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Macalman very lucky in my opinion. I thought Radike Samo would get a run.
At first I was incensed by the fact that Deans had dropped Sharpie for Simmons, especially since he was far and away the best forward last weekend. It would have been a poor decision as Sharpie is needed in the line-out against a guy like Victor Matfield because Simmons and Horwill would get torn apart. But then I remembered that the Boks left Matfield in South Africa. So it kind of makes sense. Simmons gets the chance to show whether he has what it takes in test matches and get some experience before we get to the World Cup.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Samo has the X factor but can also have some amazing brain farts. I am yet to be convinced that he is a Test no 8.
the Springbok team:
: 15 Gio Aplon,
14 Bjorn Basson,
13 Juan de Jongh,
12 Wynand Olivier,
11 Lwazi Mvovo,
10 Morne Steyn,
9 Ruan Pienaar,
8 Ashley Johnson,
7 Danie Rossouw,
6 Deon Stegmann,
5 Johann Muller,
4 Flip van der Merwe,
3 Werner Kruger,
2 John Smit,
1 Dean Greyling
15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
14. James O’Connor (Western Force)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies) Fark off
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain) Time for the broom...dead set luggage
5. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
4. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds) Not ready
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies) In terrible form
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)
Run on Reserves:
16. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
17. Pekahou Cowan (Western Force)
18. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
19. Matt Hodgson (Western Force)
20. Scott Higginbotham (Western Force)
21. Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels) You're farking kidding.
22. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
A pretty disappointing team. Too much dead wood. Time for a prune
The Brumbies attacking doldrums in mid field is a shame for the speed and destruction on the wings. The good thing about McCabe is he's likely to have a blinder........he runs like a mong and looks like the weak kid but he occasionally does something good........not often enough for mine! He's out of position and this selection stinks.
A. Faingaa is electric and is fleet footed and nimble. He runs straight and fast and is a defensive hitter of incredible timing and effectiveness
Too many Brumbies in this lineup
Last edited by Rex Messup; 19-07-11 at 20:29.
Controversy corner
The Centres have me worried, in fact 12-13-14 are all out of their best positions.
I think there will be ducks and drakes at selection right through probably until the last couple of matches in the 3N.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
another L with that team. I am still convincing that Robbie has 55% supporting the ABs and the other 45% wantabees.
Can see the headlines now "ABs fail in last hurdle at RWC, Deans puts hand up to coach nation of birth"
Couldn't agree more with Rex with his comments in RED
It is hard to describe that as a weak team after last weekend. But I think the Wallabies will belt these Boks. In the pack, these guys don't have that top two inches of mongrel (B. du Plessis, Bakkies Botha, S. Burger, etc) that make the South Africans such a pain in the ass to play. Those two Bulls props didn't get over the Force front row during the Super Rugby season.
There are some really exciting players in their outside backs, but I'm not convinced that Steyn will use them much, especially with Olivier at 12. They should have Lambie start or play from 12 because why play light-weight attacking backs if you aren't going to use them?
Juan de Jongh 177cm, 84kgs
Lwazi Mvovo 185cm, 91kgs
Bjorn Basson 185cm, 84kgs
Gio Aplon 175cm, 78kgs
Wallabies will want to use a short-medium range contestable kicking strategy, especially where they can target Aplon, instead of getting into long ranger where they guys will have more room to counter-attack or Morne Steyn will do what Morne Steyn does best.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Good synopsis James - I also think they will play a boring "Steyn-style" rugby and would far prefer to see Lambie playing.
However, I dont think the Wallabie pack has that top two inches of mongrel either. I can't see this being a runaway victory - well, maybe not until around the 75 minute mark.