Aplon in, Bismarck out
20 Sep 2011
The Springboks have made five changes to their starting line-up to face Namibia at the North Habour Stadium in Auckland on Thursday.
In the back division Bryan Habana and Gio Aplon replace JP Pietersen and Odwa Ndungane on the wings. The latter duo are dropped from the squad completely. Francois Hougaard gets a start at his preferred position of scrumhalf, with Fourie du Preez playing off the wood.
Among the heavies, Willem Alberts starts at openside flank in place of Heinrich Brussow, whose is named among the reserves alongside another specialist fetcher, Francois Louw. CJ van der Linde earns his first start at the tournament at tighthead prop in place of Jannie du Plessis, who’ll watch from the stands.
Chiliboy Ralepelle, omitted from the 22 for the first two Tests, will get game time off the bench, while Ruan Pienaar and Juan de Jongh’s versatility means the back division are well covered.
After the victory over Fiji in Wellington coach Peter de Villiers said that he valued continuity in selection, but on Tuesday explained that he needed to rotate with a view of having a full fit squad.
‘The biggest challenge for us it to manage the players. We’ve had two bruising encounters and we have to be sensible if we want to have 30 players fit throughout the tournament. We’re getting thin in some areas, injuries are our biggest concern at this point,’ he said.
Captain John Smit acknowledged the difficulty of preparing for a match just five days after their victory in Wellington, but stressed complacency wouldn’t be a factor.
‘There are challenges every weekend, but motivation isn’t one of those. It is important for us to be ruthless. There are still a lot of areas we want to improve and if we don’t have the proper focus we won’t get what we want out of this match,’ he said. ‘This is an opportunity to carry on the journey to where we want to be and improve our standards. Having played two games here and a couple before some guys have had enough game to move towards their best form. That needs to continue.
‘In a week like this with as short a turnaround you don’t get that much field time to prepare. So the challenge is achieving perfection in the base areas of our game, the set piece and so on.’
The Springboks are expected to beat Namibia comfortably and should negotiate Samoa’s challenge without too much problems, setting up a quarter-final against Australia. Asked whether he had cast his mind ahead to that epic tussle Smit said: ‘One thing about the World Cup is that at this stage there are so many permutations floating about. If you get wrapped up in what lies ahead you may lose sight of what you want to achieve at present. We have to think a week at a time and not worry about what lies ahead.’
De Villiers was bullish when probed on the issue of Habana’s form, arguing that the former IRB Player of the Year wouldn’t have breaking the South African try-scoring record (he is the joint-highest scorer) as a central focus.
‘I don’t think people understand the ethos of this team. If you can point out one player that puts his personal interests above those of the team’s I’ll send them home immediately. There are personal goals we achieve in life and if Bryan breaks the record it will be a wonderful achievement. But what if he scores and we lose? That ultimately is no good.’
Springboks – 15 Pat Lambie, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Willem Alberts, 5 Danie Rossouw, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 John Smit (c), Gurthro Steenkamp.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Francois Louw, 19 Heinrich Brüssow, 20 Fourie du Preez, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Juan de Jongh.
608 Comments
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19 Sep 2011, 21:30 pm
Nice to see Aplon getting a start.
And Flo is covering lock, I presume? Bakkies will only play the first half again.
19 Sep 2011, 21:30 pm
Welwitchia dragons!
19 Sep 2011, 21:34 pm
Hougaard starting – this is good.
Bismarck not starting – this is not good. Being rested after being on the bench twice? Hopefully he’ll get a start against Samoa.
19 Sep 2011, 21:35 pm
Hopefully habana break the record at last against nam and keep running the f*|< out of here!
19 Sep 2011, 21:37 pm
Schalk needs to come off at the half. Get his two pints of beer and a bag of slapchips.
19 Sep 2011, 21:37 pm
Alberts should cover lock and Flo / Brussow the flanks.
Would still like to see JdJ start.
And Lambie isn’t a fullback for me. Give him a run at flyhalf.
19 Sep 2011, 21:41 pm
Really this team selection is nonsensical. Why not play De Jongh and Flo for J. Fourie and Schalk. There is nothing to gain from playing the latter two whereas the former two would have valuable match practice heaven forbid we have any injuries down the line!!!
19 Sep 2011, 21:47 pm
what the Keo “journos” (I’m using the word very loosely) don’t realize is the our coaching staff have their WC tactics spot on.
all rugby games are 80 mins long and we are playing our best combinations in the last 30 mins. It is genius, pure genius !
As long as the starting 15 can hold their own and keep it tight for 40 to 50 mins then we will win all our games in the last 30. why expend your best players when the opposition is fresh and fired up? bring them on when the opposition is tired and hurting.
our coaches are applying Sun Zi’s – The Art of War strategies which focuses on military organization, leadership, and battlefield tactics.
in the Boks case – STRATEGY 4: Await the Exhausted Enemy at Your Ease
It is an advantage to choose the time and place for battle (i.e. the last 30 mins). In this way you know when and where the battle will take place, while your enemy does not. Encourage your enemy to expend his energy in futile quests while you conserve your strength. When he is exhausted and confused, you attack with energy and purpose.
19 Sep 2011, 21:49 pm
Who cares. According the spineless bunch of Springbok hating c*nts who run this site we have already lost it.
19 Sep 2011, 21:49 pm
i got an 82 pnt margin for the boks on this game…
19 Sep 2011, 21:50 pm
@Caper(Caper)-6:
In the context of the WC squad it is probably prudent to continue playing Lambie at fullback as he is the cover for Frans. He may not be the biggest tackler but he can put his body on the line, joins the line nicely in attack, good under the high ball, solid tactical kicker and seems to have a good all round rugby brain imo. He is the last of my worries. Victor’s injury and poor form is the most worrying aspect at the moment. Against top tier nations our lineout will be exposed badlyif we Bakkies and Danie starting.
19 Sep 2011, 21:51 pm
Good team
Burger hadn’t played for 8 weeks prior to world cup so needs to get to full fitness.Jaque Fourie hadn’t played with Frans Steyn in midfield in 4 yrs till last week so good to have them have another hit out ti allow them some time together.
Many players unlikely to play more than 40 mins. Namely Smit,Guthro,Bakkies,Burger,Morne,Fourie.
These players havnt played a lot of rugby in the last month after being cotton wooled so they must play 2getha.
19 Sep 2011, 21:53 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-3: I reckon it indicates that Bismarck is going to get huge game time coming up… Like starting.
This is shaping up as the 1st Choice side now:
15. Lambie
14. JPP
13. Mossie
12. Steyn
11. Hougaard
10. Steyn
9. FdP
8. Spies
7. Schalk
6. Ratel
5. Matfield
4. Bakkies
3. JdP
2. Bismarck
1. Gurthro
Bench: Beast, Smit, Danie, Alberts, Habanero, JdV, Butch.
I have a funny feeling these hard choices have been made. Done and dusted. (Please… I hope.)
19 Sep 2011, 21:55 pm
Mark the spineless po*s Keohane and his bisexual dog-faced lover Rian Vrede says we don’t have a chance against Aus so why continue reading this anti-Saffer piece of **** for a blog?
19 Sep 2011, 22:03 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-13:
That would be a decent side to take on Samoa. But more than likely JDJ on the bench if Butch is still injured – we only play them on the following Fri so Butch should be ok by then.
But then Pdiv will revert to starting Smit in the KO stages.
19 Sep 2011, 22:05 pm
Underdog
Nothing wrong with Botha & Danie in lineouts.they can def hold their own vs Thorn/Whitelock,Vickerman/Horwill,O’Connell/O’Callaghan,Palmer/Lawes etc.
But Matfield is class regardless.
19 Sep 2011, 22:06 pm
P Div is pathetic… he obviously doesnt like Flo and is in love with Spies, surely Alberts should play no.8 with Flo at 6? Alberts is not a 6, Div you are a plonker, the sooner you leave the managers post the better.. I mean come on, Heynecke Meyer, Alistair Coetzee or even Rassie Erasmus if he was in charge of selection would not pick Alberts at 6, hes is an utter plonker? Why not give Juan De Jongh a start at 13? thats silly he hasnt lived up to the hype of the job throughout his tenure.. Always picking the bok side that Jake left behind…
Credit cannot go to de villiers for the 2009 tri nations and lions series victories in 2009, this was the 2007 bok team with a few newbies proving their quality at the peak of their games in 2009, had the world cup been in 2009 the boks would have lifted it even had they played the wallabies or all blacks, if they had played the wallabies or all blacks in 07 it wouldnt have been so certain..
Jake White built the core of this side I mean look at the strongest side
15 Frans – Jake
14 JP – Jake
13 Jaque – Jake
12 De villiers – Jake
11 Habana – Jake
10 Morne – Div or Butch – Jake
9 Du Preez – Jake
8 Spies – Jake
7 Burger – Jake
6 Brussouw – De Villiers
5 Matfield – pre jake but influential during the 2004 – 2007 era
4 Bakkies – Jake
3 Jannie – Jake
2 Smit – came a well known test player under jake
1 Gurthro – Jake or Tendai – Div
19 Sep 2011, 22:06 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-15: If JdV on the bench then no room for JdJ… actually no room for habs either. Maybe Pienaar as back up 10 then.
19 Sep 2011, 22:09 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-18: Actually, Fark, I dunno who on the bench. I just know the 1st XV who will have the best chance of defending the Webb Ellis… Except for Alberts for Spies maybe.
19 Sep 2011, 22:15 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-18:
On the bench, suggest leave Habs off. And would have JDJ to cover 12 and Aplon to cover wing/FB. With Ruan to cover scrumhalf.
But then there is plenty of versatility in the run-on 15 with Lambie, F Steyn and Hougaard covering the whole backline. It just comes down to replacing tired legs in the final 20 minutes.
19 Sep 2011, 22:18 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-19:
Anyway, I’m outta here. Speak during the week.
19 Sep 2011, 22:20 pm
The battleship is probably just going for a beer with his brother.
Good to see Steenkamp is going to get good time again hopefully.
19 Sep 2011, 22:23 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-20: Yes, lots of versatility and you are right about replacing tired legs… More than that its also about getting the “impact” from the bench. I dont know, seriously.
One thing I do know is that F Steyn should be the Bok 12 from heron forward.
19 Sep 2011, 22:23 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-23: heron = hereon
19 Sep 2011, 22:24 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-21: Cheers
19 Sep 2011, 22:26 pm
Bismarck ‘rested’ – REALLY? When last did our Bissie play a full match? He must be exhausted from sitting on the wood one presumes. Everyone else is getting an extended run against the minnows but you leave your best player out of the team all together when he has hardly played a full match in 2 months!
19 Sep 2011, 22:27 pm
At first I was perplexed by the fact that there was no fetcher in sight. But then I saw some of the names there – Alberts, Burger, Botha, Rossouw, Steenkamp – and I realised the plan was simply to tell the Namibians to give the ball to us.
19 Sep 2011, 22:28 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-16:
one wonders if bakkies and rossow are not another reason why we looked so much better against fiji – some good ruckwork. about a year ago, i picked the following team 1. beast 2. bismarck 3. cj 4. bakkies 5. danie 6. brussow 7. alberts 8. burger 9. hougaard 10. morne 11. habana 12. frans 13. fourie 14. jp 15. aplon
still think its holds validity tho gurthro looks to be shading beast at present and jannie seems a better scrummer than cj. never happen of course, but its a proper pack with tightforwards are **** like ireland, wales and the other packs produce, with no ruck inspectors.
19 Sep 2011, 22:29 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-27:
lol
19 Sep 2011, 22:32 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-19:
If you are talking ‘real’ games here and not Namibia, then Alberts starts, Spies drops out altogether, Flo onto bench, Aplon for Habana.
Easy peasy. What a team.
19 Sep 2011, 22:39 pm
@cab(cab)-29: One for the statisticians. 100% turnovers.
19 Sep 2011, 22:42 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-30: Wont say no to that at all.
19 Sep 2011, 22:42 pm
@brains_trust(brains_trust)-8: Hahaha, love it!
19 Sep 2011, 22:42 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-27: lol
19 Sep 2011, 22:44 pm
@kwas(kwas)-26: Think the idea is to save the Biz for the Aussies, All Blacks and France, lol
19 Sep 2011, 22:45 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-31:
ja its a bladdy strange team, looks more like the sort you’d expect against samoa, than these poor hapless namibians.
19 Sep 2011, 22:46 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-17: your jake is WIN-LESS
in new zealand.
@>^..^< katman(katman)-27: lmao…
19 Sep 2011, 22:50 pm
@cab(cab)-36: Not the most physical backline, apart from the centres. But it matters not. Because with that pack, no wing or fullback is going to see the ball.
This game is going to be like Cresta Centre – one bleddy long mall.
19 Sep 2011, 22:57 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-38: haha u’re on fire this pm
19 Sep 2011, 23:04 pm
Off-topic: just saw that Lionel Cronje has signed for the Bulls. H. Meyer must have a weekend apartment in CT
19 Sep 2011, 23:06 pm
Don’t mean to be the that guy, but
“whose is named among the reserves”
“having a full fit squad”
“without too much problems”
Jeez, Simon. Your English is delicious hey.
19 Sep 2011, 23:07 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-38:
Man, I hope Namibia do well. I was at that 100+ snotting at Newlands before the 2007 WC and it’s just sad to see guys give their all and lose so heavily.
19 Sep 2011, 23:08 pm
lol cresta centre- remember it well.
19 Sep 2011, 23:10 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-42: Can’t say I share your sentimentality. I wouldn’t mind triple figures.
19 Sep 2011, 23:12 pm
@cab(cab)-43: Haven’t been there for a while, but apparently it’s just growing longer and longer, like a teenager with a growth hormone problem. I reckon they don’t know how to stop it from expanding. Jogging from one end to the other and back counts as Comrades qualifying, I think.
19 Sep 2011, 23:14 pm
I have an awful feeling they are thinking of throwing the Samoan game. Cough.
19 Sep 2011, 23:16 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-44:
A decent kind of klap in the 50 point region would be fine, thanks.
But I reckon they won’t be up for a 100 point beating after a decent rest after the Samoa game. They actually did quite well against Fiji and showed they have a bit of fight in them.
I suppose a 50 pointer would be a bit of a moral defeat for the Boks? Most folks thinking ODI type totals here.
19 Sep 2011, 23:18 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-17:
tired old argument. get over it. it is very immature to say the least.
19 Sep 2011, 23:18 pm
I for one am pleased as all hell that the Irish beat the Aussies, after all, weren’t they according to a KEO headline The Team to Beat a few days before their loss? Sewing the seeds of doubt in the Wallabies minds ahead of a probably Bok encounter can only be a good thing right?
19 Sep 2011, 23:21 pm
So Pep Guardiola can’t get the credit at Barcelona simply because Frank Rijkaard laid the foundation from 2004 – 2006 by winning the la liga and Champions League.
That is a very tired argument Rhys 7. Just think about it and forget about PdV for a minute. Just apply this line of reasoning to another sport or sphere in life and you will see it does not add up.
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