ADFSL

Tank has said it before: If Nz loses Carter and/or McCaw (but more spesfically Dan) then they are a well beatable team.

Now I and prob most of you would agree that Carter currently does not have his equal in world rugby.

But does Dan the Man have BMT? Can he cope when he is placed under huge pressure?

I’m not so sure.

For one he hardly ever has to play behind a pack going backwards thus giving him ample time to do his magic.

Then in 2007 when the Blacks lost against France many said it was the ref; they were unlucky; but in truth the blacks were mutch beter than the French and would have easily won that game if it was a EOYT match. For me Carter did not handle the presure well.

In 2005 at Newlands Carter for once had to play behind a none dominating pack and he prob had his worst game in his carreer.

{In 2009 when the boks won the TN. The boks again had him under huge presure and he had no answers. (Yes I know the laws have changed and the Blacks team has grown a lot since then)} this is incorrect it was actually Donald that played. I thought Carter played in the home game in Nz (sorry MU)

In 2010 Crusaders vs Stormers on Newlands again the Stormers had the upper hand in the rucks and mauls and again Carter went MIA.

In 2011 Crusaders vs Reds the final again when there was huge presure n Carter he did not have his finist game. 

So my question is easy when have Carter really shown BMT in a high presure situation? He has won a few Super rugby titles but it was always when the Crusaders were easily the best team in the comp and there was no real opposition ie the Bulls had a bad year or the Reds was not there yet.

He has also won countless TN tittles but TN is not a do or die situation cause their is no semi or final.

THAT SAID this All Black team is a great one and the tight 5 are going to be difficult to dominate.

But I recon if one can put Carter under a little bit of presure the presure of the situation will get the better of him and he will have a bad game.

Cheers

Look in the past I have been harsh on Pieter and John but thats only cause they represent the Boks at the moment and I am a pasionate supporter. I critisized them a lot.

BUT tonight at the post squad anouncement media briefing they both really made me proud.

OK so Pieter did say his odd stuff: Like we sent Muller and Flo back to their clubs to see how they play for them. If I’m not mistaken they have not played any rugby since the 3N began.

BUT when John was asked by this independent journo how he feels as captain not being the best in his position he handeld it very profesionally saying anybody is entitled to their opinion and no player choose himself. A very inapropriate question if I may add.

BUT the highlight of the night was PdV: When he said if people say John should not be there they are not dissing John but him as coach and selector!

And when the inevetable question over race was thrown at PdV: He had the best answer I have ever heard. He said he has no clue how many black players there is in the squad. He only choose the best 30 players to his and his fellow selectors minds with no race in mind.

Now thats transformation. If you can look at a squad and only see players and not their skin colour. I wish the ANC can understand this concept.

He then continued to say nobody can help it if they are black;white;brown;yellow and only the best rugby players should go to Nz.

He also added that he can’t predict which colour skin the best players will be; but he can meke the best players available to the comunity and in that esp. previously disatvantaged  comunities to inspire you players.

Well said and well handled. And for that journo that tried to be the controversial person in the room. GFYS!!!

Cheers

I am borred again so here goes:

Their is mutch speculation on the 30 man squad to go to the WC. With no real surprises expected I like to think ahead to 11 Sept 2011. Who would you start.

1. Beast – I don’t know if Steenkamp can be totally match fit after just 1 start so I would start him of the bench.

2. J Smit – He is still the captain and against Wales he can get away with being a bit slow arround the park.

3. J du Plessis – He is the only 3 we have.

4. B Botha – The enforcer against Wales is a must.

5. V Matfield – Vice captain and with Bekker out he is the best we have got.

6. H Brussow – He has proven his weight in gold.

7. S Burger – With Juan out I would start Schalk at 7. His work rate and defencive abilities are unriveled. I would bring Albert on

    as a impact player like in 2010 EOYT it worked great then and it will again.

8. P Spies – He has had a very poor 2010 and 2011 S15 but has shown signs against Aus and Nz that he is starting to ref up a bit. So I would start with him if he is quiet one can always bring on Alberts.

9. F du Preez – has not been in good form at all but M Steyn sure does play a lot better next to him. But I still would want him to get our backline moving. Hougaard is very good but can come on as Impact maybe even on the wing.

10. M Steyn – Now I’m not his biggest fan but we need a goal kicker and nobody can rival him.

11. B Habana – Mr Habana has improved so mutch this season he is back to his old best esp on defence. Just tell him no intercepts none!!

12. J de Villiers – Also have been out of form. F Steyn might be an option esp with his long boot. But not in the 1st game.

13. J Fourie – The worlds best centre self proclaimed is in good form. He is still a deadly finisher if JdV can just get that magic going again.

14. JP Pietersen – Was in great form in S15. It isn’t his fault that nobody gives him any decent ball. He should just work on his defence

15. P Lambie – I’ll choose him ahead of Steyn cause of his ability to get the backline away. Him and Morne can sometimes swop around (like a married couple in DeDoorns) and if he is at 10 then maybe JP can see more ball??

16. B du Plessis – would be the perfect impact player in this game against fiji samoa and Nz I’ll start him ahead of Smit.

17. CJ van der Linde – Can play both sides.

18. G Steenkamp – In the perfect world Beast should be the sub but don’t know about Steenkamps fitness?

19. D Rossouw – not in great form but with no Bekker would you want to risk Mossie?

20. W Alberts – The perfect super sub in my mind.

21. F Hougaard – Can play 13 , 14 , 11 , 9 and has a never say die attitude.

22 F Steyn – I am tempted to start him at 12. Very. Can play 12 15 10 and 14 (although not so fast anymore)

I don’t know if a 5-2 split is so smart but against Wales it might be an advatage. Also in Hougaard and Steyn you can cover the whole backline.

PS. My spell checker does not work and I know i can’t spell. Sorry

After Sa one big question comes to mind. Do the Boks really need Smit. He is not half the player Bismark is at the moment and really is to slow to keep up with the modern game.

Smit is a good scrummer and good in the line-outs and is a good captain. (although the boks lost like most of their last games Smit captained)

It is prob to late to drop Smit completely so he will prob go along as an non-playing captain?

Can the boks afford not to play Bismark??

On another note FdP had a shocker of a game he will have to get his act right if we want to win the WC!!

It is prob because it is a “off” week for the Boks that the media is so quiet about who is fit and who is not.

So who would you want to face the Ausies in Durbs? Rest anymore players?

Me I would not the team needs to gel again and I would play my strongest team.

As follows:

15 F Steyn – He was apparently in not to good form in France but we have to see what he’s got before WC.

14 JP Pietersen – Was the form wing of S15 when not injured just hope this sitting around did not count against him.

13 J Fourie – Defencive master and is what we lacked all 3N.

12 J de Villiers – Not in his best form but from the last two test he still is miles ahead of every one else.

11 B Habana -Was getting better form to the end of the S15. And even just for his defence will pick him ahead of the rest.

10 B James – Everyone else got a chance I would give him one as well can’t be worse than M Steyn and we know what we got

                     in Lambie. I would play Lambie of the bench.

9 F du Preez – Deff not in his greatest form but needs game time to get it back. Hougaard is an option but if we what to win the

                       WC a on form F du Preez is a must.

8 P Spies – Now I am not a Spies fan he always goes 35km/h sideways and hardly ever runs over or throught people but with

                  Vermeulen injured he is the best we’ve got and maybe he can get back to the form of 2007?

7 S Burger – if fit a broken thumb takes 6 weeks and it will be exactly 6 weeks but then would we want to risk it at this point?

                    J Deysel was on of the only bright lights on the tour so maybe he can start in a full strength side?

6 H Brussow – This injury ridden man must get some game time. If he stays fit he is a must esp against Aus. If he is injured     

                       we can play anybody except Steggman!

5 V Matfield – With Bekker out injurred there is no more debate he is the best no 5 in SA.

4 B Botha – Also haven’t been in the best of form but you can’t get form by sitting on the sideline. Mostert is also an option

                   the guy played damn good in NZ.

3. J du Plessis – Well lets face it there is no world class no 3 in SA rugby at the moment. So Dr Jannie will have to pull those

                             socks up!!

2. J Smit – Yes I would also like B du Plessis playing but lets face it he will be on the bench with Smit moving to prop when he

                 comes on. Bismark is also not without his problems.

1. Beast – I don’t know if Steenkamp is ready? But if he is he will prob start of the bench.

My replacements will be Lambie, Hougaard, De Jong , Rossouw, Alberts, Bismark, Steenkamp if ready or CJ

What do you think??

Lets see who can ready Pdivy’s mind.

Ps lets face it nobody can read that mind its just to complex!