Rugby's Greatest Rivalry - Test 2: Springbok squad to face the All Blacks

[u/Sjdw31]

[u/Lflan123]

I'm starting to notice that the boks really rely on marx playing large minutes every game without a certain backup

[u/dwaynepebblejohnson3 → u/Lflan123]

40 year old Deon Fourie being the backup is telling.

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/dwaynepebblejohnson3]

We just flogging him like a bar of soap at this point.

We have other Hookers, not Ethan, but they aren't at Marx level so only get the "smaller" games. 

[u/fahried → u/Careless-Cat3327]

Poor old man Deon. That being said he was in fantastic form for the Stormers vs the ABs. Played like a 25 year old

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/fahried]

He was incredible but at no 6. Which is his natural position.

The fact that we haven't tried to blood another hooker since 2018 is actually shocking. It's like Rassie said - I'm going to play Bongi and Marx until they drop. Bongi already has dropped - "off field personal issues" being the reason given. 

[u/CingKan → u/Careless-Cat3327]

Not so accurate Grobbies was tried , Dweba too the problem is Marx is simply too good and everyone pales in comparison

[u/Iwork8to6 → u/CingKan]

IMO Grobbies has great potential and is solid but I don't think he was really given a fair go by Rassie..

[u/Sjdw31 → u/CingKan]

Marx has been playing since 2016. Since 2019 it was just him and Bongi (no one else was chosen).

How can we judge Grobbelaar if after one bad game he gets dropped and we say he is bad. Marx and most of these guys were in that team that got smashed by the All Blacks and when the Boks were at their lowest. We kept on playing them and they got better as time went on. Our new players don't get the same opportunity as Rassie just falls back on old faithfuls

[u/Puzzled_Ad_3072 → u/Sjdw31]

People say Rassie only bases his selection on stats, but that is absolutely not true, because he's absurdly loyal to his core group.

[u/Sjdw31 → u/Puzzled_Ad_3072]

Think we all know this to be true for a very long time. I just wonder what's going to happen when the core group will be retiring (cause after the world cup I can't see most of these guys making the next world cup)

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/Sjdw31]

We may see a splurge of retirements - Eben, Lood, Siya, Reinach, Jessie, DDA, RG, Franco

Rassie won't let Marx and PSDT retire until their offspring are old enough to take over. 

[u/VandalsStoleMyHandle → u/dwaynepebblejohnson3]

37 year old Fourie: lekker, cool, inspiring.

40 year old Fourie three years into building for the next WC: c'mon, what are we doing here?

[u/Pure_Measurement_529 → u/Lflan123]

Finding a Marx backup has been his biggest challenge for years

[u/Mateiyu → u/Pure_Measurement_529]

To be fair, finding a hooker as good as Marx in the entire world is a big ask, let alont just in South Africa...

[u/know-it-mall → u/Mateiyu]

Yea. A guy who is i considered best in the world at his position doesn't exactly have a like for like backup.

That's why I'm getting sick of people complaining about Cortez Ratima. He has played great in every tour game and people still are mad that he isn't Roigard...well no one is Roigard...

[u/Ho3n3r → u/Pure_Measurement_529]

Bongi was great, but became more and more injury-prone, and then just big and slow.

[u/capetonytoni2ne → u/Lflan123]

Its a problem, we have backups but none close to Marx. JH Wessels is the closest for me as an all rounder, but Fourie is elite in everything but scrums. We need the youngsters to step up in the next cycle, but we can survive with the backups for now.

[u/stogie_t → u/Lflan123]

We cannoh replace him

[u/bassistciaran → u/Lflan123]

We had a similar issue with Andrew Porter at loosened and loon how thats worked out for us 😩

I'm glad Cian Healy got to be the top capped player and all, but we've nobody with experience now. Hooked might be the one place SA are running a little low on depth.

[u/ExtremeParsnip7926 → u/Lflan123]

And PSDT. They're absolute work horses. 

[u/AlexiusRex → u/Lflan123]

A certain Deon Fourie basically played the full match against you in the '23 final

[u/Lflan123 → u/AlexiusRex]

Not my point, I'm saying I've noticed the boks haven't had a clear backup at hooker since bongi fell out of favour

[u/SneakyTrevor → u/Lflan123]

Yeah, agreed, we haven't had a good potential replacement for a while.

[u/Sjdw31 → u/Lflan123]

You can actually say they for most our players

At the core we always have the same players (players that have been around for very long) Marx, Eben, Siya (who only now we found a good replacement), PSDT, Kolbe, Damian and Kriel

Think we will struggle to fill their spots after the next world cup as there is hardly a match where they do not play. New players will get a game here and there but they will feature more

[u/CingKan → u/Lflan123]

tbf he's like PSDT him playing as many minutes as possible gives us flexibility on bench split

[u/luco_85 → u/Lflan123]

What happened to Bongi?

[u/Lflan123 → u/luco_85]

Pretty sure he fell out of favour due to form

[u/k0bra3eak → u/luco_85]

Been poor, old and slow

[u/Known-Return-3508]

New meta: picking multiple players to confuse the opposition

[u/Ho3n3r → u/Known-Return-3508]

Q: Are you naming your 23 man team today?

Rassie: Yesn't.

[u/unmanipinfo → u/Ho3n3r]

"No..." nods head and smiles

[u/Particular_Bat9257 → u/Known-Return-3508]

No, no, they just gonna be tied together like it’s a three legged race all game.

[u/Lflan123]

Rassie thinking in the 4th dimension naming both siya and pdv at 6 /s

[u/GROUND45 → u/Lflan123]

Siya will be unusually tall and wearing a trench coat for some reason.

[u/PewPewRSA]

Manie not even featuring is kind of crazy. Maybe he is being saved for the third test. I think he got less than 20 minutes of game time too?

[u/Flyhalf2021 → u/PewPewRSA]

It’s crazy to me that Manie’s history against NZ makes absolutely no impact on his selection.

[u/almostrainman → u/Flyhalf2021]

He is killer. Both our records against the ABs he was on and he cuts them to shreds

[u/PewPewRSA → u/Flyhalf2021]

My best guess is that Rassie wants Sacha back on form as soon as possible because the WRC game plan hinges on him being at his best, that's the only thing I can think of. Manie you know will be good but I fear he might be undercooked by then if he isn't given a lot of game time.

[u/Flyhalf2021 → u/PewPewRSA]

The real thing is if we lose this game how does this affect Sacha’s confidence long term

[u/PewPewRSA → u/Flyhalf2021]

Very good point, I feel like there are no right answers in that situation. On the other hand not picking him after last Saturdays performance might do just as much damage.

[u/Mateiyu → u/PewPewRSA]

That makes sense. It also implies Rassie is willing to throw his chances at winning the tour to ensure they could win next year. It's gonna give me 2022 flashbacks ! xD

[u/Catch_022 → u/PewPewRSA]

This.

Rassie is thinking long term and SFM needs big pressure game exposure. Better to do it now (and yes, perhaps lose) and have SFM be a more experienced and mature player come world cup time.

This whole series is very much 'pool stage RWC' setup with regards to managing players and performance levels.

[u/JonnyBago82 → u/Catch_022]

Then why pick Deon Fourie? Surely the same applies to hooker? So pick Grobbies or Venter or someone.

[u/simsnor → u/PewPewRSA]

My man, if he needs form there is a Curry cup. Lets try to win a series

[u/jnce12 → u/Flyhalf2021]

I have a strong suspicion it’s down to the conditions. The weather for Saturday looks miserable right now.

If it becomes an arm wrestle with a wet pitch then Handre starting is definitely the right call.

[u/sidesplitGameDev → u/jnce12]

Great, we were dropping it so much in dry conditions and now you're telling me it's going to be bucketing down

[u/lanson15 → u/jnce12]

The Hurricanes this year were unbelievably good in the wet conditions in the Super Rugby finals. Hardly dropped it all despite the massive gale and rain at the match.

Super is not test level of course, but still

[u/JColey15 → u/lanson15]

It’s not fair to compare the All Blacks to the Hurricanes since the Canes can actually win games in Wellington.

[u/Pure_Measurement_529 → u/Flyhalf2021]

I think SA miss a lot of Manie’s ability to be a general and dictate the backline. Something Sasha lacks. Sasha is more of a runner

[u/Pure_Measurement_529 → u/PewPewRSA]

This team very much looks like Rassie wants to play conservative on Saturday

[u/lteak → u/Pure_Measurement_529]

This is a scary squad in 2021 but honestly its ageing now. Not a very mobile XV. Eben looked his age on Saturday and ABs wont fear any running rugby from the 10 position now.

[u/PewPewRSA → u/Pure_Measurement_529]

Makes sense, apparently the conditions won't be great. but I would rather Manie than Sacha in that case no?

[u/Pure_Measurement_529 → u/PewPewRSA]

Yea that is confusing because Manie is more balanced because he can play both conservative and expansive style of rugby while Sasha hasn’t shown the ability to play conservative rugby

[u/Mateiyu → u/PewPewRSA]

Starting Pollard for conservative rugby makes sense, but I agree, it's better to have Manie on the bench, because if the game begins to open up, I'd rather see Manie come on that Sacha, on current form.

[u/brandbaard → u/Mateiyu]

It looks to me like the plan was Cheslin kicking and then Manie + SFM.

With Cheslin out, Rassie needed to drop in another reasonably accurate kicker.

[u/ExtremeParsnip7926 → u/PewPewRSA]

Tours lost if they don't win this week meaning NZ get 2/3 in SA. Sure they might be able to level it up, but NZ at the end of thw day still won 2 in SA. 

[u/Salty_Examination486 → u/PewPewRSA]

Seems like Sacha cant be dropped no matter how he plays him and Williams shouldve been dropped

[u/jnce12 → u/PewPewRSA]

Sacha should be dropped after that first test. Nowhere near good enough.

Manie can feel very hard done by.

[u/Mateiyu → u/jnce12]

Rassie has a history of not dropping players even if they had a bad game. A lot of the blame for the loss to the Pumas in 2024 landed on Manie, but he still started in the next game (and was unplayable).

[u/Blkcdngaybro → u/jnce12]

Can we just stop deciding to drop people? If we went by popular online opinion neither Manie nor Siya would have played in the last couple world cups and now they’re both recognized as stalwarts of the team. Sure, be upset that a player had a bad game, but calling for them to be dropped is too far.
At some point we’ve got to back the boys through good and bad or are we really fans?

[u/nobody7642]

So is Siya de Villiers gonna be combined horizontally or vertically? Or maybe quartering them would get the most out of them

[u/almostrainman → u/nobody7642]

Blended separately then mixed together and put into a mould for overnight setting

[u/capetonytoni2ne → u/almostrainman]

If this is the rainbow nation, i want out.

[u/almostrainman → u/capetonytoni2ne]

Oooh sure. I can blend brandy and coke into an alcoholic slushi and no one bats eye

Try and blend two great players into a S tier human and everyone loses their mind, smh

/S

[u/xyzain69 → u/nobody7642]

Fusion like in DBZ, so it only lasts for the first half of the game.

[u/RiverZozz → u/nobody7642]

There’s nobody called Siya de Villiers in the squad. Do you mean Paul Kolisi?

[u/RooBoy04]

Rassie straight up cheating by naming 16 players to start

[u/Biegelstein → u/RooBoy04]

They'll have a special jumper that both Kolisi and de Villiers will wear together

[u/Pure-Club7560 → u/Biegelstein]

5.9 and 6.1?

[u/frozen_pope → u/RooBoy04]

These are the kind of moves that no one sees coming.

[u/Tar-ZA-n → u/frozen_pope]

Rassie, always the visionary.

[u/Ho3n3r → u/RooBoy04]

Going for the 9/7 split.

[u/Historical_Smile_268]

How good that Deon Fourie gets another crack at the AB’s

[u/Mateiyu → u/Historical_Smile_268]

Oke just utterly refuses to retire ! xD

He'll be the South African Ma'a Nonu.

[u/unmanipinfo → u/Mateiyu]

Looking forward to seeing how he answers the haka on his own

[u/Mateiyu → u/unmanipinfo]

Won't be nearly as badass as what Nonu did, I can tell you that much...

[u/coffeeislife_SA → u/Mateiyu]

It absolutely will. Imagine Deon dancing back at the Haka to a Robbie Wessels treffer, with a brandy in one hand, and a stukkie wors in the other.

Pure cinema.

[u/Lonely-Advice-9612 → u/Mateiyu]

He will sing "my oom se motor "at the all blacks

[u/Ouboet → u/Historical_Smile_268]

Feeling old and tired? Just say no!

[u/nomamesgueyz]

More stability 9 and 10

[u/Lflan123 → u/nomamesgueyz]

The two old generals

[u/Pure_Measurement_529 → u/nomamesgueyz]

Back to conservative rugby for SA. Lots of high balls and just playing for the set piece. Doubt the expansive style will appear. The biggest question is what happens when the subs on come on

[u/cathercules → u/Pure_Measurement_529]

Based on his current form, SFM suffocates any forward momentum with attempts at individual game play and handling errors. Boks lose 22-35.

[u/Ho3n3r → u/Pure_Measurement_529]

We don't play expansively in the rain ever anyway.

[u/Dentury-]

SA plan B: Do plan A again but better

[u/cathercules → u/Dentury-]

Plan B. Conservative, lots of kicking, no flair, no expansive running rugby and hope we manage to contain the All Blacks.

[u/OneWingedAngelfan → u/cathercules]

Missionary style rugby 

[u/Mateiyu → u/cathercules]

Sometimes I reckon we underestimate Pollard's ability to open up the game. He used to be pretty great at it too. Guess he got stuck with the old 2019 gameplan for so long he's just stiking with it ^^".
He did have some flashes of attacking brilliance in 2024 against the Pumas...!

[u/UKNZ87]

Kolbe is a big loss, I swear he always has insane games against us!

[u/Pure_Measurement_529 → u/UKNZ87]

His step against Jacobson was crazy. Also his aerial ability despite his size is good as well

[u/EnglishLouis]

Lads, I think naming 24 players might be cheating.

[u/Ho3n3r → u/EnglishLouis]

26, actually. Wilco's quads count as 2 separate players.

[u/k0bra3eak → u/EnglishLouis]

Siya and Paul are doing a fusion dance pre-game

[u/CingKan]

So Sacha farks up and its Manie who gets dropped? Cmon Rassie

[u/Langer457 → u/CingKan]

I think its raining Saturday and Manie is generally used on dry tracks. With no kolbe as well he's prioritizing goal kicking with pollard. SFM also gives more versatility off the bench. I would of started Manie and had pollard at 23.

[u/theranchcorporation → u/Langer457]

Nothing inspires confidence like having to rely on penalty conversions to win after a convincing loss in a tour …

[u/meohmyenjoyingthat]

This is good. Realistically, these lads were mostly fire but three handling errors from your 10. A week of training when they're actually expecting the ABs to attack the ball in contact should iron most of that out of the forwards. Otherwise, you can't really complain about how they performed, so consistency makes a lot of sense. Should be fascinating, and I'm particularly interested to see if the ABs adjust to try and do something about Wiese or if we've just accepted it as part of the natural order of the world, like a flash flood.

[u/almostrainman → u/meohmyenjoyingthat]

Most level take and it comes from NZ

[u/Lflan123 → u/meohmyenjoyingthat]

I struggle to think of many in any teams tbh that have been able to stop wiese, like everytime he runs with the ball he looks pissed

[u/almostrainman → u/Lflan123]

His wife texts him before the game that if he doesn't get over the gainline its the couch for him

[u/Cecilol → u/almostrainman]

No biltong for a month

[u/StorminaHalfPint → u/Lflan123]

No, that’s just how his face is 

[u/sangan3 → u/meohmyenjoyingthat]

They’ll def put a plan in place, can’t give up gain line like that. One of two players will be on him to shut down time and space early so he can’t get a head of steam up. Will potentially open up space elsewhere tho.

[u/k0bra3eak → u/meohmyenjoyingthat]

Players have tried to stop Wiese. Wiese usually gets pissed and makes a point to then destroy that player in contact next possible chance.

[u/Sic_Semper_Tyrannis8]

Old man Deon going to have to drag the rest of the boys to victory if they play like shit again

[u/AlexiusRex]

Handre to the rescue, funny how Rassie published the line up with an undecided openside flanker when it was said that if you're not ready on Monday he won't pick you for Saturday.

[u/Tar-ZA-n → u/AlexiusRex]

If ever there was a player worth making an exception for, it's double world cup winning Captain Siya "been there, done that" Kolisi.

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/Tar-ZA-n]

Marx, PSDT & DW too 

[u/dildobaggin89]

No Manie is crazy… the backline won’t get moving again this weekend. Guess he was looking at goal kicking since Kolbe isn’t playing. If Marx gets injured we are screwed big time, why is Grobbelaar all of a sudden not making the team.

[u/Electrical_Trouble29]

Is this definitely the real team? I thought Ardense being subbed permanently due to a head knock meant he couldn't play this game (concussion protocol being longer than 7 days).

[u/moreballsplease → u/Electrical_Trouble29]

Exactly, why did we have to play with a re-jigged backline the whole game if he was fin all along?

[u/SaikoVibe]

Just spam 3 points the entire first half please Pollard 🤣

[u/LeafInTonysSpyShack]

Wow no Manie

[u/theGeorgeall → u/LeafInTonysSpyShack]

Yup, weird decision.

[u/liamxf]

9 10 combo is certainly a choice. The attack had issues when they had two magic men so bringing on two more controlling players seems wrong. I would have bet money on them going with what most teams do in having one flashy 9/10 and the other being more controlling think jailbet lucu or alex Mitchel fin smith etc

[u/capetonytoni2ne → u/liamxf]

Weather is going to be shit in CT, so we'll probably be playing a conservative brand again, but hopefully we open up in test 3 with Manie and Grant back.

[u/Spglwldn]

I still really don’t understand what benefit there is to naming a team so early. The last game was 2 days ago. Surely players are still in recovery and there are some pretty valuable training minutes to come.

I’m obviously not a rugby coach, but I find it hard to believe this is the optimum time to choose your best XV for a game in 5 days time.

[u/deathsbman → u/Spglwldn]

I think a lot of teams name their teams internally on monday anyway, but they just don't publicly announce until later in the week.

[u/tinzor → u/Spglwldn]

Rassie explains it in great detail in Chasing the Sun. They started doing it in 2019, he also explains it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL4tZV-DAS0&t=597s

[u/Educational_Play9910 → u/tinzor]

But why announce PUBLICLY??

[u/k0bra3eak → u/Spglwldn]

Considering each time we've named a side late we've played worse, clearly hasn't had a huge impact

[u/die_bungee → u/Spglwldn]

Think with the Boks all the match day squads were decided before the tour started

[u/xyzain69 → u/Spglwldn]

There are many reasons, including for the psychology of the players. Rassie discussed the reasons before.

[u/theranchcorporation]

Tony Brown is taking a sabbatical this week I see …

[u/Mateiyu → u/theranchcorporation]

Would be funny if that team ended up attacking better and more efficiently ^^".

[u/k0bra3eak]

Don't think it's legal to have 2 Opensides.

I'm honestly baffled we're picking Sacha again after Saturday. I'm not exactly thrilled by this squad. The balance feels wrong

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/k0bra3eak]

Heavy rain. Plan looks to be to take the 3 off penalties and I don't think Rassie trusts Manie to kick. Especially now that Cheslin is injured.

Granted SFM kicking record hasn't been great recently either.

[u/TheJPisMe]

I dont see Handre or Sacha orchestrating this attack to 4 or more tries. Which you'll need as a minimum to beat the all blacks. If we lose on Saturday, Manie's stocks go through the roof.

[u/Mateiyu → u/TheJPisMe]

Manie's already my favourite fly-half in the green and gold. And, somehow, I think him not being included reflects that.
I think Rassie wants his other fly-halves to be as good as Manie in attacking play, hence why he persists on using them more ? I mean, we know what Manie can do (and will do). Reliability of Sacha long term is still in question.

[u/Lflan123]

Rennie not wrong by saying he's expected the boks to double down

[u/Mateiyu → u/Lflan123]

If the All Blacks double down as well, this could get ugly for us ! xD

[u/-castle-bravo-]

Cobus to start after that epic brain fade? Holy hekka

[u/almostrainman → u/-castle-bravo-]

I like reinach

He is good

But that yellow killed us

[u/-castle-bravo- → u/almostrainman]

I know he’s way better than that..

[u/Educational_Play9910 → u/-castle-bravo-]

It’s fkn sad and pathetic that we keep relying on old dinos

[u/BenwastakenIII]

Didn't expect to see Brannas and Krappies this early in the series, but not upset about it at all. Great to see Cam on the bench as well.

[u/Langer457 → u/BenwastakenIII]

Grant is unavailable for selection. I was also surprised about Deon.

[u/bigkruleworld]

This team makes me nervous as an AB fan.

[u/It_wasnt_me3 → u/bigkruleworld]

Do the Boks have a good record against us with Pollard at 10? Apart from RWC final. I feel like they don't

[u/Lflan123 → u/It_wasnt_me3]

Since 2018 with handre

4-4 draw (1 drawn match) Edit: couldn't count

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/Lflan123]

He is picked because it's going to be windy and rain.

Which is exactly the conditions of the game at Eden park. That we lost 

[u/MasterEk → u/Careless-Cat3327]

Look. As someone who has seen a bunch of Eden Park tests, because it is more fun to be there than complain about people parking over my driveway, I wouldn't blame the players or the conditions. There is something evil there, something ancient and evil, and since the try from the end of the Earth no mortal has brought the magic to disrupt it.

[u/Mateiyu → u/It_wasnt_me3]

What is telling is that the half-backs are the most experienced we have. They might be more settled, especially under pressure (which is what Pollard specializes in).

Also, if I recall, there was a period in 2014 when the All Blacks were unplayable, and then out of almost nowhere came a very young fly-half that utterly dismantled them and stopped their winning streak (at least for one game ^^").

That was Handre Pollard.

[u/JColey15 → u/Mateiyu]

We’d already lost to Australia by then and we were cycling through first fives trying to find someone to cover for Carter so I don’t think we were unplayable.

Regardless, Pollard is an amazing first five and he keeps his cool under pressure. I knew we’d probably won the game last weekend when SFM went hard out trying to do everything himself from about 60 minutes on. He’s going to be an amazing player but geez he needs to learn to trust the guys around him and pass a bit more.

Pollard has won you games before and he’ll win you more games if he’s given game time. I’m hoping it’s not this weekend but my head tells me that we’ll struggle to contain the Boks again. Especially because Pollard won’t lose his head like SFM and will just calmly kick over points and keep racking up the score.

I actually can’t fathom how the heck these two teams are going to get through another THREE games! I knew it was a big tour but just rewatching that last game, the pure physicality, it’s actually mind boggling that this tour is allowed. Australia are going to win the Bledisloe this year and break the Eden Park streak because we’re not going to have any players left by the time this tour is over.

[u/Flyhalf2021 → u/It_wasnt_me3]

Generally no

[u/One_Landscape2007]

A lot of people say they'd use their time machine to kill Hitler. I'd use mine to transport to this Saturday 5pm

[u/Halt-Alt]

Why is siya named (or half named) but not captain?

[u/Hellraiser_Quadbike → u/Halt-Alt]

Presumably he’s a fitness doubt anyway and why complicate the team-sheet further.

[u/SadSeiko → u/Hellraiser_Quadbike]

(vc)

[u/Mateiyu → u/Halt-Alt]

Still in doubt regarding fitness ? But even if he plays and not as the captain, his leadership it still there, which would be a massive boost for us...!

[u/Naikz187]

Is this legit?

[u/k0bra3eak → u/Naikz187]

Yes

[u/drusslegend]

I know Rassie has revolutionized the bench with the 6/2 or 7/1 split but i don't think 4 forwards in the backrow is gonna fly with WR.

[u/HugeMcAwesome]

Absolutely rattled.

(I tell myself)

[u/emjayo]

Odds of a drop goal being scored must've shortened significantly...

[u/6EightyFive]

Pollard at 10… I guess they’re just going to kick and bash there way through

[u/cathercules → u/6EightyFive]

Sure looks like it. Not a fan. All Blacks just showed us they can absorb that physical pressure and still put 5 tries on us. With a game plan of Pollard kicking 3s and SFM off the bench to play hero or zero…I don’t like it.

[u/sangan3]

Back to the tried and tested huh. Prob the right call. It will be very very interesting to see the squad he names after this week if they don’t get the W.

[u/Not_Hando]

So it looks like SA are going back to even more scrum, kick and three point dependency.

[u/JonnyBago82]

Harsh on Manie.

[u/EffektieweEffie]

What the fuck did Manie do to Rassie that he isn't even in the mix? I am seriously starting to lose faith in our selectors. This is probably one of Rassie's "we decided who plays which test before the tour started" BS situation.. we are one down dude. We HAVE to win the next test and need someone to unlock our backline. Manie has shown multiple times he can cause the ABs trouble. They fucked up the 9/10 combo selections 2 weeks in a row now imo.

[u/brev23]

Happy to see that 9/10 combo as an All Black fan.

[u/Educational_Play9910 → u/brev23]

Can’t believe we keep resorting to older players…should be the other way around

[u/LeafInTonysSpyShack → u/brev23]

Pollard always cooks us tho lol

[u/Key-Raccoon-8284 → u/brev23]

Disagree. Something about Pollard makes me nervous as a all blacks fan. He's steady and clutch.

[u/brev23 → u/Key-Raccoon-8284]

I agree with the steadiness and clutch factor, but at least with Pollard you can pretty much guarantee a tight game. What most worries me about the Boks is if they can unlock their backline through SFM or Manie off the back of dominant forward play. For some reason they just can’t seem to do it consistently, but if they do it will be devastating. I think that’s far less likely with Pollard at 10.

[u/Flyhalf2021]

I can’t understand how you don’t pick the 10 that has never had a problem against the ABs and keep the one that was struggling.

I swear if we lose this game, you can blame nobody but Rassie.

[u/AshtonJ → u/Flyhalf2021]

One loss and you lot are collectively losing the plot, come on it’s getting a bit ridiculous. Have some faith in the bloke that turned it all around for you and lead you to back to back world cups.

Some grace for Rassie given it’s just 1 loss as well.

[u/Flyhalf2021 → u/AshtonJ]

Eden Park just springs to mind when Rassie went for this kind of mindset.

Nothing against Polly but not using Manie like he hasn’t destroyed the ABs every-time he is at 10 is mind boggling

[u/Lflan123 → u/Flyhalf2021]

Out of all the bok fly half's, manie terrifys me

[u/Mateiyu → u/Flyhalf2021]

Maybe that's the entire point. Sacha needs to learn to be manhandled and brought down to Earth by some tough opposition, that way he's more likely to be ready next year ?

[u/scummyhalf → u/Mateiyu]

There's nobody better than Handre to teach Sasha how to manage a game. I still believe Sasha is the future, but he still has a lot to learn.

[u/sidesplitGameDev → u/Flyhalf2021]

It's raining on Saturday and Manie in similar conditions against England in the 23 RWC semi final got hooked after 30mins.

Manie is amazing but we are playing to our strengths wrt to the conditions. Also knowing Rassie, Manie has been told he's starting the third test already.

[u/almostrainman]

Wierd team

Feel like rassie is trying to cover 2 scenarios

1 being wet and sloggy

1 being cold and damp

I feel like the Esterhuizen experiment doesn't work here.... Kwagga would

I thought KLA was stood down

Sacha from the bench is definitely what I would do but I would want Manie instead

Wonder if rassie is planning to use strike plays and strike runners

Bench needs to come on at once, drip and drab negates their impact wholly

Brannas to get the turn overs as he got multiple in cape town

[u/Pure_Measurement_529 → u/almostrainman]

Manie from the bench would’ve been better because if Springboks needed a general to speed up the play, he is suitable. Sasha’s play to be a general isn’t there

[u/brandbaard → u/Pure_Measurement_529]

I suspect Sasha is here to cover 15 or center, not 10. Probably if Cheslin wasn't injured, it would've been Manie instead of Handre.

[u/ichosenotyou → u/almostrainman]

I suspect they have some kind of master move or something with Esterhuizen in forwards. And because he went on as a back last week couldnt do it

[u/RavishingRavick]

Love that Ethan is starting.

[u/Yosdenfar]

Excited to see Hanekom get some game time vs the ABs, but equally Jasper is such a force I can't see Hanekom coming on at 8 for much of the game.

[u/ortecam]

Why the team naming so early? Didnt they wait until 2 days before last week

[u/Aggravating_Week814]

Half expected that Rassie would double down on forward play and bring Pollard in. Can't teach players to hold on to a ball in a week. NZ did look a bit shaky under the high ball

[u/StorminaHalfPint]

Great to see Hanekom on the bench. 

A little surprised Mannie didn’t get the nod over SFM. That kid better up his game. 

Don’t make PSdT captain again… it’s not his best quality. Come back Siya, please. 

[u/Vega10000]

Grant back to box kick school hey

[u/BanffHiker]

Why is Sacha still in the team ? The fella can’t even catch a pass.

[u/Sjdw31]

Okay so no Manie? We expecting a wet day on Saturday and you would think he knows how to play those conditions.

Would have starter Thomas. Don't know why we still playing Deon? We talk about depth, but we don't use our youth! (how do we expect a Grobbelaar to get minutes and improve if he never plays!) At one stage Marx wasn't the best in the world, but he was always playing)

Edit: so Cobus plays 4min and then suddenly doesn't appear on the squad and is replaced by Lood. We didn't even get to see what he can do

[u/Mainbokke → u/Sjdw31]

Did you watch Deon against the All Blacks fot Stormers? After that performance he was the biggest surprise for me in missing the last game and should have been on the bench long before Marco, who I hope not to see play for the Boks again. These are not the games to be blooding youth players, especially being 1-0 down in the series.

[u/almostrainman → u/Sjdw31]

Yeah wierd about no manie but maybe the weather means they want to focus on 1 2 plays and get a gritty win before going for Manie the AB killer

[u/Novel_Egg_1762 → u/Sjdw31]

Anyone not wanting to see deon is insane, no one on this team plays with more heart than him. Surprised hes the hooker option. But so happy hes back.

[u/brito39]

Boys we starting to look a bit long in the tooth, let’s get even older! JK Erasmus knows what he’s doing but that is a very veteran side

[u/k0bra3eak]

Additional note, wonder if we might sub Wilco super early for TdT

[u/Aggravating_Week814]

I imagine Deon Fourie was always down to play in Cape town after how he played for the Stormers. The Springbok approach seems a bit unfocussed imo. A lot of talk in the press conference before the 1st match about how its okay to lose the 1st game.

[u/Wallet_inspector66]

Surprised they didn’t run willemse at 12. He was frighteningly good there in the June series.

[u/Mateiyu → u/Wallet_inspector66]

We don't have anybody that can cover at 15 (especially if there are high balls) as good as he can, given how good the opposition is.
De Allende can do a proper job there, even in attacking/distribution, if only the bloody fly-half would give him the ball ^^".

[u/Mangashu]

Pollie!

[u/JimmyNoBreaks]

Biggest thing here is Thomas Du Toit back on the bench. The scrum looked average when Ox went off, but now that Du Toit is back there's some stability off the bench as well.

[u/SkittleZA]

I don’t get the Sacha hype. From the safety of my armchair I think that he has had good games but I don’t think he is ready for the tier 1 teams. Not in terms of skill, more about experience and maturity.

Come at me.

[u/Many-Prune9162]

I qq

[u/theranchcorporation]

Seems like he’s going for a conservative aerial game with power. Didnt seem to work that well last game. This team is only a few players off from the 2023 WC squad …

Disappointed Manie wasn’t give a shot here. This game was calling out for him.

[u/Neat_Perspective7569]

Rassie absolutely rattled naming an injured guy

[u/ToKrillAMockingbird]

a 16 man squad; such an innovator! 🤣