Posts made by cgrant

"This group of young men" : this doesn't apply to Geldenhuys, IMO.

Nehe Milner Skudder ?

Ben Afeaki was a better player than Ben Tameifuna IMO. It's a shame he had to withdraw from rugby because of concussion.

Worries if the current specialists are maintained :

• Defence (McLeod) : porous, to say the least. I would have liked to see a specialist of the rush defence.
• Kicking from hand (Hill) : was very poor. Is Hill the main culprit or is it because Barrett and Mo'unga don't know how to kick ?

A big turning point was the scrum penalty against NZ. Ridiculous decision IMO. SA scored a few seconds later and it was game over.

Sorry, Caleb and not Calb.

Is Calb Clarke injured ?

Josh Lord is pretty young, isn't he ? Just 17 years old. Even too young for the Dev. team IMO.

@OomPB said in SA S15 Conference 2020:

We lost a lot of players and at this stage no franchise had their squads on paper, so still a lot of guessing.

The Stormers: (last year of rugby on Newlands)

My A team:
Herschel Jantjies/Damian Willemse/Seaball Senatla/Huw Jones/Daniel du Plessis/Sergeal Pietersen/Dillian Lleyds
Steven Kitshoff/Bongi/Frans Malherbe/JD Schickerling/Moerat/Kolisi/PsdT/Jaco Coetzee

B Team
Jano Vermaak/Josua Stander (JL du Plessis)/Adwill van der Merwe/Rikus Prinsloo/Ruhan Nel/Lionel Zas/Tristen Lleyds
Ali Vermaak/Scarra/Wilco Louw/C vanZyl/Meihuizen/Ernst van Rhyn/Trokkie

BULLS
Bulls Player losses:
Schalk Brits (Retired)
Lood de Jager (to England Sale Sharks)
Jason Jenkins (to Japan Toyota Verblitz)
Eli Snyman (to Italy Benetton)
RG Snyman (to Japan Honda Heat)
Hendré Stassen (to France Stade Français)
Thembelani Bholi (to Southern Kings)
Jannes Kirsten (to England Exeter Chiefs)
Paul Schoeman (to Japan Honda Heat)
Roelof Smit (to Lions)
Hanro Liebenberg (to England Leicester Tigers)
Duane Vermeulen (to Japan Kubota Spears)
André Warner (to Lions)
Handré Pollard (to France Montpellier)
Chris Smith (returned to Pumas)
JT Jackson (to Southern Kings)
Jesse Kriel (to Japan Canon Eagles)
Travis Ismaiel (to England Harlequins)
Duncan Matthews (to Lions)

Confirmed gains so far:
Juandré Kruger (from France Toulon)
Abongile Nonkontwana (from Cheetahs)
Josh Strauss (from England Sale Sharks)
Morné Steyn (from France Stade Français)

LIONS
Props
Johannes Jonker
Leo Kruger
Nathan McBeth
Sti Sithole
Dylan Smith
Frans van Wyk
Jannie du Plessis ?
Asenathi Ntlabakanye

Hookers
PJ Botha
Jan-Henning Campher
Pieter Jansen

Locks
Rhyno Herbst
Reinhard Nothnagel
Marvin Orie
Ruben Schoeman
PJ Steenkamp
Ruan Vermaak

Loose forwards
Cyle Brink
Hacjivah Dayimani
Pikkie de Villiers
Len Massyn
Marnus Schoeman
Vincent Tshituka
Francke Horn
Roelof Smit

Scrum-halves
Ross Cronjé
Andre Warner
Dillon Smit
Bradley Thain
Morné van den Berg

Fly-halves
Eddie Fouché
Shaun Reynolds
Elton Jantjies
James Mollentze

Centres
Jan-Louis la Grange
Manuel Rass
Wandisile Simelane
Dan Kriel
Lourens van der Schyff

Wingers
Tyreeq February
Duncan Matthews
Stean Pienaar
Jamba Ulengo
Courtnall Skosan

Fullbacks
Tyrone Green
Gianni Lombard
Andries Coetzee
Tiaan Swanepoel

SHARKS
Sharks Player losses:

Tendai Mtawarira (retired)
Coenie Oosthuizen (to England Sale Sharks)
Cullen Collopy (to United States New Orleans Gold)
Akker van der Merwe (to England Sale Sharks)
Ruan Botha (to England London Irish)
Jean-Luc du Preez (to England Sale Sharks)
Jacques Vermeulen (to England Exeter Chiefs)
Dan du Preez (to England Sale Sharks)
Philip van der Walt (to England Newcastle Falcons)
Robert du Preez (to England Sale Sharks)
Andre Esterhuizen (to Japan Munakata Sanix Blues)
Kobus van Wyk (to New Zealand Hurricanes)
Rhyno Smith (to Cheetahs)
Courtney Winnaar (to Southern Kings)
Robert du Preez Snr (released) - Coach

Player gains so far:
Michael Kumbirai (from Stormers)
Ox Nché (from Cheetahs)
Jordan Sesink-Clee (from Maties)
Sikhumbuzo Notshe (from Stormers)
James Venter (from Lions)
Henco Venter (from Cheetahs)
Jordan Chait (from Maties)
Werner Kok (from South Africa Sevens)
Madosh Tambwe (from Lions)
Sean Everitt (from Sharks) - Coach

Juandre Kruger is currently playing for the Llanelli Scarlets.

Sam Davies was very good when he was playing for the U20s but could not fulfill this early promise at the professional level.

The assistant I most want to change is McLeod. I have nothing against him but under his expertise, the All Blacks' defence looked way too passive, not up to the standards shown by England or South Africa. I'd like to see Wayne Smith back in the assistants' team, particularly if Robertson is named as he would bring his great experience.

I did not think that Tupou Vai'i was so young.

Martin has signed overseas.

Yes, I think Goodhue and ALB are too similar, ALB being faster though. The ABs need more penetration in midfield in order to nullify their opponents' rush defence.

@taniwharugby
If you were watching La Rochelle, you would see that Vito is past it. I hope for him and his team this is just a problem of fitness.
12. I can't wait to see what Nankivell could do. He has developed very quickly this year and could be a bolter for the ABs.

Adrian Choat is not an omission as he is heading overseas (or is he heading overseas because he was overlooked ?).
Alex Ainley is now very old.
Tima Fainganuuku was just average in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Mitch Jacobson is too light for SR.
Sam Caird has to put on weight (as did Selby-Rickitt last year).

With so many players leaving overseas, it has become obvious the number of omissions would be low.

The new squads are seemingly weaker than those of the past years, mainly because of the exodus affecting much younger players and a number of long serving stars.
However, I am convinced that 4 or 5 NZ teams - at least - will make the top 8 as the SA teams are even more weakened than their NZ counterparts.
Super Rugby is becoming a competition for the development of young players and I expect its level of play to decline significantly as soon as next year.

Possible starting XV :

DLB
Coltman
Tokolahi
Whetton
PPP
Frizell
Lentjies
TBN
Smith
Ioane
?
Walden
Thompson
?
McKay

Vaa'i's omission is odd since the big locks stocks are very thin.