Not sure what to make of the most recent series of test matches and then the one that really put the fear into the bok fans or was it frustration.
For many years Rassie hasn’t been able to win over the world. The boks win, but when they talk about the best coaches, his name doesn’t appear, when they nominate coach of the year, his name doesn’t get called out. Yet, the man is creeping closer to 80% win record. every bok game feels like we are about to lose, and some times we do throw away games.
Last year we dropped 2 for this exact same team selection policy and no thought about fluidity, style, strategy and winning fans over. The boks are probably the most hated team. Rare for a winning team, France and NZ still seem to favoured among fans.
Rassie is hell bent on a large player pool.
He creates scenarios and conditions to almost ensure players fail. Sink or Swim
In his first few test we had that infamous wales test in the US where we lost and many players like the Du Preez brothers got discarded.
Yet, Fassi fails week in week out and still gets selected.
Rassie other ace up his sleeve is that he loves utilities.
He is playing for every moment in a match.
This is where he succeeds. Normally when you lose a player, the momentum of the game shifts like we saw WP vs NZ game.
Last year in France we suffered a red card, a few yellows and the team still dominated.
Yet, last night I’m starting to see cracks and feel it is unnecessary .
Rassie golden generation is coming to an end. They have been the spine of his success. These were all players that came through the youth structures at WP and most of them started their professional career while they were still under 21.
Kittshoff
Malherbe
Etzebeth
Kolisi
PSDT
Pollard
De Allende
Kriel
Kolbe
Last night were some players rubicon.
Then there a few outside WP like Lood, AE, Mostert, Kwagga, RG
Rassie is building the next gen group, but will it be too soon. Hooker, Moodie, Jan Hendrik, Hannekom.
Youngsters failing right now is Sasha.
Kolisi is cooked
Lood, done
Sasha hit his ceiling
Reinach, done
Thomas Du Toit, can’t scrum
Kittshoff force to retire
Malherbe has back problems
Pollard has been out of form all season
Etzebeth hanging in there by a thread
Etzebeth was the only revelation playing a full 80 min, not dominant, but got through a lot of work.
What should Rassie do? Use the first two matches to see if his stalwarts can make next year World Cup. Use this as a crowning moment for above mentioned players to cement their place by winning a tour and send off,
My view is he should select the players he want for 2031 World Cup. We saw that a C class player are better than a 100 cap player, injury prone, lack match sharpness and waste trying to gain form fitness in a test match
Or will end in another series lost to the old enemy.
I think Rassie only need 30 players for this series and should cut the dead weight.
1 ox, Stenekamp
2 Marx, Grobbies, Jan Hendrik
3 Wilco, Porthen, Sadie
4 Eben, Wiese
5 Nortje , Lomp (lock crisis)
6 Paul De Villiers , Van Staden (barely)
7 PSTD, Louw, barely
8 Wiese, Hannekom
9 Williams, van der berg
10 Pollard, Libbok (barely)
11 Kolbe, Van De Merwe
12 Dud, AE (barely)
13 Kriel, Moodie
14 Hooker, Edwill
15 Willemse, Horn
Yes, I’ve dropped Fassi, Kolisi and Sasha. Other than Kolisi who showed great form, his fitness and durability being the biggest problem Fassi and Sasha being hopeless out form.
These are the amount of players Rassie should have dialed in , not the 55 he capped in the first 4 games this season.
Keeping in mind we have a number of players out injured
