All Blacks and Boks XV's

[S120]

Thread to have a go at what the Boks and AB's might do with their sides come 3 Nations as we build towards the RWC.

Here's the Boks squad so far:
Backs: Gio Aplon, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Ricky Januarie, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (all Western Stormers), Bjorn Basson, Francois Hougaard, Zane Kirchner, Wynand Olivier, Fourie du Preez, Morne Steyn (all Northern Bulls), Adrian Jacobs, Patrick Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen (all Coastal Sharks), Butch James, Elton Jantjies (both Golden Lions), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster/NIR), Francois Steyn (Racing Metro/FRA)
Forwards: Willem Alberts, Alistair Hargreaves, Ryan Kankowski, Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, John Smit (capt) (all Sharks), Andries Bekker, Schalk Burger, Francois Louw, Duane Vermeulen (all Stormers), Bakkies Botha, Dean Greyling, Werner Kruger, Victor Matfield (vice-capt), Flip van der Merwe, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, Pierre Spies, Gurthro Steenkamp, Deon Stegmann (all Bulls), BJ Botha, Johann Muller (both Ulster/NIR), Heinrich Brussow, Ashley Johnson, Coenie Oosthuizen, Juan Smith, Adriaan Strauss (all Central Cheetahs)


From that I'd pick:


1. Mtawarira (inconsistent this year but at his best, should be picked)
2. B.Du Plessis (has overtaken Smit well and truly, has been ahead for a few years now IMO but Smit will be picked I'm almost certain)
3. Steenkamp (think he was injured a bit this year but plays into the Boks' style of smashmouth forward play, still effective running the ball)
4. Botha
5. Matfield (they pick themselves)
6. Burger
7. Brussouw
8. Spies (backrow also pick themselves)
9. Du Preez
10. M.Steyn
11. Habana
12. De Villiers
13. Fourie
14. Pietersen

15. F.Steyn (don't much rate Kirchner)

16. Smit
17. J.Du Plessis
18. Bekker
19. Rossouw
20. Pienaar
21. Lambie
22. Olivier

All Blacks:

1. Crockett (Woodcock will get picked again I think but I'd jhave Crockett)
2. Mealamu
3. O.Franks
4. Williams
5. Thorn
6. Kaino
7. McCaw
8. Read
9. Ellis
10. Carter
11. Sivivatu
12. SBW (I'm convinced now, after taking some time to come around, that SBW should be in over Nonu)
13. Smith
14. Jane
15. Muliaina

16. Flynn (has had a better campaign than Hore, but I doubt they'll overlook Hore altogether)
17. B.Franks (just ahead of Mackintosh, one of my favourite players in the world)
18. Boric (Sam Whitelock unlucky)
19. Thomson (unlucky not to make the run on, great player)
20. Cowan
21. Slade (if not fit, then Cruden)
22. Dagg

 

[Lions1024]

SA:
1.Steenkamp
2.B du Plessis
3.J du Plessis
4. A Bekker
5. V Matfield
6. H Brussow
7. J Smith
8. P Spies
9. F du Preez
10. M Steyn
11.B Habana
12. De Villiers
13. Fourie
14. JP Pieterson
15. P Lambie

16. Smit
17. BJ Botha
18. Bakkies Botha
19. Schalk Burger
20. Ruan Pienaar
21. Frans Steyn
22. B Basson

Smit will be chosen as the starting hooker. I've gone with P Lambie at fullback, but that's unlikely to happen. Couldn't fit Schalk into the team, i would be tempted to play him at 8 if I was PdV.

NZ:
1.Woodcock
2. Mealamu
3. O Franks
4. Boric
5. Thorn
6. Kaino
7. McCaw
8. Read
9. Weepu
10. Carter
11. J Rokocoko
12. SBW
13. Smith
14. Ranger
15. Mils Muliaina

16. A Hore
17. B Franks/ Crockett
18. S Whitelock
19. A Thompson
20. J Cowan
21. M Nonu
22. C Jane

Picking the outside backs was extremely hard, theres about 5 or 6 players (H Gear, Dagg, Maitland, Guildford, Sivivatu and Toeava) that could realistically be chosen. Amazing depth.

 

[S120]

Juan Smith I'm pretty sure is out for the RWC. Got injured earlier this year.

I like Lambie too. Should be the Boks next 10.

Had forgotten about Hosea Gear for the AB's. Really like him, not seen much of him this year but I'd probably pick him over Jane on a wing. Behind Sivivatu and Ioane, I don't think there is a better wing in world rugby.

 

[S120]

NZ's squad:

Mils Muliaina, Hosea Gear, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma'a Nonu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford, Isaia Toeava, Colin Slade, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Liam Messam, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Sam Whitelock, Jarrad Hoeata, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, John Afoa, Corey Flynn, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock

 

[Tassie19Cairns20]

Who else besides me thinks the Springboks are making the correct decision in resting some key players before the World Cup? The honest fact is that in a World Cup year, the Tri-Nations doesn't matter. Ask the All Blacks how much their Tri-Nations Titles in 1999, 2003, or 2007 meant when they went on to choke in the World Cup later in the year.

South Africa did this in 2007 and it helped some of their banged-up players get fully healthy, and kept the starters fresh. Remember that we've had the longest Super Rugby season in history, and now the Wallabies and All Blacks have 5 more tests to play before the World Cup starts. They're going to be worn out come September while the Boks will be fresh.

 

[S120]

Yeh I can't blame people when they get annoyed about them sending out a B squad but I can understand it. Don't really agree with it, but I understand what they're doing and why.

Their game plan and style aren't going to be any different to what they've used since the last RWC so there isn't really that need to build chemistry between players and combinations (at least there isn't as much need as there is for a younger side like the Wallabies). Smit, Matfield, Botha, Steyn, Spies, Burger, Habana, Fourie, De Villiers are gonna be the nucleus of this side again and they know what they're doing and how to get the job done.