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New Zealand are always crying about the number of players they have overseas, which, incidentally, is about the same as South Africa.
Yet the Boks have a significant advantage in experienced players in both the starting and back-up slots, positioning them well for a World Cup triumph over the All Blacks.
As this season is proving, the Kiwis are just one or two injuries away from disaster – partly because they refuse to even consider their foreign legion. But as my SA squad will prove, very few foreign players are even required for the Boks to look formidable.
The Kiwis don’t look so intimidating. Nonu’s injury, for instance, has left them with zero capped candidates worth considering. McAlister has been awful and second string at the Blues, Toeava is injured, Bowden is leaving and ineligible, leaving the uncapped and limited Benson Stanley as front-runner.
Same thing at flyhalf and loose-forward. Carter has been off the boil, but there is no viable back-up. Donald is injured (and can’t kick), Brett is erratic, Cruden is a child… and they won’t pick Nick Evans. McCaw, Read, Thompson and Kaino are awesome. Beyond them, So’oialo is past it, Lauaki is a nightmare, Latimer is inexperienced, and Braid is technically not eligible. They can only afford one injury here and it better not be to McCaw.
If the World Cup was starting tomorrow, everything would point to a Bok victory come semi-final time. SA has depth beyond the requirements of a World Cup squad in all but one position – and it’s not tight-head prop!
Bok international candidates include:
Props – there has been some fear about South Africa’s front row, but really the cupboard is pretty well stocked at both one and three.
1. Mtawarira, Steenkamp, W. Du Preez.
3. BJ Botha, van der Linde, J Du Plessis.
Hookers – even with a long-term injury to Bismarck, SA boasts a plethora of talented and experienced international hookers.
2. Smit, A Strauss, Liebenberg, G Botha.
Locks – again, the four best locks in the world probably all live in South Africa and plenty of others that would walk into most international teams.
4. B Botha, D Russouw, Fondse.
5. Matfield, Bekker, Sykes.
Loosies – no country can even compare to the richness of loose-forward talent South Africa currently have at their disposal, even with Brussow injured. Our outcasts are consistently the best loosies in the French and English competitions – drawing gasps of shock that Sowerby and Watson can be left in outer darkness.
6. J Smith, Deysel, Alberts.
7. Burger, Grobler, Potgieter.
8. Spies, Kankowski, Vermuelen.
Scrum-half – again, two of the three best scrumhalves in world rugby live in South Africa. The Welsh were all shocked Januarie couldn’t get a game in SA, but on merit he’s not even in the top five.
9. F Du Preez, Pienaar, Duvenhage.
Fly-half – this hasn’t been a strong suit for SA since Honiball retired. But it’s not looking too bleak this season with Steyn emerging last year as the ultimate match-winner and Grant leading the Stormers revolution.
10. M Steyn, James, Grant.
Midfield – this is probably South Africa’s weakest area. The front-liners are great, but then it tails off very quickly. With Jacobs out, who is really in line to replace Fourie at 13?
12. De Villiers, Olivier, Bosman.
13. Fourie… uh, De Jongh?
Wings – an injury crisis has left the Boks short of experience here, but there is plenty of talent to cover the position. Pieterson, A Ndungane, Mapoe and Nokwe would all have been contenders.
11. Habana, van der Heerver.
14. Chavanga, Aplon, O Ndungane.
Fullback – there are some solid, if unspectacular choices here. Steyn excepted.
15. F Steyn, Kirshner, Terblanche.
What do you think?
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