This weekend saw the conclusion of the ABSA Currie Cup, with The Sharks upsetting overwhelming favourites, before the game, DHL Western Province, by playing the better tactical game and winning by a handsome 33 / 19. This leaves us with the International window opening again and all Southern Hemisphere sides getting ready to travel north, for the End Of Year Tours.

It would however not be fitting to move our attention over to the Internationals, without paying tribute to those domestic stars, who performed out of their skins for their respective Unions in the Currie Cup. For this purpose and although the Springboks took part in the latter rounds of the Currie Cup, we decided to compose 2 Player-by-player sides of the best candidates in their positions, but purposely excluding the players of the Springbok group from the equasion.

Chief writers, Rudi Geldenhuys and Timothy Bornman takes a look at these players… and it appears that in most positions the same logic applies, however there are certain positions where we differ on exactly who performed best. We chose not to pick players out of position but rather to choose players in the positions they regularly played during the Competition.

Unfortunately, there is no place for second comers, so only 1 player per position is chosen by us.

Rudi Geldenhuys XV:

1. Loosehead Prop: Steven Kitshoff (WP)
2. Hooker: Scarra Ntubeni (WP)
3. Tighthead Prop: Pat Cilliers (WP)
4. No 4 Lock: Pual Willemse (Blue Bulls)
5. No 5 Lock: Pieter-Steph du Toit (The Sharks)
6. Openside Flank: Derick Minnie (Golden Lions)
7. Blindside Flank: Lappies Labuschagne (FS Cheetahs)
8. No 8: Willie Britz (Golden Lions)
9. Scrumhalf: Charl McLeod (The Sharks)
10. Flyhalf: Demetri Catrakilis (WP)
11. Left Wing: Cheslin Kolbe (WP)
12. Inside Centre: Damian de Allende (WP)
13. Outside Centre: Louis Ludik (The Sharks)
14. Right Wing: Odwa Ndungane (The Sharks)
15. Fullback: Gio Aplon (WP)

In some positions competition was feirce and the choices close – special mention goes to Bongi Mbonambi (hooker – Blue Bulls), Frans Malherbe (tighthead prop – WP), Deon Fourie (openside flank – WP), Philip van der Walt (No 8 – FS Cheetahs), Sarel Pretorius (scrumhalf – FS Cheetahs), Marnitz Boshoff (flyhalf & fullback – Golden Lions), Anthony Volmink (left wing – Golden Lions), Robert Ebersohn (inside centre – FS Cheetahs), Francois Venter (inside centre – Blue Bulls), Heimar Williams (outside centre – The Sharks) and SP Marais (fullback – The Sharks)… and I would even add in Currie Cup First Division players like Coenie van Wyk (fullback – Pumas), Carl Bezuidenhout and JC Roos (flyhalves – Pumas).

The question for me is whether these special players in No 1 to 15 in my team (in their positions) merit inclusion in the Springbok Tour group for the End Of Year Toursor not?

I believe some overplayed Springbok players need to be rested, some overseas players need to be discarded or replaced and some depth should be built / found in some critical positions like tighthead prop, No 5 lock, scrumhalf, flyhalf, outside centre and fullback.

In light of this, I would like to see the following players ADDED in the Springbok Tour group, when the squad is announced on Monday afternoon at 16:30:

• Hooker: Scarra Ntubeni – 3rd hooker option in place of Chiliboy Ralepelle
• Tighthead props: Lourens Adriaanse, Pat Cilliers & Frans Malherbe – Jannie du Plessis needs rest and I’d play Coenie Oosthuizen only at loosehead
• Locks: Pieter-Steph du Toit – in place of Juandré Kruger, Bakkies Botha as extra enforcer lock
• Scrumhalf: Charl McLeod – he almost singlehandedly demolished the Blue Bulls in 1 game, and had a huge hand in demolishing WP on the weekend, Rory Kockott – best in French Top 14 and a goal kicker
• Flyhalf: Demetri Catrakilis – the closest player to a Morné Steyn-like mould, suitable for Heyneke to work with at flyhalf
• Left wing: Cheslin Kolbe – one needs to prepare for when Bryan Habana is no longer there, I would take Kolbe with, in the group for the experience, not to start in a Test
• Centre: Damian de Allende – is a good option at inside or outside centre, big and strong, one for the future
• Fullback: Gio Aplon – he played his heart out all Currie Cup and deserves a re-call to the Springboks as alternative to Zane Kirchner

Some players touted by all and sundry to include in the Springbok Tour group, who I believe are either not ready yet / fully over their injuries and ailments / are beyond their best and not up to International standard anymore,  include –  Johan Goosen (needs more game and recovery time), Schalk Burger (not up to standard), Frans Steyn (not up to standard), Juandré Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Ruan Pienaar, the Ulsterman.

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Timothy Bornman XV:

1. Loosehead Prop: Steven Kitshoff (WP)
2. Hooker: Scarra Ntubeni (WP)
3. Tighthead Prop: Frans Malherbe (WP)
4. No 4 Lock: Pual Willemse (Blue Bulls)
5. No 5 Lock: Pieter-Steph du Toit (The Sharks)
6. Openside Flank: Derick Minnie (Golden Lions)
7. Blindside Flank: Lappies Labuschagne (FS Cheetahs)
8. No 8: Philip van der Walt (FS Cheetahs)
9. Scrumhalf: Louis Schreuder (WP)
10. Flyhalf: Demetri Catrakilis (WP)
11. Left Wing: Cheslin Kolbe (WP)
12. Inside Centre: Howard Mnisi (Griquas)
13. Outside Centre: Damian de Allende (WP)
14. Right Wing: Odwa Ndungane (The Sharks)
15. Fullback: Marnitz Boshoff (Golden Lions)

This was one one of those seasons that proved why SA Rugby needs a Currie Cup season. This Currie Cup season gave us a lot of new and young talent to focus on and I am sure that Heyneke Meyer has a huge list of players he has to consider for the End Of Year Tour.  With the young talent that came through this year one has to question again as to whether Meyer should consider any overseas-based players.

We have quite a number of players in each position that can be chosen to represent the Springboks. Tighthead prop is the only position where we are still short on pickings, there is at least some glimpses of hope here with Frans Malherbe and Patrick Cilliers.

With the new depth created by the young talent and the right player management the Springboks could be a force to be reconned with at the next Rugby World Cup and could see 3 or 4 players competing for the same spot.

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We have also decided to put up a Poll to ask who deserves to be RE-CALLED / CALLED UP to the Springbok Tour group the most, kindly pick FOUR answers:

[poll id=”6″]