Just how good can this springbok team become?

First topic message reminder :

I thought for a little light entertainment, I would shift the focus of those nervous Welsh, Irish, English and Scottish supporters to a subject outside of the Six Nations, even if it is for only a little while.

We all know South africa over the last four years have not been at their best, PDV held on to players he shouldn't have, he took too long to expose new players and did it mainly when under pressure of injuries or extreme stand out performances by individuals.

But the coast is clear, at least for a little while, a new coach in Heyneke Meyer has been appointed. In my view pretty similar thinker as Jake White. In all honesty he was not my first choice coach, I would have preferred Nick Mallet. but he has been appointed and deserves my attention at least for long enough to prove he can and will change the necessary things to enable the Springboks to progress to a point where they can once again take their place at the top of the pecking order. Is it possible? Well if you consider that we were top of the pile before for sustained periods and that our player depth have always been there, it isn't impossible. We still have our challenges, the politicians says there is no quota system, but then iin the same sentence they demand transformation. How far they want this to go, I don't know, but until then I choose to be positive.

Lets look at those players of the PDV era who in my opinion should still be in the running.

1. Beast Matwarira
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du PLessis
4. ----
5. Andries Bekker
6. Heinrich Brussow
7. Juan Smith
8. ----
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Patrick Lambie
11. ----
12. Frans Steyn
13. ----
14. ----
15. ----

The positions filled are players I have no issue with being inked into the squad. There are some names missing, but there are reasons for them I will now explain.

Lock - Our number 4 position is wide open, there are a few candidates, Juandre Kruger although naturally a 5. De Kock steenkamp, Ryno Elstad.

Eghthman - There are variuos options available here, Schalk Burger has turned his career around since the introduction of Heinrich Brussow, he has become more of a running back rower with keen ability to offload, and would be my first choice at 8, Willem Alberts, Jean Deysel, Nick Koster, Joshua Strauss and a fair few others can complete the back row and fill the bench, I think the biggest challenge for Meyer here will be to select the right combinations as there is a plethora of players who put their hands up.

Left wing - JP Pietersen is currently the shoe in at left wing, but he seems to have lost the edge on pace and whether it is on the insistence of Heyneke Meyer, John Plumtree has been playing him at 13, which in the absence of Jaque fourie could be a major issue for us. So far he has looked good, being a strong runner, but looking for the offload as well. My pick for left wing will be Lwasi Mvovo, this young man is a devastating runner, needs to work a little on his positional play, but otherwise my first choice. Habana is not gone yet, but he has also been tried at centre, so perhaps getting more ball will put a new lease on life for him as well.

Outside centre - Jaque fourie is the first choice, but who knows about hiis availability? Looking at Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen, it might just wokr, and I for one are looking forward to see what they cna do there.

Right wing - Well you have to look at some of the new guys coming through, there is Michael Killian, Bjorn Basson, Gio aplon and of course JP Pietersen himself.

Full back - Riaan Viljoen, Morne Steyn and promising young Jaco Taute are the ones I would look at.

There are of course those that should be considered second choice in positions as well, such as Live wire prop Coenie Oosthuizen, Werne Kruger at tighthead, Dewald Duvenhage at Half back, Johann Sadie at centre and a few more I can't think of right now.

The big qustion is what is Heyneke Meyer's intentions? There are already rumours that he has spoken to Victor Matfield (forwards coach or player), Fourie du Preez (They have an extremely close relationship), will his loyalties to his Bulls team he has built and subsequently won 3 super 14 trophies with his core (albeit the last two under Frans Ludeke). Or will he change the way the Springboks play and use exciting talent like Hougaard and Lambie as his play makers?

He talks a promising game, he says his focus is on winning every test (an absolute revelation), on television during the Masterplan New Zelaand programs during the RWC he often spoke intelligently about altering game plans, so he definitely has strengths, he knows how to build a squad, he has the technical know how, but ultimately will he go down the route of every previous Provincial coach that became springbok coach, making loyalty to his provincial players his weakness?

So what say ye, take a break from the Six Nations. expand your world, and partake in the theory of Green and Gold.

Our fixtures for the year.
Three test series vs England
The rugby championship.
Autumn internationals - Scotland and England.

Kia, I think Meyer will want to accommodate Morne Steyn, so that is most likley what he will do yes.

Yeah I agree mate. The guy is a goalkicking machine. You need that in rugby. He will win you matches. When the sides are so equal, kicking makes a big difference. Look at the World Cup final. Look at how England play with Farrell slotting the points and applying pressure. You have to accommodate kickers of that skill. But you can be innovative and do different things on defence and attack given their comfort at fullback and flyhalf.

I just really bloody hope that Meyer uses the talent at his disposal in the way it should.

I am not sure whether I will be able to handle another 4 years of dull, compromises and poor performances.

That´s for sure! SA doesn´t have to spread the ball wide willy nilly. That´s a fallacy. No team does that. But they are a much more dangerous side when they don´t kick possession away and run more with the ball in hand including in the pack. PDV criminally underused the Boks strengths. He had some very good results but the team tactics were transparent and often able to be counteracted. A Bok side with a few more strings to their bow is a scary proposition.

Morne is no golden goose anymore... sure he can kick well but then why not play Peter Grant... he had the best success rate in last years S15 with over 85%, opens up a backline better than Morne and isn't a complete liability in defence.

SA also have strong running 10s now in Goosen & Lambie who both are relatively consistent kickers.

They both are far better prospects then Steyn and should be given game time so that come 2015 they are stable and ready to take on the world.

FA, Peter Grant must be one of the unluckiest 10's in SA rugby, he has shown during the PDV era that he was most likely the best 10 in SA, and yet he was never given the opporutniy to show his worth.

A real shame.

and yet again the luck favours the bulls with Meyer oncemore... perhaps not to the boks benefit however if they stick with Morne.

Lets just hope Olivier never gets near the boks first training camp else some may start wishing PDV never left... at least he was entertaining.

I suppose entertainment is similar to beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder.

If Meisiekind ever again wears a Springbok jumper it will be too soon.

Do you reckon he had a hand in their new away jersey design... sort of suits his flowing locks.

you never know, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I did read an interview with Meyer in which he stated that he always plays the best kicker at flyhalf. Which gives me that uncomfortable feeling that Steyn will get preference to Lambie (who I rate has tons of potential if allowed to settle into a position)

Well by definition that should be Grant in there... lets see if Meyer actually picks him for his squad then.. somehow I doubt he will.

I wouldn't myself have a problem with Lambie playing inside centre for the next couple of seasons to build his experience and have someone else more experienced on his shoulder.

At least from a halfbacks point of view you shouldn't play novices in both IMO. With Hougaard and potentially Duvenage fighting it out for the scrumhalf position it may not be wise to walk into a 4N series with inexperience in both positions.

Both Lambie & Hougaard have test experience but running a team is a little different from participating in it.

This doesn't mean Steyn should start.. he had a mare of a game against the blues and was completely outplayed by a debutant (who scored +20 at Loftus)... behind a not so dominant pack his strengths are beginning to look less appealing.

a backline of Hougaard, Grant, Basson, Lambie, Fourie, Aplon & Frans Steyn would be very positive in terms of options the team has...

It has 3 stronger kickers, Fourie & Steyn in there for bashing holes in the defence and some real pace in Aplon and Basson. Hougaard also offers a lot on the Fringes and his lack of a kicking game can be neutralised if you play Lambie at 12 to give the Hougaard options for the pass.

Both defensively and on attack I reckon thats a very strong side.... questions on whether Fourie & Frans Steyn are available but they haven't been ruled out so I don't see why not.