All Blacks vs Boks
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Some of that Gregor Paul article isn't really correct. Hames came to Ta$man for the 2015 NPC season and, as I recall, pretty much smashed everyone he came up against. I thought he was a good shot to be called up to the ABs when they took Paulasi Manu to the RWC.
There was quite a bit of amazement on here (especially by me) when he didn't get a Super contract in 2016, but eventually it got clarified that he was re-habbing serious knee injuries and wasn't expected to play the 2016 Super season. Eventually he got called up late by the Chiefs and progressed to getting a Bledisloe test.
Be interesting to see how he goes. In another article Marc Hinton is saying he's not a renowned scrummager, which again I think is incorrect. He gets pinged a lot, but he's also pretty destructive - especially at NPC level - he's smashed most tightheads in the two seasons he's played for Ta$man - especially with Hammer's tactic of bringing him off the bench. Obviously not test rugby, but nonetheless. If he goes well he's got a chance to give big Wyatt's place in the pecking order a nudge.
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This AB team looks about the best that we can field, though I'm a bit surprised Hames is starting and Crockett is on the bench.
Missing about a third of our best starting XV though - with Franks, Moody, Kaino, and two of Dagg, Ben Smith and Jordie ahead of DMac and NMS in my opinion.
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Crockett has been a very good finisher and will be a good insurance blanket for Hansen if Hames is struggling.
Whilst I was hopeful Fifita would be fit, Hansen and co are investing plenty into Ardie. Hopefully he has a big one off the bench this weekend.
Just on the midfield, it's clear that Sonny Bill is a senior AB in this squad and unlikely to lose his starting spot unless for suspension or injury. What I'd like to see is some adjustment in the attack with SBW and Crotty interchanging a bit more at both set piece and phase play. Sonny is like an extra forward out there and you can see why the coaches love having him close to the ball. But he's pretty effective with a bit more space as well.
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@Chris-B. It's pretty amazing to think that we are going into a test match against the Boks with Hames and Laulala as the starting props and a tighthead back up that is still trying to establish himself at this level.
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@Unco The term might be slightly loose.
But, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Kane Hames, Tim Perry - they've all spent time on our "conveyor belt" somewhere!Tim Perry got a rare game for the Crusaders this year against one of the Oz teams and he got completely smashed in the scrum - lifted off his feet.
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@Chris-B. Yoda seems to rate Perry
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@Chris-B. said in All Blacks vs Boks:
Missing about a third of our best starting XV though - with Franks, Moody, Kaino, and two of Dagg, Ben Smith and Jordie ahead of DMac and NMS in my opinion.
The Herald keeps trying to tell me Jerome's career in black is over. Geeze, I hope not.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks vs Boks:
@Chris-B. It's pretty amazing to think that we are going into a test match against the Boks with Hames and Laulala as the starting props and a tighthead back up that is still trying to establish himself at this level.
Think of Sopoaga getting thrown in the deep end for his first test, starting 10 . . . at Ellis Park. No baby steps there. At least these guys have played in black before, and have benefit of home comfort. It is impressive though. The heat will be on.
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@Chris-B. said in All Blacks vs Boks:
@Unco The term might be slightly loose.
But, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, Wyatt Crockett, Kane Hames, Tim Perry - they've all spent time on our "conveyor belt" somewhere!Tim Perry got a rare game for the Crusaders this year against one of the Oz teams and he got completely smashed in the scrum - lifted off his feet.
Romero / Romano is kind of prop-shaped. Isn't he a Nelsonian too?
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@Nepia said in All Blacks vs Boks:
@Chris-B. Clearly Hames' rise through the rugby ranks is all down to his time spent in Hawkes Bay at Te Aute College.
Well that's were Piri came out of, and he is the same size/shape as Hames...
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Springboks
15 Andries Coetzee (Emirates Lions), 6 caps, 0 points
14 Raymond Rhule (Toyota Cheetahs), 6 caps, 5 points (1 try)
13 Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), 22 caps, 30 points (6 tries)
12 Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Bulls), 32 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
11 Courtnall Skosan (Emirates Lions), 6 caps, 5 points (1 try)
10 Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions), 17 caps, 179 points (2 try, 32 conversions, 35 penalties)
9 Ross Cronje (Emirates Lions), 4 caps, 5 points (1 try)
8 Uzair Cassiem (Toyota Cheetahs) 4 caps, 5 points (1 try)
7 Jean-Luc du Preez (Cell C Sharks), 7 caps, 5 points (1 try)
6 Siya Kolisi (DHL Stormers), 22 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
5 Franco Mostert (Emirates Lions), 12 caps, 0 points
4 Eben Etzebeth (captain, DHL Stormers), 60 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
3 Ruan Dreyer (Emirates Lions), 1 cap, 0 points
2 Malcolm Marx (Emirates Lions), 8 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), 93 caps, 10 points (2 tries)Replacements:
16 Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers), 10 caps, 0 points
17 Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), 16 caps, 0 points
18 Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls), 31 caps, 5 points (1 try)
19 Lood de Jager (Vodacom Bulls), 30 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
20 Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers), 26 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
21 Francois Hougaard (Worcester Warriors, England) 45 caps, 25 points (5 tries)
22 Handré Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), 20 caps, 188 points (2 tries, 29 conversions, 37 penalties, 3 drop goals)
23 Damian de Allende (DHL Stormers), 24 caps, 15 points (3 tries)Franco Mostert and Jean-Luc du Preez are back in the Springbok starting team for Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks at the QBE Stadium in Albany, north of Auckland. The Emirates Lions lock, who was rested last week in Perth, will take over the No 5 jersey while Pieter-Steph du Toit is named as the utility forward cover on the bench, with Du Preez promoted to the starting team for the second time this season, in the place of the injured Jaco Kriel. The third and final change to the run-on team is in the front row, where Ruan Dreyer comes in at tighthead prop as replacement for the injured Coenie Oosthuizen, who has returned home after suffering a broken arm in the Wallabies clash. The rest of the match day squad remains the same, which gives the Bok starting team with a combined total of 300 Test caps a settled look and another chance to improve on their continuity.Eben Etzebeth will earn his 60th Test cap on Saturday and he will captain the side for the fifth time this year. -
Oops! | SA Rugby
