South Africa

BananaBok says...

Im not hugely happy with the selection as I feel a better mix of Stormers, Sharks, and Bulls players would have been more on the mark, then maybe adding in a few Cheetahs players who have shone.

I can see what Heyneke is looking to do here though, and that is try to get a group of players up and running as quickly as possible, they have a very short time to prepare as a new team, and not enough time to learn any new styles of play as a unit.

To that end his hands have been largely tied, he needs to try and keep existing teams mates in key positions and select a team that will play a safer style of rugby. I am expecting a very typical Bok team of old, who need to stick to a simple game plan, otherwise the players will be running around trying to learn complex plays and eachothers styles during the 1st test.

I dont think we will see a great Bok team here, certainly not in the 1st test, they will hopefully grow together during the series but I wouldnt be expecting to see a slick effective unit out the gates, the timescales are just too tight.

Maybe he should have just selected the Stormers as whole :) they are top of the SA conference, and would put on a better display than a fragmented Bok team.

Posted 10:10 06th June 2012

Euskadi says...

I think this is a great selection, makes things a little easier for the All Blacks during the RC if this is the same squad for the inaugural tournament. I've never understood the way SA selects their squads...too much politics, this is more important than politics, this is rugby!

Posted 09:48 04th June 2012

Letsgoboks says...

HM will prevail!

The Boks will be great once again!

Bokke!!!!

Posted 07:03 04th June 2012

jonesy2 says...

so who will be el captaino?

davodiablo -- good catch. but you can never listen to anything anyone says in a pommy rag in any sport

Posted 06:08 04th June 2012

bloemboy says...

Can you imagine how Greyling, Stander and Ndugane feel. They have to really be useless to not have made the Bok squad.

For HM to suggest that the Bulls have the best 3 scrumhalves (seeing as du Preez can could as a Bulls selection) is rediculous. Sarel Pretorius, Piet van Zyl, Charl McLeod are all preferrable to Vermaak.

To select Spies, Kankowski, Potgieter, Vermaak, Olivier, Kirshner ahead of Brussouw, Kolisi, Johnston, Sarel Pretorius, de Jongh and Pieterson is absolutely insane. Aside from these, there would have been a few others that would have been unlucky not to get the call, but they would have been marginal anyway. Those being Ebershon, Strauss, Elsteadt, WP Nel, Kitchoff, Taute and Le Roux.

I wonder how many of these players that deserve to be there wil be representing Australia, England or Italy soon?

Posted 05:56 04th June 2012

ruggaluva says...

Jeez.... Heyneke how have you managed to screw this one up already ? Meisiekind REALLY ?? Olivier is the worst Springbok centre ever, unless Earl Rose ever played there. My initial worry is now turning to fear that i will have to watch mind numbing strong arm tactics ( please see how easily the chiefs nulled the Bulls recently) fail on a regular basis against more dynamic sides.

Posted 20:57 03rd June 2012

bokking says...

I certainly don't want this to become about afrikaner and english supporters. Let's see what the team does and then decide If he chose the right players.

I never comment on these sites, but I couldn't let certain comments go unanswered.

I am a coach and a financial administrator for a rugby club. I will never choose players because of the language they speak.

Posted 18:26 03rd June 2012

smarty says...

I am sorry it just doesnt stack up. Stormers are 2-0 against the bulls yet have poor representation. This is definitely Bonehead (ie opposite of pom) selection through and through and I agree with Bokavenger "If you're not a white Afrikaner don't even bother about dreaming of being a Bok."

Posted 17:49 03rd June 2012

philipjfry says...

@bokking: What a stupid comment.

Posted 15:48 03rd June 2012

philipjfry says...

@BokAvenger: I really don't think it's down to ethnicity. Meyer clearly fancies big ball carriers more than smaller, opportunistic players. That's how he coached the Bulls. Personally, I hope he selects Daniel on the flank because he will be able to get to the breakdown quicker than most of the other players, but your right, Kolisi would also have been an option.

Posted 15:40 03rd June 2012