Botha returns for Boks against Scotland

BB seemed to play ok while he was on, but suddenly run out of puff. Whilst the Boks were never in danger of losing, and their biff bash style was effective in the first half, I find the tactics pretty dispiriting. To defend well, scrum and kick ok, and live off opposition errors might be the right tactics for the conditions, but why only resort to a more expansive game when you have to? We won the first half well, and scraped through in the second when we could have have played a bit of rugby.

Very intresting, the question begs to be asked though, which of the quoir boys for experimentational team choices would crucify Meyer first when he loses to Scotland of all teams. Second issue, Jacques Fourie was worse than Engelbrecht last week and Jean de Villiers has his defencive frailties, so Frans Steyn is probably the long term solution, especially when we start talking SBW. Kolisi is a rehash of Coetsee. How good is he really, well the question begs to be asked who'd you pick when the going got tough, Kolisi or Arnou Botha or Coetsee. Those three seem to be the three bracketed together. As for Botha, he's an enforcer, scotland will be a harder forward battle than Wales, so the best time to asses him would be now. Willie le Roux needs to be played at wing if you're going to play him. This leaves him a lot of improvisational latitude. Unfortunately you can't pick Willie at wing because then you've got to pick Kirchener, hence the Pieterson call up. Taute is also still firmly in Meyer's cross hairs at fullback I believe and ticks all the preferred Meyer traits. Adriaanse is a good scrummager and not to bad in the loose but his line out work is horrendous and he is probably considered a little short.

I've never understood why Bakkies seems to do more of the dirty stuff than most. Even if he only has done the stuff he's been copped for, some of it was pretty lousy. Most of us Saffas have taken then attitude that"at least he's our bastard", but I wonder how much better he could have been if he'd just stuck to playing rugby? I'm proud of a Bok who relishes the physical, but I'm acutely aware of the hypocracy of when he's praised for the integrity he brings to the team dynamic, or the moment of prayer as he takes to the field.

Nonu?

Thanks Harry. I do like chilli ;)

Nicksa: Given the improvement of the Boks (losing only to NZ in epic struggles) this year, I have a hard time criticizing Meyer. He may know what he needs to see from Serfontein, Pieter-Steph, JJ, and Oosthuizen, and simply doesn't yet see it. Also, building depth is not just from the kids; bringing back guys like JPP, Jaque, and Bakkies builds depth, and takes some man management. I think we're getting to that 25 of the 30 that Meyer wanted to know, for the WC.

Or the butcher on 5 Tory Street in Wellington.

DR: Try this Auckland-based biltong place: fredsfinefoods@xtra.co.nz +64 9 4755184 Try the chili biltong.

Cheers mate. This was the ideal opportunity to pick an experimental team, I understand he wants to win, but sometimes it is worth risking a loss after a good season if you can gain valuable information from your experimentation. Was I Heyneke Meyer I would have used this match to rest tired legs and selected 1 Coenie Oosthuizen 2 Adriaan Strauss (C) 3 Frans Malherbe 4 Eben Etzebeth 5 Pieter Steph du Toit 6 Siya Kolisi 7 Willem Alberts 8 Duane Vermeulen 9 Fourie du Preez 10 Lambie 11 JP Pietersen 12 Jan Serfontein 13 Jaque Fourie 14 JJ Engelbrecht 15 Willie le Roux Bench 16 Beast 17 Bismarck 18 Lourens Adriaanse 19 Bakkies Botha 20 Francois Louw 21 Ruan Pienaar 22 Jean de Villiers 23 Bryan Habana This way if things go badly you can bring on some experience He will learn a lot more by giving his youngsters a go than this Sunday with the squad he has picked. This year for example, In June the series against Scotland, Italy and Samoa was a perfect opportunity to do that. Against Italy he handed debuts to Arno Botha Jano Vermaak Jan Serfontein JJ engelbrecht Willie le Roux Trevor Nyakane Against Scotland he handed debuts to: Siya Kolisi Piet v Zyl Against Samoa there were no new caps, but the youngsters played in their second and third tests. So from that perspective he has done well. but now we come to the end of the season, and the senior players need some rest. Firstly Pieter Steph du Toit would have already started this year was he not injured. Jan Serfontein has not played any full games this year, but only subbed Jean de Villiers or JJ Engelbrecht in tests for the last quarter or less. At Scrumhalf, Jano Vermaak got injured in his first test, now he is overseas. So we need to test a youngster at nine. For me this is the perfect opportunity to keep continuity, but give Pieter Steph du Toit, Jan Serfontein and a few other youngsters a start. That is where I see a problem.

Biltong I feel that as well,C.Reinach,Allende & so many more really deserved a look,I still disagree that overseas shouldnt be picked ;-),prime reason is I feel there wasnt enough time for HM to build a competitive team for the WC,I'm still waiting for anything that can convince me otherwise so we still have a clash of opinions,love it :-),by the way I really enjoy reading your piece.

I actually like the sqaud, scotland tend to play a game that frustrates the boks so it is a nice blend of experience and youth. I would have liked to give JDV a rest but maybe he opted not to because the backline is basically entirely new...

I actually like the sqaud, scotland tend to play a game that frustrates the boks so it is a nice blend of experience and youth. I would have liked to give JDV a rest but maybe he opted not to because the backline is basically entirely new...

BenS, Wales is coming to SA next June

Now Steve TP, I am not inferring anything, but if the shoe fits...............

Interesting list. First off, players are still fine at thirty, especially tight forwards so the problem looks worse than it is. Also a lot of these guys are backed up by promising young players that being slowly phased into the team. The problem is with Steenkamp, De Villiers, Fourie, Habana and the scrumhalves. I think (hope) that Bakkies is just a rope-in for this tour, but anyway he is still way behind Etzebeth for the number four lock position. If you look at the positions in detail you find that De Villiers and Fourie are backed up by Serfontein and Engelbrecht. Personally I would have preferred another younger guy in there, but the situation is hardly critical. We need to find young wing to introduce, but it is far from clear who that will be. Steenkamp's selection annoys me because he is not player very well, is getting on in age, we have some exciting alternatives and he is based overseas. His continued selection is blocking the introduction of guys like Kitshoff and Nyakane. Scrumhalf is little more tricky. There aren't any stand-out candidates, and as Ruan Pienaar has shown, being "good" isn't good enough when you are asked to stand in for Fourie Du Preez. But Meyer has also made some mistakes in this regard. During the rugby championship he had Jano Vermaak and Piet van Zyl backing up, but Vermaak has been discarded on the basis on age and playing overseas. Piet van Zyl has been replaced by Louis Schreuder. Its unclear why Van Zyl has been discarded, but the fact remains time and effort has been invested in Van Zyl only to drop him and start afresh with another player who at very best hasn't shown a lot more. In Meyer's defense also, there have been injuries to younger players that would have featured in his plans this season. Jaco Taute, Francois Hougard, Francois Steyn (only 26) and Arno Botha have missed the entire season, while guys like Goosen and Malherbe have only just returned from injury. A guy like Paul Jordaan (centre) might also have featured in his plans, but for his season ending injury. All that said, had I been in Meyer's position I would have backed youth more than he has, not so much for players deteriorating, but to rather to inject a little more youthful excitement into the team environment. As long as the team is winning it is hard to criticize the path that was chosen, but I am not convinced it is the right path.

I hope you're not inferring my boy, that BB does that stuff BDP does - never!! he's just into lying on top of somebody, biting, head butting gouging - stuff that BDP would NEVER use!!!

Absollutely chum, be a bit of a giggle watching BB at it again - lying on top of somebody, biting head butting gouging - all the usual stuff. a small man has to compensate for.

Australia will trade QC and 3 forwards for one Bakkies! :) Bakkies hardens his fellow forwards, people often say they like the hard stuff... Bakkies lives for it, something lacking in the aussie forwards. MY concern is at 9, this tour was the perfect time to blood a new 9 under Du Preeze in Northern conditions. With an ageing Du Preeze and an OK Ruan I feel there needs to be a young gun. Its the only position that I am worried about.

No Mick, i have never seen the appeal. Biltong is essentially the same as beef jerky? Perhaps i need to go to SA to experience the real thing. Long way to go for a snack but......should probably tie it in with a rugby match or too. Now we are cookin...............

Why has Meyer recalled players from outside. Botha, JP, Jacques and Fourie DP are all playing outside the system. He will not build his side for the RWC if he keeps doing this. I also think Kolisi is the breath of fresh air the forwards have had for some time. Meyer needs to keep searching for players like him and Ezebeth. His current crop of tight forwards can't go on for ever. See their ages in a previous post