Here is the Springbok team I would be preparing to face the British and Irish Lions:

15. Ludik/Kirchner

14. Jacque Fourie

13. Jacobs

12. De Villiers

11. Nokwe

10. Pienaar

9. Du Preez

8. Spies

7. Juan Smith

6. Brussouw

5. Matfield

4. Botha

3. CJ Van Der Linde

2. Smit (c)

1. Beast/Steenkamp

16. B Du Plessis

17. Sephaka

18. D Russouw

19. Watson/Burger

20. Vermaak

21. Butch James

22. Habana

I’ve picked J Fourie as the second winger because he is playing great and both Pietersen and Habana are not playing that well. I can’t decide between Ludik and Kirchener. Ludik’s got more flair, but Kirchner does the basics well

If De Villiers is injured, maybe I’d go Wynand Olivier, but he’s not a favourite of mine. We lack depth there. Maybe Francois Steyn. He can also cover fullback (nowhere else though!)

Nokwe is a star according to me and automatically gets selected.

Pienaar gets the flyhalf berth. Maybe Morne Steyn as backup instead of Butch James? Worth considering

Vermaak is my backup scrumhalf. He is playing well. Kockott is too unreliable and makes too many mistakes. Januarie slightly unlucky, but he’s not in the best of form

My loose trio is one I’d like to see. Brussouw the best opensider out of a lack of competition. Stegmann may make it in the future. Schalk has been crap this year. He and Watson would be the reserve loose forward only because I’m still not sure about Watson, and both can cover all three loose forward positions, which no one else in SA can

Locks pick themselves. Danie gets the backup spot over Johann Muller because he is more versatile. Handy on the bench. Andries Bekker…too much show pony not enough grunt.

Lack of a decent tighthead means I’d call back CJ Van Der Linde. Sephaka can cover both the loose and tighthead sides so makes the bench ahead of J Du Plessis. Sephaka has been in great form. Steenkamp has been fantastic also with a great workrate and pushes the Beast hard for a starting spot.

B Du Plessis reserve hooker, but I think Wepenaar of the Lions has been quite good also.

I don’t think the actual Bok team will look anywhere like that. They’ll stick with the tried and trusted. Ie Jantjies, Habana, JP Pietersen, Burger, J Du Plessis, Januarie, Kankowski.