The Golden Lions are in the process of finalising their provisional under-18 teams and going through the annual ritual of playing matches against neighbouring unions to test players further. Here is a recent selection of teams.
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@BrotherBear: Not aware of any. Will know after today’s practice.
@Hooit: Ok, thanks. The guys sitting out will be Mark and Tiaan then – both very good on the ground. I do think PJ and Liam are both recognized ball stealers when tasked to do so. Will be interesting to see the game strategy though. Any other guys not available?
@BrotherBear: I heard on Saterday that the 2 Helpies flanks will be rested. For the leopards game 6-PJ, 7-Liam’, 8-Enrico
@Riempies: thanks, great news to hear the injured are back. They do make a difference.
@BrotherBear: Final teams to be announced by Thursday 9 July. I believe our 6 and 7 back and will be ready for tomorrow. Due to Monnas injuries some of our players have been pulled up. Deserving so. I do not believe that they will be underestimate. The Lions seem to have a running approach this year and have to say it worked well against the Bulls. With the Monnas boys back in the forwards they are going to be a force to be recon with. Did well without them against Bulls but I do believe that they were missed.
Also matches played on Monnas fields are going to be like home ground atvantage.
@Riempies: understand there has been some major changes to the teams with some of it due to injuries. When will the final teams be selected? Seems most of the Monnas guys played against GW on Saturday, so they should be OK. With Helpies not playing, I do not have a feel for their comeback players. Jeppe and KES also unsighted. Highly rated Bennies centre could be temporarily out due to a knock to the head last Tuesday.
Hope the Lions teams do not underestimate the Leopards tommorrow, regardless of the thumping Monnas gave Rustenburg high school (13 players in top 2 teams?).
@Hooit: 100%. Dit vir Beet gestuur.
Ek het gekry dankie. Baie min veranderings in A en B. Basies net beserings vervang en 1 of 2 skuiwe op bench.
@Hooit: Nee sorry manne kry hom nie hier gepaste nie. As ek manier kry sal ek hom hier post.
Ek verstaan van Riempies die Lions spanne vir die Luiperds games is uit. Kan iemand dalk help daarmee
@Hooit: Cool, thanks.
@Vleis: There were a few examples in the D team. Less in the topp teams. 1 or 2 who could not step up and stop the Affies pack.
@Vleis: No not at all. It is related to the comment from ruggaboysdad and adding to Brotherbear comments. Selection of a team through trials is not scripted and selection is not only made at trials. Like I mentioned the A and B team seems fair to me. The players deserves to be there. On the pavillion behind me was 2 Fochville boys passing comments about A team players and that they do not deserve it while they played for the Lions D team who hot hammerred by 50 points. A player in a school team may find the next level too high and not make it.
@Hooit: Re “not used to play ‘big’ teams then the game gets too fast and physical at provincial level for some players.”: were you referring to the St Benedict’s, St John’s, St Stithian’s, etc boys…or the Northcliff, Randpark, St Peters, etc boys…or both? I ask, as 1st teams of the latter schools would struggle against the 3rd teams of the former schools. That said, I wholeheartedly applaud the boys from the latter schools for making it this far and the selectors for identifying them!
@Hooit: yes, each bring their own flavour and service offering. Real issue is that representation requirements may mix things quite a bit. Do know that both of last 2 (mentioned) players affected by it last year.
@BrotherBear: Yes it is possible. Like I said the looseforward reserwe position is open in A team. Based on last night there are 4 possibilites. Option 1 is MJ. Option 2 I saw they used the Florida 8 from C team. Option 3 is the Helpies 8 and option 4 in the injured Monnas 7. In no particular order. Only time will tell. Think the Leopards game will give a good indication.
@Hooit: see they tried MJ at eightman in B game. Somehow they might use him as dual utility (front and back)?
@BrotherBear: yes thank you. I shall do my best to keep you in line. Can see after Saturday that it is going to be a hard job. Some i will agree and some not.
@Riempies: Forgot to welcome a fellow Helpie to the fold. See you have earned the colours. Hopefully more of us will join – to at least balance my view, and prevent me from bringing terrible scandals to bear (bere?) – hehehe
@Hooit: Now I have to get a pool? You wesranders can be very demanding.
@BrotherBear: You can only claim the older one spot if youre wife looks like his and if so when are u in inviting me for a pool party?
@Hooit: shit, that is a milestone, don’t know what came over me. I’m more of a “Modern Family” guy though – being the older one, you know.
@BrotherBear: We now just need a Jeppe and Kes blogger to agree with us and the Lions family will seem like a happier family than ‘The Waltons’ family. Andre T being Johnboy.
@Hooit: agree, if related he would not have had the charm ;-)
@RuggaBoysDad: Like I mentioned before there are about 6 players in the A team I will select even if they do not play any trials as long as they will be match fit at Cravenweek as they have proven themselves witout a doubt to be the best in the Lions. In A and B team based on trials and history selection process seems fair. Injuries played a big role last night in new team members and there are a few players who are just as good as selected players but not selected due to reasons not known to us general public.This is to add to what Brother already stated.
@Speartackle: Agree with Brotherbear. The number 2’s nickname is actually beertjie. Luckily no relation to brotherbear. The other player is Ruan Vernaak which will also solve lineout concerns and will add about 30kg to the pack. I think they are also still looking for a looseforward reserwe in A team. Will have to wait and see who gets the spot.
Always difficult to gauge real performance at trials and these interprovincial trial games. Some players with individual brilliance have it easier and just do their thing (or not). Others, who have an approach where team cohesion and performance is important, may take a more conservative approach to the game and fill team-mate gaps rather than focussing on own game. Normally these players perform very well in the on-ball situations they encounter, but they could be deemed as quiet. Other players take the physical approach and chase the ball like a fox after a rabbit, with a lot of activity but no real impact. Others are just clearly out of their depth due to the pace, unstructured, etc. You get mixes of these as well. Interesting is that you may need or may need to play a combination of all of these players. Structure provides the glue and will significantly elevate player 1 and 2, although 1 may be frustrated in some situations. Structure should also allow strong contributions from player 3 and 4. You also get players that can easily adapt to different playing styles and situations, dependent on oposition or conditions. These are the ones you really need.
The performance last night was not ideal, but I see a lot of promise. Good luck to all for the next round. A few will however be sad due to long term injuries.
@Tux:
Maybe someone can explain some things about trials… As you put it “The trials are a farce as at least 3 players did not take part in the trials but they are in the Lions starting 15”. Interesting observation that…
How is it that some players, who have never been on any of the provisional team lists, are given a run, none of them were injured before, or pulled the sick note bypass move, but come out of nowhere, and given a run, even if that is for 10 minutes… Can’t think any underhand moves are at play, no school preference is given, no unexplained or dodgy motives at play, but it seems that this happens every year. So, I must be dof, or pretty naïve, but can someone shed some light…
@Speartackle: the no 2 from Monnas (PJ Botha) should be back soon. He definitely brings a physical approach, good technical skills and good leadership.
Also, what a gentleman he is. With a smile and demeanor that will literally charm your pants off, it would be difficult to associate him with such a dominating and physical approach on-field.
@Hooit: @Riempies: Who would return in the pack in your opinion?
@Hooit: Yes I agree with you. Muscle lacking upfront. It was more clear in the second half. But saying this I was surprised that the big Bull pack did not dominate at all. Even at scrum time it was a good match-up. Line-out in second half was a concern. Do not think that Lions won any! Back-line did well and believe that with more ball they score would have reflected more positive for the Lions. We just cannot run all ball! If you in your own qtr then kick opposition back.
Then spoke to 6 dad last night. Fortunately not anything broken. Out for 2 weeks. But that better than out for season
Lions A 20 – Bulls A 23. Lions B 5 – Bulls B 10. Lions missed a bit muscle upfront in A team. Backline looked good. Hopefully not a serious injury for the Helpies 6. Forwards should be more effective and dominating when injured players return for the Leopards game. Saw it once again if you are not used to play ‘big’ teams then the game gets too fast and physical at provincial level for some players. Do not see many changes other than new injuries and current injured players returning.
@Hooit: yes, understand our 1st team hooker out for season due to recurring injury – operation. But that is all I know of on our side.
@BrotherBear: Good game plan. Unfortunately due to injuries Lions A and B teams will look different. At 5 players that I know off is not available tomorrow due to injury. One of which is your hooker. It will have a huge rippling affect on the lower teams. There may be more injuries in other school team aswell. We will wait unil tonight or tomorrow at Menlo to see how the teams look.
@Hooit: I see the Bulls U18 shadow A team has 10 Affies and 8 Garsies rresentatoves, but the shadow B team has quite a large spread. Good (known) strength in A but lot of unknown factors in B.
Can Monnas sort out the Affies guys and the rest of us counter Garsies? ;-)
U can’t hold trials and start selection from a blank sheet. Even at school level coaches already have n very good idea who will be in their 1st team next year. I agree that it benefits some players but players are selected or noticed throughout the year at various events and not just trials. There are a few players in the Lions that I will select even if they are currently not available due to injure like the Monnas lock and hooker and the Helpies 6 flank and fullback for example. The current ratio in the A team is 9 maybe 10 non white. Injuries will also play a big role in the final team selections as I am aware of a few players that got injured the weekend that are current A or B team players. Some short term other out till after Cravenweek. Even though some get selected on their names there are also a few that comes from nowhere and makes it. The selection proses will never be fair to all as their are to many players and variables in play. Good luck to all the players tomorrow and may the injured ones recover quickly. The Lions need a good CW.
I was at the trials which were held at Monument on 9 May 2016. The trials are a farce as at least 3 players did not take part in the trials but they are in the Lions starting 15. I say dissolve the selection committee because they are biased and allow boys to be selected on past reputation.
BTW 3 out of starting 15 are non white and 6 out of 23. That gives you 20% and 26% respectively. So much for those who were concerned about the 50% non white representation.
I saw very good non-white who will not let any side down if selected. Unfortunately the selectors believe and see what they want to see.
I would like to know what happened to the R50 that each of the close to 200 boys had to pay before they could take part in the trials.
@Randy: Nie seker van watter 5 jy praat nie maar ek glo nie so nie. Nie in A span nie maar sal dophou wat gebeur. B en C kan meer hé.
@Riempies: hoeveel is 5 uit 20? 25% en JY weet presies van watter 5 ek praat!
It would be a nice to see what % changes in these team are predicted. More than 20% or Less than 20%.