous or size of a Spies. He is still a good player but just not good enough at International level.

Emperor1989

Big game today between France and England.

I am going for an England win, this pack is just fantastic. I really struggle to see any better pack in the European game over the next 5 years. So young so dynamic so strong. Really looking forward to seeing it today.

Emperor1989

Big Victor back

CatFromHue

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Big game today between France and England.

I am going for an England win, this pack is just fantastic. I really struggle to see any better pack in the European game over the next 5 years. So young so dynamic so strong. Really looking forward to seeing it today.

lol you know you're allowed post in the other threads too, we won't discriminate just cos you're South African :P