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He put in a pretty good performance last weekend. That try he set up with that break which showed a great step and eye for a gap is what we want in a 13. He also brings physicality to the role, weighing in at an impressive 105kg's 

We certainly have options at 13 with JP, JJ, Taute and Sadie........while de Jongh and Ebersohn are good players, they are just not physical enough for test rugby. There is no sustainability in light 13's at test level 

Dave the blue bulle website gives his weight at 95 kg which is more realistic than your 105 kg!

105 kg would make him two kg lighter than wee matfield. Of course Frans at 110 kg is heavier than matfield. Food for thought eh Dave - we cant go too light on our locks don't you think!

Weights are clearly not your forte. Hahahahahahahahahahaha 105 kg my foot!!!

But yes JJ is one to keep an eye on. He lacks a bit of pace for  a wing perhaps. Bit like JP.

Beeno, don't become the SA version of nukefree please, there's no reason for a lot of your derogatory comments, keep it respectful 

Mr nj, to you directly I  be a paragon of virtue. As for Dave, I have been posting with  him for at least a decade so relax and consider minding your own busines (I mean ths iin the most polite way possible of course)   - we are able to handle a bit of light banter and you are "misreading" things.

I am actually hoping Dave gets his lift of the basement of the building so I am in effect wishing him well! What more can I do?

I have seen nukefree around a bit and dont recall anything untoward? This is not of course the vicars tea party.

This is a hard one for you Dave......Engelbrecht, Taute, Sadie? But surely Murray is still out there.....just waiting to play outside your favourite 12 Wynaand. Hahahahaha.

Tell you what though, I'd wait a bit. I'm not sure a few decent games off the bench and a good game against the poor old Lions is dispositive.

Here we go Beenbag

http://dev.supersport.co.za/rugby/currie-cup/bluebulls

As with Victor one only needs to look at JJ to realise he is not the same weight as Olivier, Habana and Sadie...............you really need to catch a wake up when it comes to players weights.

Matfield 107kg get a grip man

You can say that again....and again....and again....and again.

Actually your buddy Barnacle on the SS site has Taute as his Bok 13, he sees the same value I do in him.....you should take note Moz

And Moz I never had Murray as a starter, I had him as my back-up to Fourie, unlike you who saw so much good in useless Adi.

Right now with Fourie out of the picture we need a new Bok 13 - JP, JJ, Taute and Sadie work for me

Go to the Vodacom blue bulls website and get the right answer.  Heck at 105 kg he could be playing lock for the Boks. At least he would not be ruining our backline like someone I know.Bwahahahahahahahaha

Dave that makes him 1 kg less than Stander. Hahahahhahaha what a laugh if you cant see the diff!!! Sorry Dave posting that three times only makes you wrong three times.

Take it from Beeno JJ is NOT 105 kg. 

Beeeeenooooooo do you really think you are in a position to comment on weights with your take on Matfield weighing 107kg.......all of 2kgs more than Jean and J.Fourie.......practise what you preach dumbo

I can't take note Dave, I'm banned. Actually it's the first time in my life I have been anything but welcome.....and it feels rebelious. I kind of like being banned.

As for Sadi, the kid isn't ready. I like JJ a forceful and combatative player....I'd play him ahead of Fury any day. But not ahead of de Jongh who dominated the Bools centres.

As for poor old Taute...straight and slow doesn't pry open international defences.

 Moz, where on earth do you get your takes from on players speeds. How the hell do you conclude that Taute is slow, its complete nonsense. Much like your take on Olivier being slow. Then you will tell us Jean is quick enough for 13 - come on Moz, do you seriously want us to believe that Jean is quicker than Taute?

When on earth has Taute had an opportunity to pry open international defences?

If you had actually been watching Taute play last season when he made the impact he did - is strength was his pace, swerve and step - but you have him as running straight, I don't get it.

How can Sadie not be ready he is 23. He has had an unfortunate start to his tenure at the Bulls, injury, very little ball and a massive hype to live up to. He needs to find his feet off the bench - but JJ could be running away from him - time will tell.

de Jongh dominating the Bulls centres, now that is a joke of note. de Jongh has not dominated a single opponent this season. The wee man has at best been solid and is a complete non entity at test level. Do you honestly believe this little guy is going to be our answer at 13 for the Boks. Is he going to dominate the NZ, Oz, French, English, Welsh and Irish 13's?????????Come on get real. I'd have de Jongh over Adi but thats about as far as I would go. You really dont know your 13's do you? Fourie was a big no, no but the answers were Adi and now de Jongh or slowed up Jean out of position at 13, or better still Habana at 13.

Moz its clear your take on centres is not a strength

Sorry Dave but Matfield himself said on his own website (in answer to a query re his weight) that is what his weight is - a mere 107 kg. The bulls website had him at that weight and so does SArugby.net (offical home of the springboks).

Now Dave the only thing preventing you admitting you are wrong is your huge delusion re matfiled as you know a 107 kg stringbean (you obviously havemissed this) couldn't possibly be a decent international lock.

Time to front up Dave. Now you are bleating on about JJ being 105 kg  - 1 kg less than Stander!! Hahahahhahahahahahahahahahaha - despite the bulls website putting him at 95kg.

But surely you can see he could not be 105 kg - its crazy!!!

Bwahahahahhahahaha Dave over a barrel on this one.

Mr nj please stop reading this post as it might upset your sensitivities! Hehehehehehehe

Moz you are following in the footsteps of greatness re your bannning but please remember you are a beginner in all this but welcome to the club!

I must say that before ss board I had never been banned. I made my reputation there of course outstripping all others in the banning stakes. There were a lot of banning but nobody was banned as many times as me and I defy anyone to prove otherwise.

I must however thank Barlee for reversing the bannings and giving me the opportunity to come back and be banned again. Without his sense of fairness I could not have achieved what I did. I think my record of 4 bannings will stand the test of time?

Victor Matfield does not have a website.

 "Victor Matfield does not have a website."

He probably does if your imagination runs fast enough!

Well windpomp you have arrived just in time to put me straight.  We do know (Dave knows) victor said on a website, when asked the question, that his weight was 107kg.  This is the central point.

But do tell whose website was it.

Dave our best centre pairing is Frans/Jean. The next best and proven centre is de Jongh. The fact that you would even contemplate starting a test with Sadie or Taute shows you know nothing about rugby, let alone centre play. Forget what these guys did in the CC. The proof of the pudding is out there to see every week. Sadie looked out of place even in his first match before injury. And Taute is simply straight ahead with no guile....he will never beat  a Conrad Smith tackle.

Engelbrecht is a forceceful runner, but with a good step. He needs to play against some of the better S15 centres like de Jongh, who had his number when he replaced a hopeless Sadie.....but he has potential.

 Moz give it a break telling me I dont know anything about rugby - we both know better. All rugby supporters know that Taute is more than a straight runner.

Sadie was not out of place at all. He was just solid. Sadly we expected so much more from him hence him being regarded as a failure to date with the Bulls. I have not said I would play Sadie as a Bok. I said he was one of 4 options and certainly sitting at number 4 at this stage. But I know the kid is a class act and its early days yet.

Jean is no 13 never has been never will be, so forget it. Jean and Frans are not our best combo. Jean like Smit, du Preez and Victor, is past his best - time to move on.

de Jongh has done nothing of note all S15 and has been a complete non entity at test level.

Yes I'd play Taute at 13 for the Boks without a blink, the kid is a class act and would thrive there. I reckon he could prove better than Fourie there. Big, strong, quick with a great swerve and step and always looking for work.

This kid like Fourie, will be a Bok for a long time.

Ag Dave this is the old Murray BS again. Jean makes the Super 15 weekly team time and again.....but you want Taute and Sadi, both of whom were outplayed by de Jongh.  They asked three Bok backline legends  who their picks were....Carel du Plessis and Helgard Muller both wanted Jean and Fransie. Gerber only opined about the 13 position and wanted Ebersohn.

Nobody even mentioned hahaha Taute or even worse....Sadie. The experts want Fransie and Jean....it's men versus boys.

Now let's see who agrees with you?  Nope....I can't find anybody who is so addled. 

even if JDV was fit, are u guys really happy with the way hes performed for the Boks since returning from munster??? cos i thought hes been sh!t and nothing like the devesating JDV of 2009 when he was easily the worlds best 12.  hes been great for the stormers lately, rising to the challenge as interim captain,but given his age and the ample opportunity hes had to prove himself worthy of the Bok jersey, i really think his time has come and gone and the Boks need to look forward and not pedal backwards which is what meyer will be doing if he picks JDV this year.

fourie making himself unvailible is a bummer cos even though he hasnt been to crash hot lately on the international stage, hes been better then most and still in the top 4 centers world wide, but this is a great opportunity for meyer bring in a new center to go with this new era for the Boks.
while we all know who the usual suspects to replace fourie are, IMHO opinon jp pieterson is the man who is in the best position to make the 13 his own. he systematically shut down nonu last week many times in one on ones and his game against the brumbies was also defensively solid. the time hes spent at fullback and on the wing for the Boks and the sharks have left him with a great understanding of positional play as both attacker and defender and u can see him directing his teammates in both attack and defense while also leading the way by running the correct lines, basically making the best option as that the situation demands 99% of the time. his kicking game is very sound as well honed from his time in the outside backs, so hypothetically, if the Boks backline was, 10janties, 11movov, 12 f styne, 13 jp pieterson, 14basson, 15 p lambie, u would have four international level tactical kickers on the field, someone who knows what is required at the highest level.
i really see jp pieterson as the No13, he can do it all and has Bok experince to help back his game.

Sasuk, I see both Jean and Habana as still being part of the mix and the younger guys also as part of the transition.

With Fourie gone it would probably be best to start the season with Frans and Jean. International game time shoud then be given to JP and Robert ebersohn. Until de Jongh learns to distribute well he is, in my view, behind these 4 others.

As to Taute well we haven't really seen enough. He has the attributes but suffers by playing in a loosing Lions side. How would Taute shape in a Cheetahs backline.

Sadie has taken a dive. He hopefully will recover but one wonders if he is not a fit for the bulle?

Yes JP stands a good chance.  I dont think JP is quick enough on the wing but is fine at center and also very strong. It does in fact look like JP should make center his position.

@Beeno. Out of curiosity. First, why would you discard Frans Steyn for JP or Ebesohn after this season? Second we have not seen enough of Taute at 13, but we have seen enough of JP at 13?

Windpomp I am NOT discading Frans. Frans and Jean are the intial center pair. Then it becomes a question who will thereafter partner Frans. These players can be eased in

Taute has not had much opportunity with the Lions - simply does not get the ball that often and is playing in an inferior backline to say the sharks. JP has done enough to show he is a candidate. I am not writing off Taute by any means as I rate him. Hence also my comment wondering how he would go if playing for say the Cheetahs whose backline is well oiled etc. 

@Beeno. So your logic is:

• Play Jean at 12 and Frans at 13. Then after whatever period, discard of Jean, move Frans to 12 and then share the 13 duties between JP and RE? Right?
• So what do you do with JP for the time that you have Jean and Frans at centre? Leave him out in the cold?
• Taute is ruled out (at this stage) because the rest of the Lions are not firing, and giving him enough ball, despite that we have seen what he does when he do get the ball? Right?

windpomp - Frans at 12 and Jean at 13. JP can compete for the wing position. He could come off the bench as a replacement center.

Did you read my post re the three former Bok backs selecting the Bok center pair. Take a look.

Taute has not done enough although there are mitigating circumstances.

I agree with the 3 former Bok backs that the leading contenders for center right now are Frans, Jean, JP and Robert Ebersohn.

de jong must make the improvements to his distribution skills and re Taute we must keep a close watch on him as he is in the picture.

Part of Meyers/Rassies quite tricky work will be to put all this together to get the best value for the Boks. A number of possibilities exist in quite a few positions.

Who are Bok certainties right now assuming all players were fit?