Springbok Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

marc96

England win for me too 13/8 is a great price

Emperor1989

CatFromHue wrote: »

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

I am Irish but think I try and keep all my thoughts on one thread.

Just make it easier to follow I guess:)

Emperor1989

marc96 wrote: »

England win for me too 13/8 is a great price

Yes big price especially as England for me as the best pack in Europe at the moment and a good solid 9/10. The back line is iffy but France are so poor at the moment that I am not sure they can take advantage. England play to their strengths and with Farrell kicking his goals I can't see anything other than an England win.

marc96

Been a Saffa I'm neutral in the 6N but I think England followed by Wales then Ireland or France

Emperor1989

marc96 wrote: »

Been a Saffa I'm neutral in the 6N but I think England followed by Wales then Ireland or France

Happy with Matfield's return?....I am delighted. Couple that with Burger's almost certain inclusion the expierence will be very good coming into the 2 critical years of Meyer tenure.

marc96

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Happy with Matfield's return?....I am delighted. Couple that with Burger's almost certain inclusion the expierence will be very good coming into the 2 critical years of Meyer tenure.

Matfield won't wear a bok jersey again,looking forward to arno Botha coming back along with Berger this super rugby season

Emperor1989

marc96 wrote: »

Matfield won't wear a bok jersey again,looking forward to arno Botha coming back along with Berger this super rugby season

Really??...I think he will be picked for the squad whether we see him is a different matter. Botha had a fantastic year last year until his injury, however I can't see him pushing himself back in to fold if Burger and Spies are destined to make a come back. However I think he could get ahead of Coetzee

.ak

Emperor1989 wrote: »

I am Irish but think I try and keep all my thoughts on one thread.

Just make it easier to follow I guess:)

Ha, well try to stay on topic.

marc96

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Really??...I think he will be picked for the squad whether we see him is a different matter. Botha had a fantastic year last year until his injury, however I can't see him pushing himself back in to fold if Burger and Spies are destined to make a come back. However I think he could get ahead of Coetzee

Botha can play 7 aswell,will def be back in the fold.matfield no way,dnt think he will even get much starts with the bulls either.

Emperor1989

marc96 wrote: »

Botha can play 7 aswell,will def be back in the fold.matfield no way,dnt think he will even get much starts with the bulls either.

Botha after getting injured and looks like that could be a year ending injury.

On Another note, Schalk Burger has turned down moves to europe in order to win back his springbok place. He will be able to shine with Siya Kolisi and the outstanding Duane Vermulen at 8. The best back row in the super 15 even better than the Crusaders.

marc96

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Botha after getting injured and looks like that could be a year ending injury.

On Another note, Schalk Burger has turned down moves to europe in order to win back his springbok place. He will be able to shine with Siya Kolisi and the outstanding Duane Vermulen at 8. The best back row in the super 15 even better than the Crusaders.

Big loss,was looking forward to him been back with the bulls

Yeah_Right

Whats happened to Heinrich Brousow?? (Excuse the spelling). He had one brilliant season but then disappeared.

marc96

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Whats happened to Heinrich Brousow?? (Excuse the spelling). He had one brilliant season but then disappeared.

Playing in Japan

Morf

marc96 wrote: »

Playing in Japan

Out for a season with injury, was only ok last year and I don't think Meyer is much of a fan. He wants a BIG back row.

Emperor1989

marc96 wrote: »

Playing in Japan

Meyer told him he is far too small. He is what 5'9?

Still a fantastic player mind you, may have to wait until after 2015.

Emperor1989

Jake White is going to have a huge say in whether the boks win the 2015 world cup.

Pledged to have Lambie and Steyn at 10/12 for the season. Also developing plenty of young player through the ranks.

matthew8

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Meyer told him he is far too small. He is what 5'9?

Still a fantastic player mind you, may have to wait until after 2015.

He's 5'11, which seems to be about 5 inches too short for Meyer's liking. He bulked up which is why some people say his play has dropped off (He's still only 16 stone). He's not at the same level he was at back in 2009 in any case. Still has it when tackling and jackaling but doesn't offer much in attack.

Emperor1989

matthew8 wrote: »

He's 5'11, which seems to be about 5 inches too short for Meyer's liking. He bulked up which is why some people say his play has dropped off (He's still only 16 stone). He's not at the same level he was at back in 2009 in any case. Still has it when tackling and jackaling but doesn't offer much in attack.

While officially he might be 5'11 i very much doubt he is.

Emperor1989

To think a player like Pieter 'Lappies' Labuschagné cannot get into the Springbok squad and he is a fantastic talent just shows you the depth right now.

Burger and Spies also back...going to see some dropouts. Kolisi possibly.

marc96

Steph du Toit will
Be one I'll be keeping an eye on.

Emperor1989

marc96 wrote: »

Steph du Toit will
Be one I'll be keeping an eye on.

Du Toit is already a star in my eyes

Emperor1989

Another week another fantastic display by the Sharks duo of Pat Lambie and Marcell Coetzee. Another Shark that has put his hand up for a BOK call up is SP Marais who looks a real player in the making at full back.

It was Jake White's job to expand Coetzee's skill set to be that of a fetcher and he has done it in such a small time frame its very encouraging for the Sharks future.

Terrible effort by the Stormers however who looked way off the pace. The Bulls lost to a quality Cheetahs side that are inconsistent. If they can get Pollard at 10 the Bulls won't be too far off mid table.

Emperor1989

Another really impressive week for the Sharks and another last minute bonus point.

Burger continues his comeback with a outstanding display against the Crusaders.

Bulls win, Cheetahs and Lions lost.

Morf

Emperor1989 wrote: »

Another really impressive week for the Sharks and another last minute bonus point.

Burger continues his comeback with a outstanding display against the Crusaders.

Bulls win, Cheetahs and Lions lost.

Sorry but could you keep results and Super XV stuff to that thread as some people record games to watch later on or even during the week when time suits. Thanks!

Emperor1989

Morf wrote: »

Sorry but could you keep results and Super XV stuff to that thread as some people record games to watch later on or even during the week when time suits. Thanks!

Don't thank me because I wont be following the above. Absolutely irrational to not talk about the Super XV South African teams in relation to the Springboks.

With Jake White returning back home to coach the Sharks, with the returning off Matfield to possible bok contention along with the Burger and the complete open race for the no 10 jersey it would absolutely make no sense to not to talk about Super XV in relation to the Boks, Super XV more than any other years is going to shape the formation of the World Cup squad for 2015.

Standouts so far for Super XV that did not get a place on the Boks 15 last year is

Marcell Coetzee
Schalk Burger
Francois Steyn
SP Marais

These guys based on there performance since the start of the year are absoutely pushing to get into the starting 15 whether they do or not is different matter with Steyn and Burger the only likely.

I can't fathom the request to be honest.

George Hook

I've been very impressed with Coetzee so far. Haven't seen Matfield and Burger play yet, I take it Burger is playing well? How's Matfield been?

Emperor1989

George Hook wrote: »

I've been very impressed with Coetzee so far. Haven't seen Matfield and Burger play yet, I take it Burger is playing well? How's Matfield been?

Matfield has been average at best which is to be expected. Burger put in a huge performance yesterday.

Schalk Burger’s performance in Christchurch was the big winner for South African rugby, writes MARK KEOHANE.

Burger lasted 76 minutes before leaving the field, bleeding and bruised but definitely not beaten.

Burger’s comeback from a life-threatening illness a year ago continues to gain momentum. This was the match that would answer the Burger doubters because any visit to Christchurch doesn’t allow for a loose forward to physically go missing.

Burger made 18 tackles, the most in the match. Crusaders openside flank Matt Todd was second-best with 16.

Burger made them with intensity and fronted every collision with a disregard for his safety. This is how Burger has always played.

Burger had the highest defensive work rate of the Stormers, with Deon Fourie (13) and De Kock Steenkamp (11) the only other players to get into double figures in the 122 tackles attempted. Only five were missed.

It was a match in which the flankers did the tackling and in which the flankers set the defensive tone. No 8s Kieran Read (six tackles) and Duane Vermeulen (four) played a secondary role in a match dominated by defence.

The Crusaders, without Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, are a mid-table team. Their attack again was too lateral and the Stormers, having reverted to the defensive structure of the past few seasons, easily handled the home team’s one-dimensional attack.

The Stormers, through the defensive effort, were the more deserving to get the win but sport doesn’t always reward the deserving.

The Crusaders had history on their side. They had beaten the Stormers in 12 of their last 14 meetings. They had also never lost to the Stormers in Christchurch.

And so it remains because of one point. Unfortunately for the losers, one point is all that is needed to turn delight to despair. And vice versa.

The Saders had lost their first two matches, against the Chiefs at home and against the Blues in Auckland. It really should have been three defeats from three starts on Saturday night in Christchurch. They are not the Saders of old. They are not the blokes who won seven titles. They are more the blokes who do well to get to the semi-finals and then lose.

Not so Burger. The Stormers may be a team in stagnation but Burger is a player who will never be second-best. He is every bit the menace who was crowned the world’s best player in 2004 and consistently has been among the best in the game.

The Stormers lost by a point in Christchurch but Burger’s performance made a more significant point in the context of Springbok and South African rugby.

FROM SA Rugby

George Hook

Thanks very much, it would be great to see Burger playing for the Boks again.

Emperor1989

George Hook wrote: »

I've been very impressed with Coetzee so far. Haven't seen Matfield and Burger play yet, I take it Burger is playing well? How's Matfield been?

Coetzee is a fine player. A real energy bunny, flying around the park taking the ball or tackling. A lot of youthful exuberance. Its going to be a real headache for Meyer to pick the squad in terms of backrow. Possibly feel that Kolisi of the Stormer will be dropped.

Emperor1989

Desperate news for all Boks Fans.

Pieter Steph Du Toit out for the whole year with a acl injury. Just awful!!