Expect the unexpected
30 May 2006
World XV captain, Justin Marshall, has predicted an open, entertaining match against a Springbok XV at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The match will feature a host of international greats in the World XV team, who will be going all out to erase the 46-19 thumping at the hands of England at the weekend.
“Everybody can expect to be entertained,” said the former All Black scrumhalf. “Last week we overplayed our hand a little and the game plan fell apart.”
“On Saturday we will probably be more structured, but our aim is still to win and play well to give the fans something to shout about,” he said, shortly after the squad arrived at Johannesburg International Airport on Tuesday morning.
Coach Bob Dwyer – who led the Wallabies to World Cup glory in 1991 – said the lessons had been learnt and the Boks should not expect a walk in the park. “We are a lot better off now. Last week we crumbled under pressure and conceded four converted tries in the last quarter. We cannot afford for that to happen again.”
“We will maintain our combinations and focus on the basics,” he said. Dwyer said this team are aiming to become the first World XV to beat the Boks. On three previous occasions, South Africa has triumphed in all three.
In 1977, the Boks won 45-24 in Pretoria and in 1989 they won a two-match series 2-0 with victories at Newlands (20-19) and Ellis Park (22-16).
The World XV are nursing three injured players, but Dwyer said that he would have a full squad from which to select his starting XV for the match.
World XV squad:
Backs: Carlos Spencer (Northampton & New Zealand), Bruce Reihana (Northampton & New Zealand), Ludovic Mercier (Gloucester), Justin Marshall (Ospreys & New Zealand), Mark Robinson (Northampton & New Zealand), Matt Burke (Newcastle & New Zealand), Thomas Castaignede (Saracens & France), Fraser Waters (Wasps & England), Joe Roff (Kuboto & Australia), Isa Nacewa (Auckland Blues), Cedric Debrosse (Narbonne & France).
Forwards: Christian Califano (Gloucester & France), Dave Hewett (Edinburgh & New Zealand), Andrea Lo Cicero (L’Aquila & Italy), Radike Samo (Brumbies & Australia), Mark Regan (Bristo, & England), Raphael Ibanez (Wasps & France), Tom Palmer (Wasps & England), Cobus Visagie (Saracens & South Africa), Owen Finegan (Newcastle & Australia), Olivier Magne (London Irish & France), Sam Harding (Northampton), Xavier Rush Cardiff & New Zealand), Toutai Kefu (Kuboto & Australia), Sebastian Chabal (Sale & France), Julien Pierre (Bourgoin).
By Andrew Hollely
54 Comments
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30 May 2006, 11:44 am
I think that after the BOKS get rid of their rustiness they will hammer these guys.
30 May 2006, 11:45 am
Dis inelkgeval soos ons tweede span wat gaan speel. So sal intresant wees met die nuwe ouens.
30 May 2006, 11:51 am
Boks to win by 31 points
30 May 2006, 11:53 am
I hope Sky is showing this game.
I am off to check will post details asap.
30 May 2006, 11:55 am
Sky Sports 3 @ 14h00. Uk time
Well done to the ***** at sky for showing this game.
30 May 2006, 12:00 pm
nice one jondood, should be a good game.
30 May 2006, 12:04 pm
The World XV lost by 27 pionts to England last weekend, and then they proberly had more than a few toots on “tour”, plus a few more on the plane over to SA ….. theres really no excuse for the Boks not putting these guys away by at least 30 to 40 points…..
30 May 2006, 12:04 pm
Boks to smash them by 30 points. You will see all the players raise their game.
30 May 2006, 12:07 pm
Why World XV and not the Barbarians?
30 May 2006, 12:09 pm
Oh yes and have a look at Tom Palmer. He cant get amongst the best 6 locks in England at the moment. Bob Dwyer in finding this astonishing describes him as a fearsome athlete. He’d wlak in to the Bok starting XV.
30 May 2006, 12:10 pm
sorry i think the world XV game is going to be a hard lesson for this bok outfit.
guys who are still pretty much in their prime, marshall, carlos are going to do a demolision job on us. see marshall saying they are stronger now after the england game. dam right, they going to be bladdy tough.
im picking a dull, tight match with both teams gutsing it out for a close win. probably a draw.
instead of jake picking a half decent side, he should pick all of his younsters with occassional senior pro. no caps are given, so blood the young’uns jake!
30 May 2006, 12:11 pm
doubt it StM, talking of fearsome, have you seen Becker? his daddy was a moerse good player, and junior stand 2.08m in his socks.
30 May 2006, 12:13 pm
I quite rate Victor Matfield. Once you understand and play around his limitations he can do a job for you. I have a real problem with Botha. He is in many ways simply a flat track bully. Once the game starts going against him and the going gets a little heavy he goes missing. I also feel he shies away from the heavy work. His lack of character is probably best summed up by the cheap shots he is so often found guilty of. After the gouging and the biting I think he should have long since been drummed out of the game.
30 May 2006, 12:14 pm
StM Dont Baa Baa’s play Scotland tomorrow?
30 May 2006, 12:17 pm
are you describing Johnson?
30 May 2006, 12:23 pm
That England team was second rate. Had the first team played it would have been a massacre. BOKS by 30.
30 May 2006, 12:23 pm
I rate when CJ and Os and Guthro and BJ are fit….. The Boks are going to scrum the **** outta anyone.
Likewise, once all our loose forwards are fitter and stronger, the Burger, Smith , Venter / Wannenburg / Van Niekerk combination should be very strong.
In victor and bakkies we have 2 of the best locks in the game today.
Then if Jaco and Ruan can get their game on top,
with wings like Habana,Rusell,Snyman and Paulse….. linked to De Villiers and Fourie.
The Boks are going to be POTENT… Have Faith
30 May 2006, 12:23 pm
Much like Grewcock and the rest of the England team.
30 May 2006, 12:28 pm
I cant see this team losing to anyone.
1.Os du Randt
2.John Smit
3.CJ vd Linde
4.Bakkies Botha
5.Victor Matfield
6.Schalk Burger
7.Juan Smith
8.Pedrie Wannenburg
9.Ruan Pienaar
10.Jaco vd Westhuizen
11.Bryan Habana
12.Jean de Villiers
13.Jacques Fourie
14.Andre Snyman
15.Percy Montgomery
16.Guthro Steenkamp
17.Gary Botha
18.Andries Bekker
19.AJ Venter
20.Joe van Niekerk
21.Fourie du Preez
22.Brent Russell
23.Breyton Paulse
30 May 2006, 12:31 pm
pity we won’t see it for a while jake.
30 May 2006, 12:32 pm
Wait until JW brings on that Os Snyman! Then this world Xv will be in k@k!
I’m looking forward to see many younsters given a chance…
30 May 2006, 12:34 pm
Provvas – where will he play, wing centre prop or scrummie
30 May 2006, 12:36 pm
St Michael – you have gotta be kidding about Bakkies Botha!!!
The man is colossal!
As a combination Matfield\Botha are world class and I reckon many national coaches wish they had the same!
Bakkies was in the ######### team of the tournament as well:
“4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls):
At times he was fighting a lonely, but valiant, battle in the Bulls pack.”
30 May 2006, 12:39 pm
In a professional sport, I really question the value of these games. The “World XV”, get together shortly before the match, have a few practice sessions, a few more drinks, and take on a (hpefully) well drilled and cohesive unit.
They can play festival rugby, and if they spent 3 months together they could beat some good teams.
Enjoy the game for the entertainment, but whatever the result, don’t imagine that this has anything to do with how good the Boks are.
30 May 2006, 12:39 pm
the ###### is supposed to be rugby 365
30 May 2006, 12:42 pm
Bloem leeu,
he will be the biggest Winger you’ve ever seen or the fastest prop! You decide!
30 May 2006, 12:45 pm
Shai
You forget that England these days is a MUCH more accomplished and stronger rugby nation than South Africa. Although a second rate England team hammered this world xv, I expect the Boks to squeek a win or perhaps even lose.
30 May 2006, 12:49 pm
The boks will struggle in the first halve, but after the turn the will fire and put 15 points against this team.
30 May 2006, 12:50 pm
Bravo Dalek!
Cab, I’ve not seen this Becker chap but you do tend to be a little exictable when talking about young SA playes.
I am open to being proved wrong about Botha. I find his performances at HQ each year astonishing. As soon the Bok pack starts its inevitable march backwards he is nowhere to be seen? Is it a South African quality to go missing when things go wrong or it just a Pretoria/Blue Bulls thing?
30 May 2006, 12:59 pm
The Springbok XV is:
NO NAME
1. Deon Carstens
2. Hanyani Shimange
3. Eddie Andrews
4. Danie Rossouw
5. Albert van den Berg
6. Wikus van Heerden
7. AJ Venter
8. Joe van Niekerk
9. Ricky Januarie
10. Jaco van der Westhuyzen
11. Gaffie du Toit
12. Jean de Villiers (captain)
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Andre Snyman
15. Percy Montgomery
RESERVES
16. Gary Botha
17. Lawrence Sephaka
18. Johann Muller
19. Pedrie Wannenburg
20. Ruan Pienaar
21. Wynand Olivier
22. Brent Russell
23. Wayne Julies
superrugby.com
30 May 2006, 13:00 pm
.co.za my bad
30 May 2006, 13:01 pm
In a “meaningless” game, the worst thing other than a loss for SA is the addition of more players to the already ever growing list of injuries. JW will have to pull some magic to stop this from happening and the tri-nations is not that far away.
30 May 2006, 13:01 pm
I think you will find that the whole team does not perform on the end of year tours due to player fatigue.The fact is that we have not done well on an end of year tour since ’97.
I’m also waiting for a big one from Bakkies against England,but he does produce the goods every week at Currie Cup,Super 14 and Tri-Nations level.
30 May 2006, 13:12 pm
Saffas are famously poor judges of playing talent so let me help with an independent assessment of the starting XV:
Potential World Champs:
None
Decent Players:
Monty
Jaco
Still to be Proven:
Januarie
DeVilliers
Carstens
Fourie
Wikus
Pass it:
Snyman
Nver will be/never were:
Van Nikerk
Venter
Rousseau
Shimange
Pitiful:
Andrews
Van Den Berg
Does that help?
30 May 2006, 13:15 pm
Here’s my theory for 2006: The Tri-nations will not be the most important thing. A lot of top players will be rested to get them right for this year’s priority which is winning all 3 games in November.
Why? Because that is a dry run for the World Cup. I think they might even base themselves at the same hotel in Chantilly and fly into London and Dublin for the games. Chantilly is only 20 minutes from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
30 May 2006, 13:15 pm
St mich
****
no one would walk into teh sprinbok starting 15 with bakkies and victor there
30 May 2006, 13:15 pm
St.Mich
Interesting, can u make the same analysis for the oz and kiwi selections.
30 May 2006, 13:20 pm
CSI
Its because our countries actually have a pool of talent that can fill up more than one team, that we do miss some of the talent
England have about 1 talented player(wilkenson) and he is injured
30 May 2006, 13:28 pm
CSI will be delighted to oblige when teams submitted. Happy to do it with the Engliih also.
30 May 2006, 13:33 pm
STM How come if u are so biased against SA rugby and its ‘pathetic’ players, you still find out everything about them?? You seem to know the list of new/older players anyway. You obviously are concerned about SA, and see them as a threat to England! Otherwise, you would spend your time on another rugby site! Roll on Twickenham EOY!!!!
30 May 2006, 13:35 pm
Its weird how the english seldom tour to SA. Maybe because they’ll get smacked!
30 May 2006, 13:42 pm
Yoda touring SA is just not a big enough money spinner. There is more money and media interest from our yearly trip to Aus. You must remember that for many rugby fans the days of SA as a great rugby force are so far back as to have been long forgotten. Shame that that is.
30 May 2006, 13:45 pm
Matthew I am not ‘biased’ against SA. I simply want to see them improve and hope that through my erudite musings that I can help.
30 May 2006, 13:47 pm
St Mich
SA rugby contributes the most money out of the 3 tri nations teams. We have more people who watch rugga than any other country. Thus there is enough money here dude. Find another excuse
30 May 2006, 13:47 pm
StMich, can I touch you, oh holy one.
30 May 2006, 13:54 pm
StM,
i am getting excitable, very excitable, we had a good season last year and this year it looks like our squad is even stronger.
Oh what English rugby would give for a talent like Jean De Villiers. Bear in mind centers like Catt and Abbott are not close to De Villiers, they realised it, which is why they sought alternatives early on.
30 May 2006, 13:55 pm
“I simply want to see them improve and hope that through my erudite musings that I can help.”
What a power trip for an aging old man!
There’s always one comic in a crowd!
30 May 2006, 14:10 pm
St Mich
Can’t help but think you must have it right! There are really no talents in S A rugby, we seem to have exported them. Catt, Rathbone and so on. But we’ll struggle on. Luckily the World XV does not have too many Englishmen in it, otherwise we’d really be up against it.
By the way, apart from the sprightly youngster Catt, how are the other young bloods like Lorry dayglo doing?
30 May 2006, 14:22 pm
St Michael
How does a player who you describe as Never Will Be\Never were make it on to the shortlist of IRB player of the Year? – Joe Van Niekerk is who I am talking about.
Decent Players – what about Schalk,Habana,de Villiers,du Preez,Smit – the list goes on.
I reckon you’re a little biased yourself there pal.
Strange how England are currently 6th on the IRB rankings and SA are 2nd……how do you explain that big guy?
You epitomise what is wrong with English people!!
30 May 2006, 14:24 pm
who is lorry dayglo
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