Boks sweat on wingers
3 Oct 2011
Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen are in danger of missing the quarter-final against Australia on Sunday.
Bryan Habana suffered a blow to his thigh in the Tests against Samoa in Auckland on Friday and the injury is taking longer than expected to heal. Pietersen has sustained a knee injury.
‘We’re pretty worried about our two wingers,’ coach Peter de Villiers said. ‘Hopefully the longer week will help us to get them right for the quarter-final.’
De Villiers, however, reported that there were no other injury concerns. He said lock Bakkies Botha, who has suffered with an Achilles injury, was ‘fine’, while Francois Hougaard, who received a heavy blow to the head against Samoa, will be available for selection.
De Villiers said last week that he wouldn’t risk Botha if he wasn’t completely healed. He will start Botha if he is fully fit, with Danie Rossouw playing off the wood. Hougaard will start on the wing if either Habana or Pietersen fails to recover, otherwise he will be deployed as an impact player.
With Frans Steyn ruled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury, Jean de Villiers will resume his midfield partnership with Jaque Fourie. Pat Lambie is likely to be retained at fullback, with Gio Aplon expected to provide cover for wing and fullback on the bench.
39 Comments
3 Oct 2011, 05:01 am
They don’t do much other than the odd intercept anyway…
3 Oct 2011, 05:17 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1:
You don’t do much besides sucking maori d-ick.
3 Oct 2011, 05:18 am
Intercept the trophy on the way to the title?
3 Oct 2011, 05:19 am
Good to see Botha should be starting. JP will be a big loss, Habana can easily be replaced by Hougaard.
If the wings are out then the side should be:
15. Lambie
14. Aplon
13. Fourie
12. JdV
11. Hougaard
10. Steyn
9 du Preez
8. Alberts (it won’t be though)
7. Burger
6. Brussow
5. Matfield
4. Botha
3. Jannie
2. Bismarck (It won’t be though)
1. Beast
3 Oct 2011, 05:23 am
Lucky for SA, they have better younger guys than these 2 anyway.
3 Oct 2011, 05:32 am
We’ll be cool no matter who we field we will be just fine.
3 Oct 2011, 05:52 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-4:
Why would JP be a big loss, he hasn’t done anything on the field this WC you have massive problems in the backs if Aus match you up front its bye bye Bokke.
3 Oct 2011, 05:57 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-7:
Maybe if you watched the Springbok games. He is an illusive runner and tends to save a lot of tries. One against Fiji and a crucial one against Samoa. Also the fact that he has been there and done that. (Unlike any All Black… ever)
Forward domination applies to all teams in knock out rugby, not just the Boks.
3 Oct 2011, 06:19 am
both huge loses , their work defense is immense which is were the boks have won games – having said that Ndungane, Aplon and Houggard have not dissappointed either so the boks are good in the wing dept
with Ioane back it might work better to have JdV on one wing defending and Aplon on the other attacking , JDJ in the center with Ndungane and Houggard bench pressing.
10 Morne
11 Aplon
12 JDJ
13 JF
14 JDV
15 Lambie
20 Hougaard
21 Ndungane
22 Butch
Very light weight backline but gets the job done
3 Oct 2011, 06:23 am
Anyone see how Steyn got crocked?
3 Oct 2011, 06:37 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-9:
JdV on the wing is a no no.
3 Oct 2011, 06:42 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-8:
Does he ever score any against quality opposition?
3 Oct 2011, 07:14 am
Good replacements available at any rate.. Strongest team availble, bar maybe Aplon starting, Lambie on the bench.
3 Oct 2011, 08:02 am
at this rate a nh team might get a lucky break and ake the damned thing.
injuries for all three top teams.
3 Oct 2011, 08:04 am
Much of a muchness, with hougaard and aplon as replacements the boks don’t lose much, perhaps gain a bit more on attack and inventiveness.
3 Oct 2011, 08:25 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-12: NZ, Aus, England, British/Irish Lions. I guess none of the above are ‘quality’ opposition?
3 Oct 2011, 08:56 am
If JDV goes into 12, then Butch needs to start at 10. Ioane is going to run at that channel all day long.
I’d go
15. Lambie, 14. JPP, 13. Fourie, 12.De Jongh, 11. Hougaard, 10. Butch, 9. Du Preez, 8. Alberts, 7. Burger, 6. Brussouw, 5. Matfield, 4. Bakkies, 3. Jannie, 2. Smit, 1. Guthro
16. Bissie, 17. CJ, 18. Rossouw, 19. Flouw, 20. Pienaar, 21. De Villiers, 22. Aplon
3 Oct 2011, 09:27 am
@julz(julz)-10: He changed his mind too quickly.
3 Oct 2011, 09:49 am
Coma 17
I like your team BUT no need for 3 backs no bench.
5-2 split is of utmost importance,forward dominace is required thus a full complement of frontrow needed.And with Hougaard at wing he also covers 9 so why Pienaar in team?he has NO USE.waste of bench/options.
And Butch while great on defense,we r basing our game on forward dominance thus need a sure-fire goal kicker.Morne has to be in team.we can employ Wallaby type tactics on defense by placing Lambie in his channel if problems arise with his tackling-Iaone coming off wing into 10 channel.Butch isn’t a sure-bet kicker and in KO that is of utmost importance.Habana is also a must for umbrella defence.
Bench:Bissy,Beast,CJ,Rossouw,Spies,Jdv,Aplon.
Lambie also covers positions 10,12,15 so no need for 3 man bench regarding backs.
But Habana & JPP will be ready.
3 Oct 2011, 09:58 am
For G*ds sake no Ndungane this is 1/4s at the
3 Oct 2011, 09:59 am
RWC !!
FH can cover the wings easily although I reckon both will be played even with niggles due to the political implications.
3 Oct 2011, 09:59 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-19:
morne steyn’s defence was perfectly acceptable. He made 15 tackles against samoa missing2. Do you think the wobblies will ask as many questions of his channels as the samoans. I don’t think so.
3 Oct 2011, 10:06 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-22:
Yes yes yes but we have also seen him fall off his fair share of tackles just 3 weeks ago vs Wales he was abysmal. He isnt as bad as many are making out to be but it would be foolish of us to think Wallabies wont be targeting that channel more specifically plus they have the most inventive backline that can exploit such frailties.Just in case Morne is a bit erratic,someone can fill in for him on defence at different periods,mixing it up etc.
3 Oct 2011, 10:13 am
mshiniwami – I am afraid the Bok RWC campagin is over!! The ozzies are going to thump us badly. Infact i reckon Ireland and Wales now would probably beat us now, even England. The NH teams are progressing nicely. They have no injuries. Look at the SH teams!! Injuries galore, all thanx to the crappest tournament in the world 3Ns!!! Since the 3N inception the reigning 3N has never won the RWC, thus proving it is a **** tournament!!!
Habana was getting his mojo back and looks now to be cropped!! If JPP is out then:-
10. Morne
11. Habs
12. Butch
13. JF
14. JDV
15. Lambie
becnh:-
Hougie
Ruan Pienaar
Butch at 12 gives us another flyhalf centre player!!!
3 Oct 2011, 10:13 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-7:
Have you been watching this tournament?
JP may have been a bit quiet in the first game, but he has been invaluable especially when defending.
He owned the so-called new Jonah Lomu when the Boks played Samoa.
And, for my money, was one of the top Boks on the park.
3 Oct 2011, 10:18 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-19:
I am worried about this 5-2 split.
Why have it if CJ hardly ever gets on the field?
Is it just me or has Beast been uncharacteristically muted throughout the pool stage?
It’s almost as if the spectacle has overwhelmed him a bit.
I’d go for:
1. Steenkamp 2. Smit 3. Du Plessis 4. Botha 5. Matfield 6. Brussow 7. Burger 8. Spies 9. Du Preez
10. Steyn 11. Habana (I’m sure he’ll be fine to play) 12. De Villiers 13. Fourie 14. Pieterson (if fit, otherwise Hougaard) 15. Lambie
16. Du Plessis 17. Van Der Linde 18. Rossouw 19. Alberts 20. James 21. De Jongh (if JP is fit, then Aplon to take Juan’s place on the bench as Butch and Patrick can cover 12 if necessary and JDV can cover 13) 22. Aplon
3 Oct 2011, 10:21 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-19:
Yeah, dont think there’s much need to tinker with the side now.
Of more importance is how we play and what plan we implement on the day. In the first half on Friday, we were completely dominant with the only negative being perhaps our finishing, but we were all over them with a set piece dominant, ball in hand approach.
Then we come out the shed and go back into our shells and employ the antiquated 2009 game plan and let the Samoans back into the game.
Morne is fine with ball in hand and is actually getting his backs away quite nicely.
He had one or 2 BIG missed tackles one of which came after he kicked the ball away and then failed to tackle the guy on the follow up. BIG error which, had it not been for one of the tackles of the Toury by Lambie, would definitely had been a try.
The lesson here is for Morne to not kick away decent ball, our forwards are dominant enough to retaining it.
3 Oct 2011, 10:37 am
@race of tan(race of tan)-24: Boy, you doom and gloom brigade are depressing. We could beat any side left in the comp or lose to them on any given day. Personally I rate our chances against OZ and NZ as evens and would favour us over any other.
By the way since the 3N has been with us 3N countries have won 2 out of 3 and that will probably be 3 out of 4 very soon.
3 Oct 2011, 10:49 am
stormer in a teacup – I meant the reigning 3N champs in 1999 didnt win, or 2003 or 2007!!! **** tyournament , show pony rugby, htat loses to NH teams at RWC. Right now Ireland would kill Oz again and probably run ABs very close and wipe the floor clean with the Boks!!!
3 Oct 2011, 11:15 am
@race of tan(race of tan)-24:
Easy easy mate,these are precautionary and with a longer weak to recover,Habs & JPP should be ready for Sunday.In any event if the were out backline would look NOTHING like the one you posted.. Butch isnt going to play and De Villiers is not a wing(only emergencies) .If JPP & Habs are out(highly unlikely) SA with play
9.Du Preez 10.Steyn 11.Hougaard 12.De Villiers 13.Fourie 14.Aplon 15.Lambie
Many way argue that thi backline above is stronger with the attacking strengths and speed of Hougie/Aplon.And rightly so.
Oz have their own problems with Faingaa,McCabe under the weather,Pocock not operating at 100 %(Hodgson brought in as cover) and Mitchell out,Oconnor troubles,erratic Cooper,no goalkicker of repute and a suspect pack….Over??? Not a fark,not by a long shot.
3 Oct 2011, 11:24 am
@race of tan(race of tan)-29:
Not really bud,making big proclaimations at the moment I see. Irish are doing well but have their vulnerabilities. Their pack is playing superbly at present but can be matched, as for 50mins the Italians manned up and score was 9-6 with Mirco Bergamasco guilty of missing 2 penalties.When Castrogiovanni left the picth,Italy lost ascendancy and ireland took control-Italy defence & backline is poor and you wont ANY of the SH nations with that. With parity at setpiece like Italians,SA/NZ can achieve that and backs can take game away from irish.
Wipe the floor? nah bud-hyperboles.The same irish team was well beaten by Boks at Croke Parl last year missing Brussow,Bakkies,Guthro,Juan,du Preez etc
3 Oct 2011, 11:33 am
@John Galt(John Galt)-27:
very true regarding morne & strategy
3 Oct 2011, 11:50 am
Very true re no proven goal-kicker in both the Oz and NZ camps.
With Carter out (and it must be said he hasn’t been at his best when kicking for posts) they only have Slade and Weepu to kick for posts.
And Carter was the guy who was practicing his drop goals.
Huge loss in this regard.
The Wobblies have Cooper (an erratic kicker at best), Barnes (has only recently come back from injury), O Connor (probably their most consistent kicker – but not saying much) and Beale.
All can kick for goal, but not one of them have been kicking consistently at test level for a significant period of time.
This will stand in SA’s favour, and make Morne’s presence even more crucial, especially now that Frans has been ruled out.
Plus there’s still Lambie, James and Pienaar (all good kickers).
And Aplon can even chime in for a drop kick or two
No huge 60 metre penalties or drops though from The Mule – massive loss!
Can’t wait to see these backline players for the Boks post RWC:
Francois Hougaard, Sarel Pretorius, Ruan Pienaar, Johann Goosen, Morne Steyn, Lwazi Mvovo, Bjorn Basson, Francois Steyn, Juan De Jongh, Jacques Fourie, Johann Sadie, JP Pieterson, Gio Aplon, Patrick Lambie, Jaco Taute, Riaan Viljoen
Exceptional talents one and all.
If anything, Boks may be missing a defensively sound scrumhalf with a good kicking game.
But, that aside, game-breakers and match-winners abound in the backline!
3 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
mshiniwami – I hope to the good Lord they do recover!!
I will get lambasted for this but if things donnot turn out good for 1 of our wings i would copy the Ozzies and put Spies on the wing!
Spies has played on the wing before and likes to play in the loose!! This would enable Flo to come on. Spies would also draw in tacklers to stop him!!
Just a tought and i will now await my criticism!!!
3 Oct 2011, 12:11 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-22:
Agree with your observations – he’s actually quite a courageous tackler (Morne Steyn) for a little bloke and did a lot against Samoa – thanks for pointing that out, he gets a lot of puerile comments on this blogsite – compare him to Keith Oxlee, Naas and all the othe “classic” Springbok flyhalves who never made a tackle in their lives – yet constantly succeeded in winning us games …
3 Oct 2011, 12:13 pm
puff – Post RWC backline should be:-
9. Hougie
10. M Steyn
11. Habs
12. F Steyn
13. J Fourie
14. JPP
15. Lambie
TRust me we cannot just make wholesale changes, the Boks are not that kind of team we will suffer if we make wholesale changes!!
3 Oct 2011, 12:50 pm
@race of tan(race of tan)-36: Ag a couple of warm up matches and they would be fine, mine would be
9. Hougaard
10. Lambie
11. JPP
12. F Steyn
13. Jaque / Juan
14. Aplon
15. Taute (Kicker)
3 Oct 2011, 15:03 pm
Hougaard received a head butt ala Tyson straight into his chin, I doubt he will be fit for the QF!
Watching carefully the replay, I couldn’t see any evidence of injury to Habana before he was substituted, might be he just out on a face saving show?
3 Oct 2011, 22:36 pm
my bok team for 4 nations next year
15. Lambie
14. Aplon
13. Fourie
12. Frans Steyn
11. Mvovo
10. Sias Ebersohn
9. Hougard
8. Vermuelen
7. Alberts.
6. Brussouw
5. Flip
4. Bekker
3. Jannie
2. Bismarck
1. Beast
16. Coenie
17. Chlliboy
18. Juandre Kruger
19. Schalk
20. Sarel Pretorious
21. jantjies
22. Ebersohn
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