The Run Home: South African Conference

Good point. I'm not a fan of Morne Steyn getting anywhere near a Bok jersey again, but jeez, there was a man who understood his limits and was incredibly non-injury-prone.

Foley is like a '2nd scrum half' Works perfectly for Cheik-ball's up-tempo. Beale is his creator. QC is a backline general. Also sets expectations with his pack. Good vision and read of situation. Excellent team articulator. But injure prone. Seems he doesnt have a balanced understanding of his physical capability

thought it was a brave call :lol:

I'm a big fan of QC (his rugby, that is). I think he got rid of some of his flaws pre-2013. I'd go with him over Foley in QF and SF, at least. Foley hasn't really taken a game against NZ or SA by the scruff of the neck and dominated at 10. QC can do that at times (he can also throw passes that nobody wants or needs!)

Fence sitter!

Harry, THP such a critical position, particularly in England. Wish Wallabies had as much depth as the Boks. Legends of Matfield, de Villiers and du Preez, will the old knees hold out? I like the look of Pollard, 5/8 another key position this World Cup. Blacks and Wallabies have to get this position right too. Cruden injury a headache for the Kiwis. Is Folley up to it? Will Cooper come back from the dead? And what role will injuries play to all sides from here? Things may look different in five months.

He's certainly a man of many talents! He can also cover at 13 where the Springboks seem to be lacking.

I like it. He can play wing or centre, too. More like a NZ back--versatile.

Stormers are going to rest Kitshoff and Etzebeth this week. Eben has played 5 straight and has been doing the full 80:00. Kebble and Vermaak to be LHPs.

With Jesse Kriel coming off the bench to add some more X-factor late in the game.

Lostintokyo, the guru behind the Stormers defence was hired by Meyer (in fact, his loss was one of the reasons for the Stormer's defensive struggles for a bit). I agree that if Meyer gets his selection right, particularly on the bench eight, we should be hard to knock out of the World Cup. Of particular interest is our props: much better depth now that Oosthuizen has learned to be a THP, Malherbe, Koch, and Marcel vd Merwe look good at THP, too. No need for Jannie to miss 5 tackles in 50 minutes, just to earn one or two scrum penalties. Malherbe can win you those same penalties, but also tackle; and Oosthuizen is a very good ball carrier. On the LHP side, Beast-Nyakane-Kitshoff a very good depth chart. All of them tackle and carry, too. Loose forwards are abundant. Our big question marks are at 5 and 13. Matfield is penciled in at 5, but his knees are fragile. Damian de Allende is the best 12 we have in SA, so I suppose Jean de Villiers, if he returns, will go to 13. Personally, I can't see him playing test rugby this year; so I'd have an all-Stormer midfield (de Allende and de Jongh) playing outside a Bull halfback combo (Pollard and du Preez), with a lethal back three of le Roux-Habana-Hougaard.

If the Boks can replicate the Stormers defensive line they will be hard to beat this year. With key Boks being rested, young forwards with potential to be greats and flair out wide, looks like a good international season ahead. Life at the top of rugby is not getting any easier. Which team has the cream to rise to the top end October? World Cup will be a ripper!

Thanks for the article KiwiDave. TImely. Not sure Stormers is likely to lose to the Cheetahs this weekend though.

A draw

Not sure about "the most open conference". The Stormers have got it all but wrapped up, with their only realistic opposition the Bulls looking pretty ordinary and yet to tour Australasia. Whereas in NZ the Hurricanes and the Chiefs have a monumental battle on their hands, including playing each other twice, and the Highlanders and Crusaders yapping at their heels. Even the Aussies have two teams which could realistically win the conference.

Have to back the Bulls I think, would love to see the Lions do it though.

Bulls by 3.