Rugby Championship

Wallabies vs Springboks today at Suncorp Stadium


THE TEAMS

WALLABIES (1-15): James Slipper, Stephen Moore (c), Sekope Kepu, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, Scott Higginbotham, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Rob Horne, Matt Giteau, Tevita Kuridrani, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau

Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Scott Sio, Greg Holmes, James Horwill, David Pocock, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Drew Mitchell

SOUTH AFRICA (1-15): Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield (captain), Francois Louw, Marcell Coetzee, Schalk Burger, Ruan Pienaar, Handre Pollard, Bryan Habana, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, JP Pietersen, Willie le Roux

Reserves: Adriaan Strauss, Heinke van der Merwe, Frans Malherbe, Lood de Jager, Oupa Mohoje, Cobus Reinach, Pat Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo

Hoping for a big performance from the Wallabies today.

New Zealand already won their first match vs Argentina 39-18 at Christchurch.

Just my two cents, but Hooper and Pocock are both too good for one to be sitting on the bench, so if it was up to me I would let our loose forwards be the same for the rest of the year as it ended in that second half:
6 - Scott Fardy
7 - Hooper
8 - Pocock

Hoops and Pocock can switch positions, doesn't matter.
Higgenbottom is hardly as influential at number 8 these days, and then there's Palu which is better, but has no engine. He can come off the bench whenever needed.

Then on to SA. They have a young and exciting centre combination in Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel. Need to hold on to that, and build their back around that.
Now all that's left for them is to get some good younger wingers to replace the ancient Habana and JP Pietersen. Faf de Klerk shouldn't be too far from taking over that scrumhalf position from Ruan Pienaar (hopefully, as I'm a fan of his) and they also need some younger forwards to go along with the likes of Etzebeth, de Jager, and Marcell Coetzee.
And they seriously need to start playing Jaco Kriel. Guy is too good not be getting any games in that Springbok shirt.

Jaco Kriel wil get his chance after the WC. Schalk Burger and Oupa took his place due to them having more experience as well as being able to cover various position. HM likes loose fowards who can cover multiple postions and Jaco is a specialist open sider.

DDA has come a long way since his WP breakout 2 years ago, i remember my friend and i both agreed he'll never make bok squad due to his 1 dimensional style of play.

I don't rate De Jager, he's only there cuss Bekker was exiled, Flip van Der Merve made himself unavailable for selection and Peter-Steph Du Toit is injury prone. Out of the four of them Flip is the best choice, due to his experience and ability to cover other positions.

Faf is good, fantastic service and quick to the breakdown, but he has no international experience and it's too late to include him. Fourie du Preez is the 1st choice.

Habana and Pietersen are there for experience and their good defense, no other wingers are close to those two. Hendriks is a good finisher but Savea ran over him 4 times last time they squared up.

Don't like Jesse Kriel at 13, too much inexperience defensively. He can run but i doubt he can organise the backline like a 13 of international quality would be doing.

AB's by less than 5 on Saturday