Baby Boks set to field new No 13
20 Jun 2012
Late addition Kobus van Wyk is likely to start at outside centre when the Baby Boks take on New Zealand in the Junior World Championship final on Friday.
The Baby Boks suffered huge blows over the past week as outside centres William Small-Smith and Patrick Howard suffered tournament-ending injuries. Sharks speedster Paul Jordaan, who’s been utilised at wing during the campaign, is a capable back-up, but head coach Dawie Theron indicated that he’s unlikely to recover from a hamstring injury that he picked up during the semi-final win over Argentina last Sunday.
This means WP’s Van Wyk, who replaced Howard in the squad, is likely to be rushed into the starting line-up.
‘Paul hasn’t been training with us all week so far. We will make a final decision on him at a later stage,’ Theron told keo.co.za. ‘But otherwise, our preparations for the final have been going well.
‘The late injury replacements who have come in have experienced no problems while settling in. They were part of the provisional squad, so they know the team’s structures. Ironically, they only missed out on final selection because they were injured at the time.
‘I can’t say who’s playing or not, that will be confirmed when the team is announced. But he [Kobus van Wyk] is ready to go if needed.’
The good news is that captain Wiaan Liebenberg is fit to play. The Blue Bulls man has been struggling with a wrist injury, but has recovered in time to face the Kiwis in the Baby Boks’ first Junior World Championship final.
It will be interesting how Theron’s plans to accommodate his skipper, considering the great form shown by Pieter Steph du Toit in the No 7 jersey. Du Toit is a specialised lock, but he’s been a strong ball carrier and a key part on defence at blindside flank.
Meanwhile, Saru tournament manager Steven Roos confirmed that 20 000 tickets have already been sold for Friday’s showdown at Newlands. There will be a triple-header at the stadium, which will see France take on Ireland, Argentina face Wales in the third-fourth place play-off and the Baby Boks-Baby Blacks title decider. The first kick-off is at 2:45pm.
There will also be three other matches played at UWC Sports Ground in Bellville on Friday (Scotland versus Samoa, Italy versus Fiji and England versus Australia), with the opening game starting at 12pm.
By Gareth Duncan, in Cape Town
8 Comments
20 Jun 2012, 15:05 pm
Aiyaiyai Dragons
20 Jun 2012, 15:19 pm
Is Hammond not a wing? He’s been playing in the No. 11 jersey for Maties all year… If Rhule is an outside centre, play him at 13 and let Hammond play on the wing!
20 Jun 2012, 15:25 pm
well there goes their chances.
i would have said they’d do it on gees and homeground advantage before this but losing the captain and vice captain and some…. i dont think so anymore…
20 Jun 2012, 16:39 pm
So what does 20k tickets on a Tuesday translate to by Friday?
20 Jun 2012, 16:40 pm
Going to be tough for the backs without Small-Smith and Jordaan… even more so for the forwards if they drop S/Du Toit for Liebenberg rather than dropping Booysen… who face it is plain out of his depth… poor tackler, positional play is terrible and so too his LO skills…
20 Jun 2012, 16:52 pm
@Gambit25(Gambit25)-2: Hammond is a wing. Surprising that Kobus van Wyk is not tipped to start at 13 – he played 12 for WP U19 CC (named backline player of the year in 2011)and 12 for Junior Maties. Not sure about Rhule. Van Wyk is very direct and solid on defence. Rhule has more flair but questionable defence.
20 Jun 2012, 20:04 pm
Agreed makes no sense at all that van Wyk is not starting at centre. The guy obviously has clout, he was invited by Meyer to the Bok training camp
21 Jun 2012, 04:58 am
@rugz(rugz)-6: This site seems to indicate that Dean is a flanker?
http://www.unionsportsgroup.com/rugby-players/u21/96-dean-hammond
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