Great insight, even if I don’t agree with all. I do think we need Louw badly in this particular contest. Well stated.

The experienced, conservative and overly structured Springboks
VS
The young, unpredictable and reckless Wallabies

But on a more serious note, did you manage to rent out your caravan during the WC? I know you went all out and bought that can of black paint for $5 and I would hate for you not to have recovered your costs…

Tackles does not have anything to dangle…

Matfield we can’t do without – but we should recognise his limitations. He is noticeably less mobile than he used to be, and he’s never been the most aggressive forward. Rossouw has also been great, but again, aggressive rucking is not his greatest strength. We are really missing Andries Bekker – not only is he fantastically mobile, but he’s become a real presence in tight play. I’d start him ahead of Bakkies anyday.

Jannie is having a great tournament. Let’s hope he stay’s uninjured. I am really, really surprised the Beast is not starting ahead of Gurthrow in this particular match. He’s cast from the same mould as Cian Healy, and the physics that worked for Healy against the Aussie scrum will work for him too. I suspect he’d do better than Gurthrow and he has been fantastic on defense. He’s faster and fitter than Gurthrow. Remember, the Beast played flank in his schooldays. I strongly suspect I scrum will start to go backwards when CJ comes on, if not before.

Alberts and Spies are both a problem at no.8. I’d even put Louw or Schalk at 8 before either of them. I think Alberts has the same problem as Spies – a weak head. His play is very one dimensional and the SH teams have worked him out in Super Rugby. Like Spies he doesn’t have the mongrel you need in your loosies, and which Burger, Brussouw, and Louw have in spades. Unlike Spies, he can’t play a full 80 minutes. And Spies does sometimes spark in particular matches. Either Ashley Johnson, Jean Deysel or Ryan Kankowski should have been in the squad ahead of Alberts.

It’s almost like we place too much of a premium on simple size and physique in selections – what’s going in the head and heart can matter much more. Players like Aplon, Keegan Daniels, and Ryan Kankowski (and I could name many others) should have been properly developed into the Springbok squad. Where physique really matters in quite specific ways is in your tight five.

@jeest(jeest)-24: He’s not a kiwi either … kiwi wannabe at most. One foot still planted in his ventersdorp skool, the other slipping around the muddy isle trying to take grip anywhere, with nuts dangling in the salty ocean between.

A huge question mark is the fitness of our forwards. They will need to get to the breakdown in numbers and quickly, and interpret the referee correctly. Spies is potentially a significant liability. He simply has to come to the party in tight play in this match. The man does not have a strong head.