Comment from Steve:
It was interesting, … to see how many players in this game attended schools that don’t appear in the rankings and rarely come to the attention of bloggers on this site.
Gio Aplon – Hawston High
Damien de Allende – Milnerton
Cheslin Kolbe – Brackenfell
Deon Fourie – Pietersburg High
Brok Harris – Bastion
Juan de Jong – Hugenote
Odwa Ndungane – Hudson Park
Lwazi Mvovo – Maria Louw
Charl McLeod – Wonderboom
Pieter Steph du Toit – Swartland
Peet Marias – Welkom Gym
Wian Herbst – Klerksdorp
Jacque Botes – Potch Gym
Marcel Coetzee – Port Natal
Unsurprisingly Grey College had the most old boys playing with 4.
Michaelhouse, Paarl Gym and Paarl Boys had 3 each, and
Affies, Glenwood, and Grey High had 2 players.
@Grasshopper: I could turn around and say you favour Kyle because he’s a Glenwood OB.
I had never heard of Scarra until he came to UCT. To be honest, I didn’t even rate him until this year.
I guess we’re looking for a different thing where a 3rd choice hooker in this instance is concerned, so we’ll agree to disagree. Let’s see how the future unfolds.
@beet: I dont think that you are correct. A player is only deemed a Bok once he has played a test or part thereof. Coenie O only became and was counted a Bok after playing a test. This is what makes the one picture of the 10 OGs taken in Nelspruit, so sad. Eight played that day, while Robert E and Lappies stood on the flanks with their Springbok blazers over their arms. While both deserved to have played, it may never happen. A matter of so close, yet so far
@Playa: you would say that considering he is from the EC. Kyle will prove it, either at the Sharks or somewhere else. Scarra maybe too…I’m more for a powerful intimidating hooker than a little quick one, just different. Kyle is a machine!
@Grasshopper: He has 9 Super Rugby caps. 2 each in 2011 and 2012. 5 This year, where he started in 3 matches.Saw Scarra in 2 different teams of the tournament. 3 of the 4 panellists in one site had him in their teams and the other had Kyle Cooper.
No doubt that they offer different things, and one may be better than the other in what they do best.Maybe HM would have liked to see Kyle play more in the CC.But my view stands that in what I have seen of both men in 2013…Scarra takes the cake.
@beet: @meadows: As far as I understand you are a Bok once you are awarded the blazer, and a ‘capped’ Bok once you have a test in your name. The archives in the SARU offices record everyone who has been selected for a tour, dirt trackers and all.Things could have changed because now bigger squads are selected…
@Roger: quite a few team of the weeks in a number of rugby sites, if you can’t see his quality you blind. At one point only he and PSDT were the only sharks carrying the ball over the advantage line. Scarra has skills, granted but is no physically threat or dominant force in the rucks, mauls and scrums. He does add something different to Bizzie and Adriaan….just think it’s too early for him having not even played one Super15 season, that is where players are properly tested…coops was higher on the ladder but now leap frogged due to obvious reasons…,
@meadows: @Grasshopper: The distinction is made from time to time but otherwise guys like Craig Burden and even Frans Malherbe are assigned Bok numbers and regarded as Boks for the rest of their lives.
It’s definitely not an every TD&H thing. You have to be part of the tour party to get the green blazer.
I’m also sure that if you are picked in the wider squad for a local match, but don’t make the team, you are NOT a Bok.
I’m not sure what happens in the case of a player who makes the matchday 22/23 but does not go. He definitely does not earn a test appearance cap but wears the Green & Gold???
@meadows: that is how I saw it….otherwise every Tom, Dick and Harry would be a Bok…
@beet: I’m not sure that that is correct. You may be described as a “Springbok tourist” but to my mind a Springbok is a player who has been capped in an official test match so wearing the jersey in a mid week game against provincial opposition also does not make you a Bok.
@beet: @Grasshopper: It’s a stupid rule IMHO. I would rather issue these uncapped players with blue Gazelle jerseys, then only if they do play do they get promoted to Bok status. Those that don’t still have the honour of being Gazelles, a group to which very few players belong. But a tradition that has also died and needs to be revived.
@Grasshopper: I might be answering you out of context but if you get picked for a touring Bok team, even if you do not run on, you are a Bok for life. There have been many Springboks who have never played for the national team.
@Grasshopper: Craig Burden played more than 50% of the S15 – on what do you base that assumption? In any event Kyle Cooper has been picking up splinters for the better part of three months whereas Scarra has been the form hooker of the CC – he played himself right into the Bok squad.
@Roger: Yeah you can. Only senior representation excludes one from changing countries.
@Roger: player of the season? OMG! Player of the month yes. Kyle Cooper was the form hooker in the Super15, a much higher level tourno. He only has not played as much now due to Bizzie, the worlds best hooker. Kyle is a proper old school hooker. I bet if you asked John Smit, John Allan and Sean Fitzpatrick who they would pick, it would be Coops the animal!
@Playa: having said that – if he has played for SA Schools, SA under 19 and 21 can he play senior rugby for another country?
@Roger: It boggles the mind
@Grasshopper: Rubbish – Schalk Brits and Chilli Boy should be 3rd and 4th choice – however, because they are playing overseas Scarra was selected. How can you state that the second choice Sharks hooker should be selected over one of the Currie Cup players of the season?
@Playa: not getting defensive at all – just asking the question. BTW do you see how well Wandile Mjekevu is doing in the French League for Perpignon – I still cannot Adam and Eve it that the Sharks and SA Rugby let this player go. Barring injury – he will be playing for France in a few years – mark my words!
@Vleis: he is not a Bok until he gets a cap, which is unlikely. But hey at least he is getting a Bok your experience and seeing what they do. Cooper should be there as the 3rd choice, he is only 2nd in KZN due to Bizzie…
@Roger: You’re very precious today! Have you been munching your New Zealand pills?
Seriously, I wasn’t even having a go at KES, as the message on twitter was posted by SchoolRugby.co.za, not KES.
You may be interested to know that James played u13, u14, u15 and 1st team rugby at Greenside, but went to Eden College for matric only. He plugged at Eden (only year that he failed at school), so the Greenside 1st team coach tried to convince him to repeat his matric year at a decent institution. James initially refused, as he did not want to return to the strict discipline of Greenside. However, after the coach (who was also a Master) offered him a cigarette in his office, he changed his mind as he realised that he would be given a little leeway. Just goes to show, that sometimes cigarettes are the best thing for a child’s sporting career!!
@Roger:
don’t get so defensive, I was just answering a question.He matriculated at KES, and that’s that.I don’t think he even owns an ODU tie, never mind paying the subs 
@star: Thanks….not!
You’ve just provided proof that my mate from Westville is correct that they beat Greenside during our school days….and bragging rights will remain with him forever as Greenside won’t get a chance for revenge, as their 1st team is now at the level of Westville’s 6th team.
I’ll just console myself with the the fact that it was played away at Westville. Also, the Greenside team in ’82 was OK, but he says that the Westville team in ’82 was one of the better ones.
and if Marne “Whatever” makes the Bokke one day I am sure all the Greenies wil be claiming him and not Waterkloof
@Vleis: James Small left Damelin for Greenside in Grade 12
@Vleis: @Playa: @Queenian: Luke Smith left Selborne for Dale in Grade 11/12 – who claims him?
@ Vleis- I think you previously asked me if Greenside played Westville in 1983 or 84 and I replied in the negative. However I was going through old newspaper articles and one mentioned that they played in 1982 and Westville won 15-9.
@Queenian: @Playa: Thanks.
@Vleis: Yes indeed. He left Dale for KES in Grade 10 I think.
@Vleis: Ye I think he was
@Playa: On twitter, KES are being congratulated on producing another Bok in Scarra Ntubeni. Was he one of the Dale players that followed the coach (can’t remember his name) up to Jhb?
@BOG:
Maku – Agreed; but has barely seen the rugby field since the Super 15, where he was ordinary at best.Otherwise, on potential and historic form, he is better.
Brits – Agreed; only reason I don’t consider him is because he’s based overseas
Chili – Agreed; same reason as Brits.
Fourie – Disagree; has been playing flank for the last 2 seasons.If he was so much better than Scarra, he would have replaced Liebenberg, as WP are definitely not short of loose forwards.Or was that a quota decision as well???
Cooper – Disagree
Burden – Disagree
So I place him in the top 6. Top 5 based on 2013 form as he has been better than Maku. Please note that I do not consider better form to equal better player. I think Burden is a better player, but has come second best to Scarra this year.
As for Schreuder, I agree fully. Heck even Nic Groom is better than him and he’s nowhere near Bok material.
@Playa: Maku, Brits,Chili, Fourie, Cooper, Burden. Sorry, I obviously overrated him, because I now find him at 9. As far as Schreuder is concerned, I would have a number of scrumhalves ahead of him, even Ricky January after he became the ambassador for Macdonalds and KFC. Heck, I would even select a few forwards ahead of him at SH
.
@JPS_10: Ek het reg getel. Wat ek gese het is dat ek nagelaat het om die spelers vd WP in te tel. Maar dan kan mens maar net sowel vir Paul Jordaan bygetel het, alhoewel ek nie seker is of hy en Frans Steyn beide sou gespeel het nie.
@BOG: I your opinion, give me the top 6 available hookers in the country. Let me give you a head start:
1) Bismarck du Plessis
2) Adriaan Strauss
3)
4)
5)
6)
I think that Scarra was referred to as a teletubby elsewhere, which I have to confess, I found quite funny (And I dont like making fun of others) No, lets be honest, he and Screuder were selected by a “lucky draw” and not merit. They are not even in the top 6-7 in the country. I was criticized when I said that in a few years from now, SA could find themselves in the 3 N- along with Namibia and Zim. There is absolutely nothing that will stem the flow of players going elsewhere. Its the lure of a strong currency, be it the Pound, Eoro or Yen. And its going to get a lot worse with the SAR depreciating (actually collapsing) considerably still over the next 5-6 years. And the weaker the Rand, the more attractive the offers from the NH. HM or any other coach , therefore has a choice- he (or heaven forbid, she) either selects from players abroad or from the hasbeens or very young players still trying to make their mark who are still playing in SA. And the impact on rugby in SA? Massive, negative, but sadly unavoidable.
@Westers: So Scarra is being judged on one bad game – the final? No one seems to remember him outplaying Bismarck in Durban a few weeks back. I have read countless opinions on the Bok selection, and this is the only platform that has even mentioned the name Kyle Cooper. Me thinks there is a bit of bias since you guys have seen him from his school days, and that is understandable.
Based purely on form, Scarra has been a better performer than Cooper. I stand corrected, but I think he has the most number of man of the match accolades in this year’s CC. A lot of pundits are on record saying that Tiaan Liebenberg (a Bok mind you) would have struggled to take his place back had he recovered from injury.
@Playa: If it was purely on merit, Cooper. He is as mobile and his line out throwing is way better. Scarra cost WP a few line outs in the final due to his poor throwing. Cooper has had a great season but because he has Bismark ahead of him he is seen as 2nd best. But he played Burden out of the Sharks set up and got a lot of game time this year.
@rugbyfan: I agree with you on every point except point 3.
Scarra has been the form hooker of the Currie Cup this year. He may not get a game on the tour ( I don’t think he is ready for test rugby), but there is absolutely nothing wrong with blooding him.He is one for the future.Chilliboy could have been a better option…but it is an open secret that HM doesn’t like him…add to that the fact that he plays overseas so Im happy with that…Schalk Brits would have been another option, but Im not complaining since he’s also playing overseas.
Besides those 2 (given that you also don’t favour overseas players being picked), who would have been a better option in your books.
@rugbyfan: Agree with you on playing overseas based players is not good for our rugby in the long run this will just make us go backward.
Also agree Bakkies is one of my all time stars but bringing him back now is pointless play Eben/PSD they the future give them a couple of test’s together and they will be ready for next years Rugby Championship.
Out with the Old and start now with the new otherwise we will never reach our goal of greatness.
But what do you expect HM must be one of the dumbest dodo’s I have ever seen so expect this to carry on he will keep Zane there for years to come.
And I see our friend HM must have been drinking before he picked the bok team again some real shockers there surely which can only be influenced by either blindness or stupidity.
1. Bakkies who must be one of the greatest locks to pull on a bok jersey but why bring him back now just when we have a country full of young good locks and I don’t mean those idiots at the Bull’s.
2. Schreuder must be related to HM cause at best he is a club rugby player HM must have something against somebody like Mcleod as the better he play’s the further he gets from bok selection.
3. And the hooker from WP well pure quota selection at best.
4. J Fourie brilliant but if you wanted to bring him back you should have brought Frans Steyn in and left JJ behind.
5. Zane K well what can be said either HM is doing something to his sister or his being black mailed but this can not carry on.
6. Goosen far to early to bring him back and currently Lambie is far better.
So many bad choice,s but the biggest problem is this as South African’s we believe we have so much talenant (which we do) why the hell play overseas based players biggest mistake SA rugby as ever made, you don’t play here get F in lost as simple as that.
The other side of the coin is that seven schools provided almost 50% of the players??????????
@BOG:
Hi Bog miskien moet jou oor tel.
Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Frans steyn en Kobus Reinach = 4. Almal van die Sharks.
Joe speel oorsee op die oomblik.
Oh, I just realized that this was for both teams. As far as I know, the two OGs in the WP side, Tiaan Liebenburg and Joe Pietersen, are injured.
The Grey Sharks have become less than a few years ago, but Im sure that White will correct this indiscretion.