Tank Lanning
One more game … Just one more game! Amazing … This season has seemed truly monsterous it has to be said … Bring on the off-season … But it also means only 1 more opportunity to get into the draw to win a top trip to Argentina to support the Boks next year with me and four of your closest mates – thanks to Energade … That is if you correctly predict the exact Bok side Heyneke Meyer will pick at 12h00 today! Ice cold beer, massive steaks, good looking babes, and Bok rugby – Not half bad … Last week Jacques Oosthuizen’s name was drawn out of a pot of 38 only correct entries. … Pretty good odds! Entry details below …
Below my usual stab at the side I think Meyer will pick based on the utterings in the media this week, together with the side I would pick to take on the Poms at Twickenham on Saturday …
First up, the current Springbok squad in the UK:
Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Schalk Brits, Pat Cilliers, Marcell Coetzee, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (c), Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Hougaard, JC Janse van Rensburg, Elton Jantjies, Zane Kirchner, Juandré Kruger, Pat Lambie, Francois Louw, Frans Malherbe, Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Raymond Rhule, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Morné Steyn, Adriaan Strauss, Jaco Taute, Heinke van der Merwe, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Jano Vermaak, Duane Vermeulen.
The 23 I think Heyneke Meyer will pick to play England on Saturday:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Bench: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Lwazi Mvovo
And this is the side I would select:
15 Jaco Taute, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Bench: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Franco van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Raymond Rhule
Reasoning:
Injury concerns for both JP Pietersen and Gurthro Steenkamp might force Meyer’s hand, and then Mvovo and Van der Merwe will get starts, but I do not see our ultra conservative coach changing much at this stage of the season. All he wants to do is eke out a win and get the hell out of Dodge. That spot light has shone brightly on the new Bok coach this year, and I think he is in need of some time away from the game …
Kirchner again did not have a bad game against the Scots, but he is no Mr Sparky, and we all know what we get from him, so why not give someone else a shot? I would give Taute a run at the back …
Even if Steenkamp is fit, I would start with power scrummager Heinke van der Merwe and give newboy and most deserving JC Janse van Rensburg a spot on the splinters. That is some fine loosehead power right there!
I would also give Mvovo a run on the wing instead of Francois Hougaard, who seems to have a golden ticket to the run on side despite doing nothing earth shattering. Hougaard on the bench also adds a lot of value given his versatility and ability to change a game.
How to WIN the trip to watch the Boks play in Argentina next year …
Head to the Energade Bok Barometer – http://www.supersport.com/rugby/bokbarometer
Select your Springbok XV by clicking on the jersey in each position, and picking a player from those provided in the drop down … Hit the Save button once your team is finalised, and you are in the draw!
You can update your team as often as you like but entries for each game will be locked before the announcement of the Springbok team each week. You are then able to select your team for the next match.
All those that select the exact Springbok team – including jersey numbers – that takes to the field for just one of the Bok games this year will go into a draw, with weekly winners announced every Monday after a Bok match.
Each match winner will receive R5 000 and a personalised Springbok jersey signed by their favourite Springbok. The grand prize will see the winner and 4 mates join Tank in Argentina next year to watch the Boks play their Rugby Championship match, courtesy of Energade.
The weekly winners thus far:
Winner 1: Ashley Groenewald drawn out of a pot of 989 correct entries.
Winner 2: Johan Weideman drawn out of a pot of 1 238 correct entries.
Winner 3: Rowan Nefdt drawn out of a pot of 711 correct entries.
Winner 4: Michael Openshaw drawn out of a pot of 157 correct entries.
Winner 5: Brian Norton drawn out of a pot of 12 correct entries
Winner 6: Luway Mongie drawn out of a pot of 16 correct entries
Winner 7: Johan van Eyk drawn out of a pot of 4 correct entries
Winner 8: Kyle John Leigh the only player to get it correct.
Winner 9: Jonathan Bishop drawn out of a pot of 112 correct entries.
Winner 10: Graham Matthews drawn out of a pot of 109 correct entries.
Winner 11: Jacques Oosthuizen drawn out of a pot of 38 correct entries.
