Baby boks vs Georgia recap - Markus Stampcar Muller

So I don’t know if you okes had a chance to watch the game but was really interested to see Muller in action. Not sure if he is not suitable for 12 as he normally has 13 on his back, but nothing shouted future star to me. Normally the problem with school boy prodigies, the look great on a highlight real like Timo Swiel did back in the day and could never break that ceiling. I’m getting the same vibes about this kid. He is stacked, but nor super tall, only standing at 182 cm, and weighing at 92 kg. Where as if you look at hooker or what modern centres look like these days. All of his runs were route 1, crash ball and he often got double tackled backwards, he had a few tackle bust , but should have brought his outside back into the game. Especially when you have cheswill jooste on the pitch.

It was a hard fought slog, Guileme, looked really good, quick thinker, fantastic kicker off the T and I think the Bools have found their 10, but he is another midget standing at 170 cm. Just looks like our players are getting smaller and smaller.

I looked the 2, Rambo’s, good work rate and our boys were dominating up front. None of the other backs really stood out. Jooste and Guilleme were my picks.

He had an average game. He's allowed to.

Ive watched him closely since 2024 - he is special. Super strong, amazing on attack and defense and reads the game so well.. He has a super off load in the tackle too.

Do you think he is a 12 chips? Or is his best position 13? I did see some of his tackle bust, kid is a freak when it comes to punching above his weight.

I will always compare this Laaities to Frans Steyn. 19 years old, sized speed, step, skill, drop kicks galore and just take on any team. I think only Sasha came close , but not when he was 19, only reaching Frans Steyn level now

I honestly would prefer him to keep practicing at 12 because i believe that he and Ethan are our future center combo.

King, he's still a noob, give it time... I'm sure Rassie is already managing him...to his best potential and interest.

He has the pwoer to paym at 12 - but I wou,ld refer him at 13.

@King

I wouldn't be to hard on Marcus. Those Georgian laaities (and I use that word very loosely) were superb in their defence and particularly in the one on one in the backs. Even our big forward carriers were being smashed back buy their backline. A lot of that u20 Bok team won't have been hit like that in their careers yet. Even those that have had URC games experience. Badenhorst at 13 also didnt help much. They both just ran straight lines at the defence so not many options outside.

Muller - 183cm and 93kgs

Mills - 185cm and 93kgs

Hooker - 194cm and 100kgs

And Hooker has already shown that he was born to play test rugby.

I do hope we start to see him at 12 for the Boks this year because as it stands he's the clear best bet once Andre goes.

...our own Ben Smith, but at 12.

… love the mentality here by plum.

oke weighs more than the others … let’s pick him

Nope.

Him being bigger obviously does count. But what counts more is his proven pedigree, pace and skill.

Based on current evidence, even if he was 183cm and 95kgs, he's still the clear frontrunner to replace Andre, as it stands.

Hooker has serious pace and extremely high work rate. The amount of times I’ve seen him scramble has been amazing.

sorry chips, if you want to play 12 you need to be a tank these days. Works at club level where there is more space and less pressure, but we saw how the bools folded in the finals against a nienaber Defense. You need the likes of Bundi Aki. That can hold up tacklers. I’m not a fan of dud. He is a tucker and just go one route, however, he hardly gets tackled backwards.

Then we have Henco van wyk, same tule and size player as Muller who should be starting at 13 now.

Ja, Hooker has massive rugby IQ. I'd say his smarts are at or near generational level.

Still can't believe his performance in Wellington. He looked like he had 70 tests under the belt, meanwhile it was his first ever.

I struggle to think of a better first start by any Bok, given the opposition and that it was away from home.

Pure class.

Plum

Hooker is being underrmined badly by Andre Esterhuizen - the most clueless 12 in SA, So Hooker has been used by the Sharks in a disfunctionla backlime in the URC/ That forced Hooker to play at 13 or on the the wing where he has not shown his real value, At 13 he was not up to standard for boith the Sharks and the Springboks,

I would rather see Esterhuizen as a back-up loosie than at center where hisdefense is a joke and his attack is tried as a bull dozer - no/thing else,

In reality I would like to see Hooker at 12 and Muller at 13 in future and I hope we see that combination in 2027 already.