That long boot is, indeed, an option-eliminator for his opponents and he’s the only player in world rugby, and Bok rugby, capable of getting that extra 10m.

1) We have the talent and the players.
2) We have the numbers of players.
3) We have all the correct systems in place to stimulate good standards with our schools and underage group levels.
4) We have excellents coaches and fitness trainers.
5) We have good competitions in place at all levels ie. Craven Week, u19, u21 and Currie Cup.
6) We have excellent Sports Scientist and Acedemies across the country.
7) We have the financial resources.
8) We have good TV coverage.
9) And most importantly we havery huge interest in the game and therefore will always have good crowd support.

However, we do everything in our power to disrupt our success and development in the game. We are our own worst enemies. If we got our act together there would be no one coming close to us. I reckon the rest of the World must just be so thankful that we just continue to be so disorganised and unprofessional in this modern world.

Tackles, I tend to agree with you here, if we view it from an SA perspective. For SA, he is most useful at 15 as a threat to the opposition game plan. The opposition 10 will be reluctant to kick the ball down field from his own 22 due to the genuine threat of a drop kick, and will instead opt to kick the ball out to touch. And if there is one aspect of our play that the opposition genuinely fear, it is the lineout.

However I also agree with Sasori. I can’t help thinking that if he had been brought up in NZ, he would be an outstanding 2nd 5/8. He would have more gifted runners on both his shoulders, who could aid in decision-making and call the appropriate move. Because he is aided so much more in the offense process, his distribution can only but improve.

In SA, the 12s usually attack the gain line ferociously on first phase to set up a platform for a quick recycle, with little regard for distributing the ball outside them. This behaviour, not necessarily adverse per definition, is so institutionalised in our rugby at all levels that it will be very difficult to amend, at least in this generation. However, this does reduce the scope for our 12s to be players of vision and play the situation.

However, as a 2nd 5/8 in NZ, Steyn would have more time on the ball to make a decision, particularly on first phase. NZ teams have close to mastered the art to attack the gain line without standing flat, and to allow themselves that extra second for appropriate action.

This is also why the rush defense is the most effective defensive weapon against them, and why the drift simply allows them more time on the ball. This was one of the primary reasons why the AB backline picked up so much momentum on the carry and ultimately dominated the collisions with their opposite numbers. And in the SA case, there was also no-one cornerflagging behind the backline to cover the linebreaks or to assist the breakdown from behind the gate (as the Aussies did).

gee, someone must be wrong then.

The bunch that is ‘better’ went 1-5 this year and is now struggling to a positive-points differential after Tests against the 3 weaker of the 4 Home Nations.

Meanwhile, the ‘weaker’ players went 6-0 and have smashed the Home Nations by big margins.

Mils a tough call over F. Steyn ?!

Kaino – probably the player of the season so far – 5th choice in SA, let alone to Juan Smith, once great but looking average of late ?

Frankly, there’s no hope for you.

Frans is a fullback. Only a fullback. He’s too slow to be a winger, which is the only other non-passing position.

I just cant help feel that If he were born a New Zealander he would be regarded as a world class 12 right now.

Ageed @ 59

They have to act now, as soon as the Boks get back to SA the decision needs to be made……… Hoskins is like a dear in the headlights…….frozzen to the spot and incabable of making the hard decisions….someone needs to kick him in the nuts and wake him up!

If I have to pick one of them tomorrow, I will also go for Mils.

But as an asset for the future, and one for the big occasion, I will back Frans. After all, he is still only 23…

That is exactly the point I am trying to make.

Man for man we are better than the ABs, but for a few positions.

So something else is wrong. Coaching, anyone?

Mills vs Steyn

Mills brings major attacking ability and is superb in every aspect of the game. I’d pick him.

Steyn is a big guy for the amount of talent he has, but not quite the same 15 as Mills. I would argue that he has very good abilities as a 15(kicking / positioninig) but lacks pace and a good attacking game. Problem with moving him to 10/12 I think he might struggle as I’m not sure hes the best decision maker. Perhaps with time/experience he could be a great 12.

I like my 15 with good counterattacking/attacking abilities – specially these days – but MUST be solid under the Gary Owen and his kicking game must be better then most.

As an aside Kirchner is SOLID, and lately hes been trying to change it up – but the man tries hard and wont let his team down but is decidely average when compared to the above 2.

Jake took the same players that Rudoplh made such a hash of, and turned them into World Champs.

ITS NOT ABOUT SELECTIONS: ITS ABOUT WHAT THE COACH TELLS THOSE SELECTIONS TO DO. There is very little difference in quality between first chousce and second choice anyway – not enough to swing the game so much that we lose to SCOTLAND! FFS Griquas could probably beat Scotland! That is PURELY due to lack of leadership and inability to coach.

So keep your eye on the ball, and demand Divvy’s resignation or that he be fired NOW. There is only one way that we will be competitive at the RWC – that is if Heyneke Mayer, Coetzee, Rassie or Jake gets appointed and takes over NOW. We have FIVE TESTS left to get the Boks right. That is already probably not enough. The time to act is NOW. Else we have no chance. All Bok rugby supporters must stop their petty bickering and act NOW.

Probably nobody else will want to take over a poisoned chalice from Divvy now, so probably only Jake will be prepared to take over. At least he will get teh boks conditioned properly, and put in a decent defnsive suystem. that will get us part of the way. Perhaps teh bulls can lend Slaptjips to the boks for a few months as well to get teh backline firing.

This is fu@king INEXCUSABLE! If HOSKINS does nothing now, I want his head too.

Yep, those were the same positions I had in mind, except for wing (Gear). At current I would pick C.Smith over Fourie, and Nonu over SBW.

Here is my take on their starting XV versus what we have:

1 Tony Woodcock – not much to choose between him, Gurthro and Beast, but I tend to back the Saffas here

2 Mealamu – will be 3rd choice after Bismarck, Smit

3 Owen Franks – will probably start ahead of Jannie / BJ; Carl Hayman will definitely start ahead of those two

4 Thorn – Bakkies for me even though I rate Thorn

5 Donnelly – Matfield and Bekker by a mile

6 Kaino – J.Smith by a mile; Burger, Alberts, Potgieter, Frans Viljoen all get my nod ahead of him too

7 McCaw – this is tougher than many might think, I am not as much on the McCaw-bandwagon as others but certainly won’t disagree that he is the best allround player on the planet. Brussow better on the deck though. Both of them certainly in match 22

8 Kieran Reid – I will pick Burger, Spies, Kanko and Alberts ahead of him, maybe Vermeulen and certainly Joe van Niekerk

9 Cowan – will be 6th choice scrummie in SA

10 Carter – will certainly start

11 Gear / Roco – will not start ahead of Habana on top form

12 Nonu – will probably start ahead of JDV / De Jong, certainly ahead of Olivier

13 Smith – might not start in an SA team, but I will pick him and Nonu as combination. You mentioned SBW, who might fight it out with Fourie for the bench. Mossie, at this point, gets the nod, but I rate SBW

So at this point, both AB centres

14 Gear / Sivivatu – probably start ahead of JPP and Aplon, but I quite like a fit JPP as a test winger and will give him the nod here

15 Mils – superb player, but ahead of F.Steyn in a test match? Brave call. At fullback we also have Viljoen/Daniller/Ludik/Taute/Joe Pietersen who are coming through the ranks, but all behind Mils certainly

Woah..pick Morne over Carter – thats crazy – and your calling peeps delusional. Careful – glass houses, stones and all that.

I tend to read your post with some reflection as you appear to know a thing or 2 but on this point you might want a rethink.

We pick Morne becuase we dont have better atm. Carter would most certainly, if he had to become a south african tomorrow and somehow be allowed to play for South Africa become our first choice pivot!

Seriously, I cant stress this enough – Carter is a hall of famer, Morne hes just another good fly-half!

Challenge to you. What can Morne do that Carter doesnt do better?

Kick at poles…marginally, but does Carter ever really miss?
Running..eish no.
Tacktical kicking…Unless you count p o e s i n g the ball so it comes down with ice – not a chance.

Lets not start with McCaw, he IS the best player on the planet – deal with it.

Leave them alone… Their long term plan should now become the benchmark for epic quota fails.