Finals: Predictions

Andrew: 76/94 (81%)
Kynan: 67/94 (71%)

Andrew's Predictions

Bulls vs Stormers - What the hell, Stormers by 3

Kynan's Predictions

Bulls vs Stormers - Bulls by 7+

Finals: Andrew's Team

THE ORCADIANS - Facebook S14

*New buys in italics

FR Tiaan Liebenburg (STM) - $1,510,000
FR Gary Botha (BUL) - $1,507,500

LK Victor Matfield (BUL) - $1,352,500
LK Andries Bekker (STM) - $1,617,500

LF Duane Vermeulen (STM) - $1,300,000
LF Pierre Spies (BUL) - $1,417,500

HV Fourie du Preez (BUL) - $1,292,500
HV Morne Steyn (BUL) - $1,507,500

CT Jaque Fourie (STM) - $1,452,500
CT Wynand Olivier (BUL) - $1, 560,000

OB Zane Kirchner (BUL) - $1,212,500
OB Gerhard van den Heever (BUL) - $667,500

Team Value: $16,397,500
Cash in Bank: $1,985,150

It's been a nightmarish couple of weeks, and feel like I'm limping to the finish. My shortage of trades has hurt me a lot and forced me to field some less-than-ideal lineups of late. All my own fault and, of course, I'll just need to remember this next comp and be a bit more conservative with my transfers.

I had just enough trades and no more to make up a full team for the final. There's not a lot of room anymore for surprise picks. Matfield was the only sane choice for the open berth in the locks. Likewise, Spies in the loosies. In the halves I plumped for du Preez over Grant just because he seems a (very slightly) less obvious choice. In the backs I went for van den Heever and Kirchner as they seem like the best of the few choices available - Habana's point scoring is pretty mediocre even when he scores tries.

I can't imagine there's any possibility of closing the 700 pt gap on Skulliz - so well played, sir. I'll be happy if I can just rise a few places in the world ranking and finish in the top 50.

Good luck everyone!

Finals: Kynan's Team

NO POOFTAHS - Facebook S14

*New buys in italics

FR Tiaan Liebenburg (STM) - $1,510,000
FR Gary Botha (BUL) - $1,507,500

LK Victor Matfield (BUL) - $1,352,500
LK Andries Bekker (STM) - $1,617,500

LF Schalk Burger (STM) - $1,220,000
LF Pierre Spies (BUL) - $1,417,500

HV Peter Grant (STM) - $1,482,500
HV Morne Steyn (BUL) - $1,507,500


CT Jacque Fourie (STM) - $1,452,500
CT Juan De Jongh (STM) - $632,500

OB Joe Pietersen (STM) - $975,000
OB Gerhard van den Heever (BUL) - $667,500

Team Value: $15,342,500
Cash in Bank: $97,250

With limited money, the question was where to spend it. My gut feel went with a low scoring game where the backs don't see much action. So I've gone for really cheap Outside Backs in Pietersen and van den Heever, but of the cheap guys, they are the highest average scorers.

In the centers, the strategy has been De Jongh over Olivier, because the's cheap, Olivier is going to run straight into him all night long - ratcheting up his tackle count, and I'm hoping for another moment of magic where he scores. Fourie... well, if any back is going to score, it will probably be him. He'll shut down Habana and the other Bulls outside backs with deadly defense, and should make a few strong carries to boot.

Everyone else picks themselves...

Go Stormers! Or Bulls! Either one. I'm a fan.

SA Players abroad

As a follow-up to my article about the depth of Springbok rugby, here is a list of SA players overseas (probably not exhaustive, by any means)

FRANCE

Toulouse – Daan Human (Prop), Shaun Sowerby (Flank), Bertus Swanepoel (Wing)
Toulon – Ross Skeate (Flank/Lock), Joe van Niekerk (Flank/8th), Dewald Meyer Senekal (Lock), Conrad Bernard (Scrum Half)
Racing Metro – Francios van der Merwe (Lock), Ashley Clarke (Flank), Jacques Cronje (Flank), Francios Steyn (Back Line), Gregory Goosen (Full Back)
Perpignan – Gerrie Brtiz (Lock), Steve Meyer (Fly Half), Gavin Hume (Centre), Philip Burger (Full Back/Wing)
Stade Francais – Rayno Gerber (Prop), Noel Oelschig (Scrum Half)
Montpellier – Danie Thiart (Prop), Pietman van Niekerk (Prop), Eugene van Staden (Prop), Dirkus Hancke (Lock), Johan Wasserman (Flank), Grant Rees (Centre), Jacques Schutte (Wing)
Clermont – Willie Wepenar (Prop), Marius Joubert (Centre), Brent Russel (Wing)
Castres – Michael Coetzee (Prop), Darren Nell (Flank)
Brieve – Patrick Bernard (Prop), Retief Uys (Lock), Antoine Claasen (Flank), Gerard Vosloo (Flank), Ronnie Cooke (Centre), Scott Spedding (Full Back)
Bourgion – Coenie Basson (Lock), Wessel Jooste (Lock), Rudy Coetzee (Centre)
Biarritz – Edward Coetzee (Prop), Trevor Hall (Lock)
Bayonne – Rob Linde (Lock), Jacque Deen (Flank), Sam Gerber (Centre)

IRELAND, SCOTLAND, WALES

Cardiff Blues – Andreas Pretorius (Flank)
Glasgow Warriors – DTH van der Merwe (Wing)
Leinster – Richardt Strauss (Flank/Hooker), CJ van der Linde (Prop)
Munster – Jean de Villiers (Centre), Wian du Preez (Prop)
Ulster – BJ Botha (Prop), Robbie Diack (8th Man)

UK

Bath – Michael Claasen (Scrum Half), Butch James (Fly Half), Luke Watson (Flank/8th man), Peter Dixon (Hooker)
Gloucester – Jake Boer (Flank)
Leeds – Hendre Fourie (Flank), Marco Wentzel (Lock)
Leicester – Ben Pienaar (Flank)
London Irish – Danie Coetzee (Hooker), Faan Rautenbach (Prop)
Newcastle – Ngobani Bobo (Centre)
Northhampton – Regardt Dreyer (Prop), Jaundre Kruger (Lock/Flank), Brian Mujati (Prop)
Saracens – Brad Barrit (Centre), Mouritz Botha (Lock), Schalk Brits (Hooker), Neil de Kock (Scrum Half), Petrus du Plessis (Prop), Derick Hougaard (Fly Half), Ernst Joubert (Flank / 8th man), Justin Melck (Flank/8th man), Ethienne Reynecke (Hooker), Frik Venter (Prop / Hooker)

There’s some talent there, but let’s be honest – how many front-line players are we really losing overseas? I see a lot of 3rd stringers there with a couple Bok starters, most of whom are coming home. Sowerby argues for inclusion — but do we really lose anything in Spies, Kankowski or even Russouw? Luke Watson proved he couldn’t hack it internationally… I could go on and on.

However… what I do see is the potential strength of our Super 14 franchises torn to shreds. Bring half these guys back and you have 2 fantastic Super 14 teams to supplement the jokers currently plying their trade in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. Same could be said for the Highlanders, Chiefs and Force. The Super 14 as a whole would raise its standard of play and be a far more fascinating contest.

Boks lack combinations

While it's great to see Bok coach De Villiers selecting some fantastic offshore talent, it's hard to hold out much hope for this cobbled together mob actually beating Wales (ordinary as they have been). The problem doesn't lie with the quality of player selected, or their experience - they have about as many test caps as the victorious 2007 WC 15 - but it is the lack of combinations that disturbs me.


In the front row, no problems - these guys have played together in numerous squads - even if not regularly in the last couple years. They'll find their groove. Bekker and Russouw - same deal. They've both been part of the Bok setup, even if their time together on-field has been limited.


But the trouble begins in the loosies. Big Joe has been out of the fold for a couple years and has probably never even met Potgieter or Louw, who have one cap and no caps respectively. How they are going to gel into an effective unit with only one weeks training is beyond me - I approve of all their selections, they're fantastic players who deserve a Bok callup - it's just using them all at once that seems crazy.


Januarie and Pienaar together just seems like a nightmare - Ruan is short on confidence at flyhalf and Ricky is fat, undisciplined (on-field and off) and must be totally demoralized at being dropped by the Stormers but still miraculously selected by the Boks. How can he not feel like a token brown man?


The centers are an interesting pick. James and De Villiers are old hands who have played many games together, but both one step closer to the scrum (likewise James and Pienaar). It's going to be interesting to see if they can find any sort of chemistry in this bizarre mash-up... with no training time, the answer has to be no.


Steyn and Ndungane were national and provincial partners and should add some reassurance to new cap Aplon (who is a fantastic selection, in my opinion, even if he is too small for international rugby).


Bringing Bosman, De Jongh and Basson on at any time will compound the issues even further - though one can't help but feel that a 2nd half with Ruan at 9, James at 10, De Villiers 12 and De Jongh 13 looks far more stable and convincing.


I'd like to try comment on Chiliboy's inclusion, but the fact of the matter is, I've NEVER seen the guy play (and I watch a LOT of rugby). He might be Spies and Bismarck combined, but how would we know? He's been in senior rugby for 4 years without EVER getting a game! I've seen him run on for about a minute every now and then, but how can a player be expected to find any form without regular game time? It's a travesty of mismanagement. Hanyani Shimange springs to mind - the poor guy warmed the Bok and Stormers bench for years before packing it in and moving to Boland, just so he could feel the grass under his feet. But, by then, his career was in ruins. No doubt Chiliboy is headed for the same fate... one start in eighteen Super 14 Games and eight tests. It's sad and an incredible disservice to a (reportedly) talented player.


Wales would have to be monumentally awful to lose at home to this crew... but then again, they are.


Springboks - 15 Frans Steyn, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Butch James, 11 Odwa Ndungane, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 BJ Botha, 2 John Smit (c), 1 CJ van der Linde.
Subs: Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Meyer Bosman, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Bjorn Basson.