rugby365's Bok team

Playing selector is fun, so much more so when your team doesn’t have to play. We here at rugby365 enjoy having fun so we will play selector again.

With the British and Irish Lions’ tour of South Africa just over 50 days away, and the Super 14 past the halfway stage, we feel now is a good time to start looking at Springbok form.

We will name the player in each position we feel has the best form and a player ‘bubbling under’.

This team will be updated every week and will take into account general form, not weekly form.

Injured players will be considered if they have a chance of recovering in time for the Lions tour and have showed good form.

So, here goes – rugby365‘s Bok XV!

15 – Stefan Terblanche (Sharks):
His age is not an issue and facing the Lions you need the best!
Bubbling under: Louis Ludik (Lions)

14 – Odwa Ndungane (Sharks):
He may not have the blistering pace of some of the other flyers around, but he has enough to get around and his allround game makes him a must in our team.
Bubbling under: Akona Ndungane (Bulls)

13 – Jaque Fourie (Lions):
He has overtaken incumbent Adi Jacobs in the Bok race, without doubt.
Bubbling under: Adi Jacobs (Sharks)

12 – Jean de Villiers (Stormers):
His team may be struggling, but De Villiers has produced some compelling performances this year and remains our first choice.
Bubbling under: Wynand Olivier (Bulls)

11 – Henno Mentz (Lions):
All he wanted was some opportunities to show he has lost none of his spark and as they say, the cream always rise to the top.
Bubbling under: JP Pietersen (Sharks)

10 – Morné Steyn (Bulls):
In the absence of Butch James, he has been the standout No.10. André Pretorius has showed only rare glimpses of his true form and Ruan Pienaar may well make a late charge when he return from injury.
Bubbling under: Ruan Pienaar (Sharks)

9 – Rory Kockott (Sharks):
He has improved consistently throughout the season and has ensured the Bok selectors will take note.
Bubbling under: Fourie du Preez (Bulls)

8 – Pierre Spies (Bulls):
The last two weeks can be disregarded, as all the Bulls were below par. He’s been pushed hard by Ryan Kankowski and Luke Watson, but still wins our vote.
Bubbling under: Ryan Kankowski (Sharks)

7 – Keegan Daniel (Sharks):
This is one position where some of the more established players have struggled and the Bok door is open.
Bubbling under: Juan Smith (Cheetahs)

6 – Schalk Burger (Stormers):
His unmistaken energy is one of the few highlights in an otherwise disappointing Stormers season.
Bubbling under: Cobus Grobbelaar (Lions)

5 – Victor Matfield (Bulls):
Was there ever any doubt?
Bubbling under: Johann Muller (Sharks)

4 – Bakkies Botha (Bulls):
He is in the form of his life at the moment.
Bubbling under: Adriaan Fondse (Stormers)

3 – Jannie du Plessis (Sharks):
He may not be playing in that position every game, but he remains a key player in the table-topping Sharks’ campaign.
Bubbling under: Lawrence Sephaka (Lions)

2 – John Smit (Sharks):
We still rate him as the best hooker in the business, but we do have him as a tighthead back-up if things go pear-shaped.
Bubbling under: Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)

1 – Heinke van der Merwe (Lions):
His scrumming is not his only strength, but you have to look a lot closer at the games as he does a lot of the dirty work.
Bubbling under: Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks)

By Jan de Koning