OPEN LETTER TO NIENABER AND RASSIE #2: DROP these Springboks!

Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus, please reconsider some of your first team regulars as these Springboks starters are not in great form.

MUST READ – OPEN LETTER TO NIENABER AND RASSIE: START THE BOMB SQUAD!

Our first open letter to Nienaber and Rassie was a huge hit with our readers. Check it out

I wrote about starting the Bomb squad from the start with the likes of Malcolm Marx and Pieter-Steph du Toit simply having to start. Now, in our second edition, we take a look at the first team regulars who are not in good form and perhaps shouldn’t be starting for the Springboks.

CONTROVERSIAL COMMENT: SIYA KOLISI SHOULD NOT START FOR THE SPRINGBOKS AT THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

REGULAR SPRINGBOKS STARTERS THAT SHOULD BE DROPPED

Dear Nienaber and Rassie, we know you have been building with this squad since 2018. We also know you have a plan heading into the Rugby World Cup. However, there are some first-team regulars who have not been below-par for a while now. Please consider dropping these players in favour of players who are in red-hot form. Even if it just to drop them to give them a scare. Although, I hope some changes are more long-term.

FAF’S FORM IS QUESTIONABLE WITH RED-HOT FORM OF WILLIAMS

For starters, Faf de Klerk and Makazole Mapimpi have been at the heart of the Springboks recent success but they have both struggled for form of late. Faf was poor in the Boks against Wales last season and as a result he was replaced by Jaden Hendrikse against the All Blacks, Ireland (the number one side in the World). He also underperformed against NZ with Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach and Grant Williams all in fine form. Faf was instrumental to the Box kicking game employed by the Boks but with the Boks looking to evolve their attack perhaps you could consider a player who is faster off the base of the ruck and equally apt at Boks kicking? The Boks only lost one match that Hendrikse started last season – against Ireland.

ARENDSE TO GOOD TO NOT START FOR BOKS

Furthermore, although Mapimpi has been one of the best finishers in Bok rugby but he has not had the same impact Kurt-Lee Arendse has had in the passed two seasons. Arendse has amassed 10 tries in eight matches and at 26, he is in his prime. In contrast, Mapimpi is 31 and he is entering the latter stages of his career.

Therefore, I believe it is time to take advantage of the full firepower at our disposal and that means starting Kurt-lee Arendse as well as the Bomb squad. While Faf will have to find his form and fast with Williams, Hendrikse and Reinach all ready to step up if he does not.

READ: RUGBY WORLD CUP DREAMS OVER FOR THESE EIGHT SPRINGBOKS? – UPDATE

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MY IDEAL STARTING XV HEADING INTO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP

1. Steven Kitshoff
2. Malcolm Marx
3. Frans Malherbe
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. RG Snyman
6. Marco van Staden
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
8. Jasper Wiese/Duane Vermeulen
9. Grant Williams
10. Manie Libbok
11. Kurt-lee Arendse
12. Andre Esterhuizen
13. Lukhanyo Am
14. Cheslin Kolbe
15. Willie le Roux

READ – EIGHT SPRINGBOKS LIKELY TO BE GIVEN FINAL RUGBY WORLD CUP CHANCE VS ARGENTINA

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