D-Day has arrived … The day Peter de Villiers announces the squad who will do duty in New Zealand next month, and the squad who will decide how he will be judged in years going forward.
Win the cup, and all the crap that has gone before will be forgotten, or at least swept under some sort of flea infested carpet, lose the cup, and this four year period will long be remembered as one of the more diabolical in Springbok memory …
Given the squads that have been picked, and the gameplan chosen to defend the Web Ellis Cup, this is the Springbok squad I would announce this evening:
Backs (13):
Francois Steyn, Patrick Lambie,
JP Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Bryan Habana
Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh
Morne Steyn, Butch James
Fourie du Preez, Francois Hougaard, Ruan Pienaar
Forwards (17):
Tendai Mtawarira, Gurthro Steenkamp, Jannie du Plessis, CJ van der Linde
John Smit, Bismarck du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle
Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Gerhard Mostert, Danie Rossouw
Willem Alberts, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brussow, Francois Louw, Jean Deysel, Pierre Spies
Players named in the preliminary squads who would miss out –
Bjorn Basson, BJ Botha, Dean Greyling, Adi Jacobs, Elton Jantjies, Charl McLeod, Ryan Kankowski, Zane Kirchner, Werner Kruger, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Coenie Oosthuizen, Deon Stegmann, Adriaan Strauss, Johann Muller, Alistair Hargeaves, Flip van der Merwe, Ashley Johnson. Injured: Juan Smith, Duane Vermeulen, Andries Bekker
The “Bolter” would be Francois Louw and that would be based on the success of Heinrich Brussow. If Brussow were to get injured, or if De Villiers wanted to give him a rest, you would want to play a similar gameplan, and Louw is best suited to being that backup player.
Flip van der Merwe would be unlucky to miss out, but he has looked a little off the pace in the Currie Cup, and Mostert was outstanding for the Boks on their Tri-Nations tour … in a side well beaten.
Lwazi Mvovo would miss out because of the 17/13 split I would opt for. Primarily because there is much more attrition amongst the forwards, but also because the Boks look like they might go with a 5/2 split on the bench, and because in James, Hougaard and Pienaar, the Boks have some outstanding utility backs that can fill every position in the backline.
And I see the All Black Squad was announced this morning …
I actually cannot believe they have gone with Tony Woodcock over Wyatt Crockett. Crazy, and good reason for tightheads round the world to be doing a little jig today. Colin Slade sneaks in as the backup flyhalf, even after his shocker on Saturday. I say again … Lose Dan Carter and this All Black side is properly beatable …
The All Black squad:
Backs – Mils Muliaina, Israel Dagg, Isaia Toeava, Cory Jane, Zac Guildford, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Richard Kahui, Daniel Carter, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Piri Weepu, Andy Ellis.
Forwards – Kieran Read, Adam Thomson, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Victor Vito, Brad Thorn, Sam Whitelock, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore, Corey Flynn, Tony Woodcock, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, John Afoa.
Boks squad announced tonight at 07h30 on SuperSport …
I suggest getting a few mates around, all submitting your squads of 30, and taking two fingers of the golden nectar for every name you get wrong. Look out for a shaky day at work on Wednesday if you don’t know how p Divvy is thinking …
Cheers
Tank
