r/rugbyunion • u/Ringo26 Two-time Most Valuable Saffa • 4h ago
Lineups Springbok Squad for the New Zealand Tour
41
u/the_fresh_mr_breed Lukhanyo, I Am your father 4h ago
I am super nervous and not confident of this tour at all. Which probably means we win both games by a canter because I have proven time and again that I know nothing.
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u/Lflan123 New Zealand 4h ago
Don't worry, a lot of kiwis also ain't confident, so it will be interesting
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u/handle1976 Penalty. Back 10. 1h ago
Yeah. Neither team has been particularly convincing this year.
25
u/amusicalfridge Leinster 4h ago
Kiwis will also be rattled after Saturday. Two wounded animals going at each other, should be two absolute banger test matches
15
u/Makoandsparky New Zealand 3h ago
“2 wounded animals” Do you write for the papers by chance ? That’s a great headline.
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u/Head-Reporter7402 Southland Stags 2h ago
Me too. Boks are super experienced and many may feel this is their money shot on Eden Park. Hope we get a good open game with a ref that will let the boys play.
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u/Langer457 4h ago
KLA is a massive blow. Moodie had a generational stinker but I still think we should back him to cover KLA. Hooker deserves minutes. Really hope rassie gives him a shot.
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u/StorminaHalfPint Brok the Barbarian 4h ago
I think we'll see Mapimpi get some solid minutes. He's maybe lost a half-step pace, but none of the try-line knowledge.
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u/CapeTownyToniTone I still believe in Libbok 4h ago
Either that or throw Hooker to the wolves and start him vs NZ... yeah it's Mapimpi starting.
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u/That_Organization901 Harlequins 3h ago
Moodie needs to back himself, stop worrying so much, and put on a scrumcap. Join the cause Canan.
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u/SweptFever80 Ireland, Ulster and Munster 3h ago edited 2h ago
Moodie scored an absolute worldie on his debut against the
Boks ABsAustralia 3 years ago, I say give him a chance to redeem himself.Edit: wrong team!
Edit: still the wrong team!
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u/perplexedtv Leinster 3h ago
Scoring against his own team is a bit of a booboo
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u/SweptFever80 Ireland, Ulster and Munster 3h ago
Whoops thanks for that yeah, that wouldn't have been great hahaha.
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u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 4h ago edited 4h ago
Shame Edwill and Kurt Lee are both injured.
Moodie hopefully can't have 2 games as shit as that last game, he's usually very good. Hooker is hopefully nice center and wing cover as well
2
u/Individual_Donut_635 4h ago
I agree, I still back Moodie.
Every backline player made handling errors this week due to a slippery ball, and even the best players sometimes have an off game.Moodie is lekker young, so there is a lot of refinement on the table for him.
He will probably be our top Winger after the next world cup
17
u/SUck0ck South Africa 4h ago
I thought siya and PSDT are injured? Also, I can‘t figure out why Vincent Tshituka isn‘t called up.
Backline will be interesting. Mapimpi will probably replace KLA. Maybe Hooker gets some minutes? But damn, really the worst time for all these injuries.
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u/Ringo26 Two-time Most Valuable Saffa 4h ago
"Siya (Kolisi, Springbok captain), Pieter-Steph (du Toit), Willie (le Roux), and Jan-Hendrik (Wessels) have been medically cleared from their niggles, while all the players who faced Australia in Cape Town have received a clean bill of health and will be ready to face the All Blacks"
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u/SUck0ck South Africa 3h ago
PSDT has a concussion? How long after can you play again? Also, the news about siya were that he was gonna be out for the tour and it wasn‘t a minor injury? Well, happy that he can play.
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u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 2h ago
Concussion would be 1-2 weeks, so considering no TRC this week it'll be fine
3
u/Head-Reporter7402 Southland Stags 2h ago
Amazing he’s only had two concussions in his career considering his litany of injuries.
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u/CapeTownyToniTone I still believe in Libbok 4h ago
Probably minor injuries not worth risking against Aus. Still, given that our older boks have had so many niggles, why tf not bring Tshituka and Roos along for the inevitable injuries that we'll get on this tour? At the very least they'll benefit from training with the boys.
In Rassie we trust, but I'm scratching my head here.
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u/almostrainman Serial winker 4h ago
Siya might be ready for the 2nd test.
PSDT is concussion so could also be fit ?
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u/StorminaHalfPint Brok the Barbarian 4h ago
Especially given Wiese will only be available for the 2nd test. I think we'll see largely a WC23 side in the first test. Mannie starts, Pollard on the bench I hope. JLdP isn't an out-and-out 8, but we do need someone like him back there, unless Kolisi is fit, then have JLdP on the side. They would probably favour Mostert though. Some cracks appearing, hopefully enough for one win.
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u/SUck0ck South Africa 3h ago
Wiese is so stupid for his red card. Especially with all the injuries now he would be so important
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u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 2h ago
Think having Wiese changes both Aus tests a lot
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u/Tar-ZA-n South Africa 1h ago
Agreed, we'd probably have been stopped and turned over in the red zone less with his carrying. He wouldn't have been on wing duty, either.
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u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 1h ago
Makes me all the more annoyed Hanekom and Trokkie got injured as they'd both probably have been our 8 carries and Wiese carding himself on something so stupid wouldn't have hurt as much
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2
u/Flyhalf2021 South Africa 4h ago
I think with Siya and PSDT back it gives us breathing space in that loose trio.
I hope we see the Manie-Pollard combo in this series, think it's how we get the most out of SA. Would also like to see Morne and Sacha start together just to see how this combo fairs.
If Jean-luc has a blinder at EP he should get another crack at Wellignton.
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u/Brandytrident South Africa Bulls 4h ago
Gotta think we'd be going in as overwhelming underdogs for these 2 ....
Hopefully we can scrape a couple try and losing bonus points so we can finish slightly more respectable on the table.
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u/Lflan123 New Zealand 4h ago
No, according to the pundits over here, we're now the underdogs, and you guys are gonna absolutely thrash us
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u/Brandytrident South Africa Bulls 4h ago
Oh but you guys got a win away in Argentina, we lost at home and just barely got over the line this weekend. 50 test matches unbeaten at Eden Park, 30 year winning streak, you guys are the favourites.
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u/Lflan123 New Zealand 4h ago
No, no, according to our most gracious and reasonable pundits, we are now fast tracking to becoming like wales
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 3h ago
You mean the current 1 win streak Wales? Pretty sure you're already infinitely worse than them with your 0 win streak
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u/Ok_Painting9530 2h ago
You referring to your legendry pundits on The Breakdown?
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u/Lflan123 New Zealand 2h ago
It's more of a generalization directed at a certain sports radio pundit
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u/Xqt10ner Springboks 4/8 2h ago
There is no way the Boks win at Eden Park after their last two performances lol.
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u/Lflan123 New Zealand 1h ago
But, but all the couch coaches here in nz who know everything keep saying the all blacks are playing terrible and are regressing, so it's obvious that we're gonna get thrashed in both tests. Do I not listen to the expert opinions and logic based arguments of those couch coaches who know more the all blacks coaches.
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u/StorminaHalfPint Brok the Barbarian 4h ago
Well, that was quick (she said with disappointment). Stoked for Hooker! He needs game time. Willemse needs some confidence. Sacha just needs to sparkle his brilliant self (and pass more). Couple passengers there I'm worried about, decent mix of newbies for what will be an epic and tough tour.
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u/Flyhalf2021 South Africa 4h ago
I'm sure there will be rotation between the 2 games on this tour just like the Australian series.
My wishlist from a selection point of view:
- Want to see Ethan Hooker start at 13 in one of the tests with Kriel maybe on the bench.
- Jean-Luc at 8 for Eden Park
- Andre Esterhuizen also given game time in one of the tests (Not at flank)
- Marnus given proper game time off the bench.
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u/kylehimselfza South Africa 3h ago
Hooker is not something I had thought of at 13. It does make some very interesting sense though. I think Jesse reached form in the WC and then has been missing for a while now.
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u/Flyhalf2021 South Africa 2h ago
Many see Hooker as a 12 because he plays 12 at the Sharks but compared to AE and DDA he is not the same build. He is much closer to a 13 build, and he will have more value there with his great decision making.
I think our next 12 is going to be Jonathan Roche, he is similar to DDA and AE.
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 4h ago
It really doesn't matter how poorly some old favorites play, they are given 10x the chances of youngsters like Tshituka and Roos
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u/Crimson53 Leinster 3h ago
At 26 and 25 they are hardly even youngster anymore. They are entering their prime. Test Level will quickly pass them by if they don't break in now.
I personally don't really rate Roos too highly, but Tshituka seems proper.
3
u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 3h ago
Yea they will literally be hitting their peak this upcoming RWC, but are going to be completely undercooked by the time that rolls around, they only got like 30-50mins against Barbarians, Italy, Georgia X2, that's absurd to me
And yea I also don't rate Roos, but he's worked on his faults a lot and had a great URC season and still couldn't get games with Trokkie, Louw, Hanekom, JldP, PSDT, Kolisi injured and Wiese banned
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u/Crimson53 Leinster 3h ago
On Roos, that's exactly it. Whether I rate him or not can still acknowledge that he has done enough that he should be in the shop window getting a chance at the very least. Can't prove people wrong if you never given the shot.
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u/Lflan123 New Zealand 4h ago
From what I've seen of Tshituka, mainly from that babas test, he looks the bees knees, and does rassie really not like roos
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 4h ago
They both had fantastic URC seasons, not only does Vincent have a huge engine on him, he dominated the lineout stats in the URC and that's an area the Boks have been awful at this season
Roos also had a good season and with how many injuries there were on the players above him you'd think he'd get some game time, but nope, Rassie would rather start Kolisi, Kwagga at 8, or a 35 year old in Mostert, or a lock in Kobus Wiese, and now JldP and Jasper are back so I don't think he will have any more chances
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u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 4h ago
Roos definitely isn't rated, Vincent will get more game time, but don't think he's trusted for ABs yet as there's some key stats Rassie wasn't happy with yet
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 4h ago
Rassie really be judging new youngsters 50 min performances in games we dominated but not his underperforming old men in games we got embarassed
0
u/Relative-Airline-968 South Africa 3h ago
Was looking for the Roos comment. It's quite amazing how so many fans just don't see the guy isn't good enough. Opting for conspiracy theories in stead of just facing the fact that he's not there
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 2h ago
It's honestly a bigger conspiracy theory believing he wasn't our best specialist 8 available when so many players above him on the pecking order were injured/banned and locks and centres and are packing down on the backrow before him
0
u/Relative-Airline-968 South Africa 2h ago
Ok, so what you are saying is the best coach of all time would rather put the team at risk than play someone he has personal beef with?
It's a tough sell
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 2h ago
I never said he has beef with him, I just think he's favoring players who have been with him longer despite them being out of form or dying of old age.
It isn't only 8s, it's just the most prominent one to point out with how bad the selections have been there, we are also having problems with 2, 9 and 15 with some of these selection issues.
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u/Relative-Airline-968 South Africa 1h ago
He played Cobus Wiese at 8. How long has he known him?
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 1h ago
Yes he did play Cobus Wiese the lock ahead of Roos the 8 man lmao, congrats on finding the one example which still proves how strange the selections have been
When I say favourites I'm talking about Bongi, Marx, Kwagga, Mostert, Van Staden, Willemse, Reinach, Koch who haven't looked up to it all season.
We are only now likely going to see more of Marnus and Boan with how poor our hookers have been like we should have been seeing Roos and Vincent during our backrow injuries phase these last few games.
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u/ramaras Bokke 4h ago
If we have Siya, PSDT and Wiese in the back row, I'm relatively confident. If not, I think we'll have a big scrap.
Personally I'm not sure why we're persisting with some of the older group, I think there's more than enough experience without having to rely on Mostert (Wiese/Tshituka), Bongi (Grobbelaar), Willie (Q.Horn), Reinach (Papier) or Koch (Fouche/Ntlabakanye*).
I predict all four sides will end round 4 with two wins.
1
u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 3h ago
Grobbelaar is injured still, Papier is also old in relative terms so not much better than Reinach amd Ntlabakanye is stood down until his likely WADA hearing.
For the rest not much answer really hope we see Q Horn get pulled end for end of year tour
3
u/ramaras Bokke 3h ago
Embrose is only 28, younger than Grant Williams!
Didn't know Grobbelaar was injured, damn, makes sens why he isn't involved.
2
u/CapeTownyToniTone I still believe in Libbok 2h ago
Always shocked to learn Papier is so young (ish). Morne van den Berg is only a few months younger than him. I guess his box kicking isn't up to scratch, but still, get him in camp and see if it's fixable. We know Cobus won't make it to 2027.
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u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 2h ago
Think we're capping Pead next year probably
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u/Flyhalf2021 South Africa 41m ago
If you look at all 3 nines in the team. It's very much orientated around speed, solid at box kicks, very fit and being a threat yourself.
There are only a handful of nines that fit that mould. Paul de Wet and Hasheem Pead, Faf maybe on the occasional game but not his default.
Paul de Wet has been invited to alignment camps so there is merit there but I feel like he is a good 7/10 but rarely gets 8 to 10.
Pead in the Junior World Cup was so dominant in all of these aspects. If he replicates it at URC level he gets drafted for Reinach in 2026.
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u/k0bra3eak Doktor Erasmus 4h ago
I don't get not taking Roos along for this or if not him another 8. Our balance in the back row isn't doing to great with all the injuries and Aus punished us hard for it
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u/itachi-senpaii Highlanders 2h ago
Can't wait to see our forwards test them selfsame against the safas, the ultimate challenge
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u/Top_rattata 1h ago
Nice to see Boan Venter being kept in the squad/ team as an Edinburgh fan, can’t lie I did originally think it was a Rassie tactic due to taking him on before his Scotland eligibility and he would be a one and done. That’s by no means a comment on his skill rather the depth the boks have in position.
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u/JonnyBago82 South Africa 1h ago
Bongi 👎 Koch 👎 Mostert 👎 Mapimpi 👎
This coaching group have no balls.
Pick youth FFS.
Always brag about depth but can never pull the trigger.
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u/Flyhalf2021 South Africa 47m ago
Bongi sure we should move on to someone else. Unless they believe Jan Hendrik is replacing him.
Koch -> Neethling Fouche (This has to happen surely)
Mostert probably will be replaced by PSDT with Elrigh Louw/Ben Jason Dixon taking his spot.
Mapimpi -> Hartzenberg or Seb de Klerk surely would be in the mix here. Both very solid wingers.
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-5
u/coupleandacamera Crusaders 4h ago
Given the demo job they did injuring the key wallabies, do we maybe just not?
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u/RaaschyOG Cramp Haver 4h ago
It was mutually assured destruction, we also lost a lot of players lol
-9
u/coupleandacamera Crusaders 3h ago
There was certainly some shared attrition, but a third watch does suggest there was one team playing rugby and another embarking on 80 minutes of an ever so slightly rugby themed common assault. Not sure we need a return to those bad old days. Maybe it's just bias based in past behaviour, but I'm not convinced the boks hadn't been given a few names to remove and the perfect ref to do it under.
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u/blueeyedkiwi73 2h ago
Kolisi is past it
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u/the_fresh_mr_breed Lukhanyo, I Am your father 1h ago
He looked really good at 8 until he got injured and he had a great season at the Shorks
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u/Ringo26 Two-time Most Valuable Saffa 4h ago
Last hurrah in NZ for a few of these boys, you'd think. :(