It is certainly not breaking news by this time that Bakkies “the enforcer” Botha will miss out on Sunday’s Bok opening match at RWC 2011. Even the most social recluse had to have seen, heard or read something to this effect, but if you live under a rock or anywhere in the Northern Cape, now you know! Danie Rossouw will take his place and Johann Muller will no doubt be promoted to the bench. What the rest of the team selection holds is debateable, but there seems at least one school of thought believing that it would be a 4/3 split on the bench (in favour of the backs). Traditionally Divvy has had very few outings where had more backs on the bench than forwards, but some feel that Sunday will call for one extra game-breaker.
Let us leave the bench for last as I’ve read that any coach worth his salt starts his team sheet with the certainties. Starting with the captain and vice-captain and then proceeding chronologically, it should look something like this – Smit, Matfield, Beast, Jannie du Plessis, Burger, Brussouw and Spies. Bakkies would have been an automatic inclusion as well, but now Rossouw gets the nod. The backs are clear cut and will be du Preez, Morne Steyn, Habana, de Villiers & Fourie, JP Pietersen and Francois Steyn. Now for the complications – Matfield is carrying a hamstring injury and sat out training for three days straight, while Burger, who is already short on game time and has yet to make proper contact with his recently healed, broken digit. These seem to be minor concerns, but worth mentioning none the less.
I thought it a good idea to list all the fringe players who deserve a shot at the starting 22-man squad based on recent form, so here goes – Francois Hougaard, Gio Aplon, Pat Lambie, Juan de Jongh, Bismarck du Plessis, Willem Alberts, Chillieboy Ralepele, Guthro Steenkamp and Francois Louw. As you have no doubt calculated, there are nine names and only seven spots available. To make matters worse, Butch James isn’t even mentioned above, yet he remains a firm favourite of Divvy’s due to his experience, versatility (he can slot in at number 12/13 as well) and of course his ruthlessness on defence. But as much as PDivvy wants to select all ten of these players, this simply is not realistic, so starting with the certainties the bench should look as follows: Bismarck, Guthro, Alberts, Hougaard and Lambie. This leaves two positions vacant and this blogger in two minds – Aplon provides cover at fullback, but so does Lambie; James has the experience, but is short on form; Johan Muller provides cover for lock, but as I understand it, Alberts can play there as well; we have a capable fetcher in Brussouw, so Louw has little else to offer and with Smit starting, Ralepele is effectively out in the cold.
With this being a Word Cup and therefore conservative approaches reigning supreme, the selections will undoubtedly be ones that do not surprize or shock. Due to these circumstances, the fact that Muller and James gets the nod makes complete sense and a traditional 4/3 split (in favour of the heavies) should be the end result. Aplon, de Jongh, Ralapele and Louw should in all likelihood miss out on selection.
Quite a conundrum if I do say so myself! It seems that there’s little more to do than wait in anticipation for the announcement that will come on Friday, but here is my five cents’ worth
Andrew Norman
@StormanNorman 
Kelly
Thys Geldenhuys
Anfred Waldeck
Alaric von Molendorff
Nichol Hoekstra
@theKaptiv 
Bradley Voges
