Goosen looks set to start
25 Sep 2012
Johan Goosen spent Tuesday’s training session running at flyhalf, indicating strongly that he is likely to run-on against Australia at Loftus on Saturday.
In my experience, because of time constraints in terms of preparation, Springbok coaches have had to show their selection hand in the Tuesday session. Goosen lined up in what is almost certainly the starting side, while Morne Steyn worked defence with the players opposing them.
Goosen made good impressions in his short stints off the bench against the Wallabies in Perth and All Blacks in Dunedin. He has been the man most have called for to replace the struggling Steyn and it appears coach Heyneke Meyer will entrust him with a big part of the responsibility for galvanising the team’s attack.
Meanwhile, it appears Frans Steyn will recover from a rolled ankle in time for the Test. He made significant improvements overnight, and while he was still on crutches at the session as a precaution, my understanding is that he will play.
‘The X-rays were clear and the swelling has settled nicely. We’re hoping to get him to do some training on Wednesday,’ said Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts.
Flip van der Merwe (lock, calf), Jacques Potgieter (flank, groin) and Lwazi Mvovo (wing, hamstring) did not train with the squad on Tuesday and will be managed accordingly. A final call on their availability will be made later in the week.
Elsewhere in the team, Eben Etzebeth looks set to return to action after a suspension and will partner Andries Bekker in what appears to be the only other change from the side that lost to the Blacks in Dunedin.
Likely Springboks XV- 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermuelen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Read last week’s exclusive interview with Johan Goosen here
By Ryan Vrede, in Johannesburg
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443 Comments
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25 Sep 2012, 16:36 pm
Immediately looks like a better side. More balanced.
I just hope Goosen is given even a small amount of freedom to express himself.
This weekend will tell us all we need to know.
Will be very interesting to see who plays off the bench as well.
25 Sep 2012, 16:41 pm
Since Morne is a human being, I expect him to be named on the bench.
25 Sep 2012, 16:42 pm
Hope Goosen shines and I still can’t understand how Crusty starts ahead of Lambie if Goosen is at FH… what a joke.
Marcel Coetzee will be great as impact again, but must be pretty peeved after all the hard work he has put in game after game (he could also do with a bit of a breather though – a lot of rugby for a young gun).
25 Sep 2012, 16:51 pm
i doubt it but if true then its very chancy of meyer.
25 Sep 2012, 16:58 pm
Thank the Angels and rugby G Ods……
I think I may have had a heart attack faced with the skop en jag artist again….
Grab this opportunity Goosen and be bold, brave and innovative young man….
What a great breath of fresh air….
Sanity restored…
25 Sep 2012, 17:03 pm
That looks like a much improved side, decent 10 and a fetcher. Only took you 7 games to come to your senses Meyer, not the fastest learner! Although still no Brussow in the squad – so jury still out on your ability to learn
I hope Elton is on the bench.
25 Sep 2012, 17:03 pm
as a cynic…..will be a bit funny if goosen misses all his kicks and we dont convert opportunities.
who to blame then
25 Sep 2012, 17:03 pm
Finally the Goose is loose.
Morne Steyn may your career for the Boks RIP.
25 Sep 2012, 17:06 pm
6
probably because brussouw is super ordinary for quite sometime and cant put 3 games together in a row without getting injured.
25 Sep 2012, 17:07 pm
I’m so happy I’m busting out the drinks cabinet an hour early. What odds on a mesmeric Goose try on his first proper start? Aussie about to get that long overdue klap. Yebo yes!!!
25 Sep 2012, 17:08 pm
Ja Meyer knows not to mess with ou pieletjie
25 Sep 2012, 17:09 pm
Damn it still Lambie not starting! He will most probably catch a 5 minutes at the end.
25 Sep 2012, 17:15 pm
@grant10-5: you saw that this was a LIKELY squad, meaning the “writer” is taking a WILD guess?
if goosen’s heel is still sore, be prepared to see MSteyn
25 Sep 2012, 17:15 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-9:
Just like NikNaks
25 Sep 2012, 17:15 pm
Now just hope we have aLambie on for 30 minutes at 15 and Elton instead of the skop en jag artist on the bench…
25 Sep 2012, 17:17 pm
Interesting fact:
On this day, in the year 275 – After the assassination of Aurelian, Tacitus was chosen by the Senate to succeed him as Roman emperor.
25 Sep 2012, 17:17 pm
@grant10-5: stuck record. for the last five years on keo you’re general contribution is to pick one or two players you dont like and everyday, the whole day, repeat your not so brilliant posts. time and time again.
you have used skop & jag artist 1000 thousand times.
you more senile than you think.
25 Sep 2012, 17:19 pm
I have a feeling that HM is lining Taute up as a future replacement for JdV at 13 as he’s a similar size and style to JF when Jake introduced him.
25 Sep 2012, 17:19 pm
No, I found Goossen.
25 Sep 2012, 17:20 pm
15-taute
12-steyn
10-goosen
9-hougaard please?
25 Sep 2012, 17:20 pm
I’ll believe it when I see it. Morne is too precious a son to Heyneke for to conclude Morne will be dropped by merely looking at a training session.
25 Sep 2012, 17:21 pm
@willievz-16:
That’s probably why our Tacitus has been so quiet lately. He’s been sitting next to the phone waiting for the call.
25 Sep 2012, 17:26 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-7: hahahaha yoh, you are bad!
25 Sep 2012, 17:29 pm
will you blame morne again….even if only watching from the stands and call for lambie next week and elton the week after that.
25 Sep 2012, 17:32 pm
If HM plays Lambie for another 6 mins or even worse, replaces him on the bench with Morne/Taute, how can he justify not letting him play CC rugby for the sharks. Lambie, Elton and Brussouw fronting up as the big losers of the new regime.
25 Sep 2012, 17:34 pm
@Pepe-12: now that that kak Morne is out we now set our scopes to target that other kak play – Kirchner!
He must go and Lambie or Taute in at 15.
Guys the plan is working, selection and villification through the blog and media.
JDV don’t get too comfortable cause after Kirchner you are next.
25 Sep 2012, 17:34 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-24: SA aren’t likely to lose this test with or without M.Steyn but if they do and JG starts, Meyer will get the blame not the new 10. C’est la vie.
25 Sep 2012, 17:34 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-24: the BLOODY gameplan and you know it…you’re just smarting cos you blou bulle favourite is universally kak @ the moment and has nowhere to hide
25 Sep 2012, 17:36 pm
@RL-26: HHAHAHAHAHAHHA
25 Sep 2012, 17:37 pm
@RL-26: @Transformation-29: Love it!!
25 Sep 2012, 17:38 pm
@Big Hit-27: and HM won’t get the credit if we win, Goossen will, funny old story
25 Sep 2012, 17:39 pm
@willievz-30: now the “national consciousness” is coaching the Boks.
delusionals.
25 Sep 2012, 17:47 pm
Agree with most blogs here – looks like a well-balanced and very promising side; hope to heck Frans stands up to ankle injury – he is KEY!
The game against the All Blacks (and also the Wallabies vs Argies) is most fascinating – the boot is finally on the other foot now and they are the ones with the evil travel plan; not least of all both sides will get hugely softened up before they cross another ocean and play again.
Time for payback.
25 Sep 2012, 17:50 pm
unless lamb or taute turn non white sharpish.
kirchener will still be starting with broken legs and cancer
3. is the magic number or is it 2
i forget.
oh…and dejkng and aplon are supershite cc heros only.
25 Sep 2012, 17:51 pm
@shooter-17: Morne is that you
25 Sep 2012, 17:52 pm
33. i completly agree.
i suspect the kiwis could catch a proper hiding at soccercity
25 Sep 2012, 17:56 pm
Pity.
The site is going to be so boring this week now.
25 Sep 2012, 17:58 pm
@PissAnt-37: Don’t be so sure.
We still need to get rid of Kirchner and JDV.
25 Sep 2012, 18:02 pm
I love watching the ebbs and flows of optimism on this site
Sun/Mon: Disgust and outrage at coach/ref/playerX
Tues/Wed: Glimmer of hope at change, optimism
Thurs/Fri: Confidence, even arrogance in some posters
Sat post game: See Sun/Mon
It almost mirrors the four year world cup cycle. Don’t fret guys, next year will be better
25 Sep 2012, 18:04 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-24:
Morne is K@k. Get over it. Omkeer!
25 Sep 2012, 18:04 pm
@willievz-38:
Not going to be the same, Sharks haven’t got a centre they can punt ahead of JDV
25 Sep 2012, 18:09 pm
Good luck to the Gooster.
Would be good to see Taute get a run at fullback.
25 Sep 2012, 18:15 pm
I hope Goosen ignores just about everything that Meyer tells him and plays as we know he can.
25 Sep 2012, 18:15 pm
Every team in the currie cup has got atleast 2 or 3 centres they can punt ahead of JDV.
25 Sep 2012, 18:17 pm
@PissAnt-41:
Jordaan?
25 Sep 2012, 18:18 pm
Hope the crims are ready for their poesklap.
25 Sep 2012, 18:19 pm
@PissAnt-41:
JP .
25 Sep 2012, 18:22 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-7: Or the opposite. Can you imagine the Boks come off a big victory here, score 4 or 5 tries etc. It will be THE END for Morne Steyn.
It will be the mercy shot for a dying horse. Exactly the same as when De Wet Barry and Marius Joubert were replaced by Jean De Villiers and Jacques Fourie and the Springboks donnered Australia at Ellis Park in that very game.
That was it…..there was the odd appearance of Barry and Joubert again but in essence it was the kill shot….the mercy shot for a dying horse….
I think all you Bulls must maar pray Goosen doesn’t play well this weekend, or your blou oog seuntjie is done. Finished. He must maar pack up and go play in Europe.
25 Sep 2012, 18:24 pm
Here’s something else to think about…
We lack depth at 13…. JP Pietersen could be the man to make that position his own in the near future. He is still relatively young and has had a great super rugby season this year – the first where he has played predominantly at outside center.
It seems to have given him a new perspective on how to attack and even his play on the wing has improved as a result.
Truthfully, his career at wing for the Boks has been mediocre. His overall try scoring record for the Boks has been average for a winger (24 tries in 45 caps)…. Before 2012, the last try he scored for the Boks was in 2010. As a regular starter who almost always plays the full 80, these figures are not electric…
However, at outside center, JP might be very well suited. At 6ft3, 100kgs, he is well within the physical requirements. Not only that, but his speed makes him a threat for any defense. He has an offloading game, good defense and a small but effective sidestep.
This would not only address the lack of depth at outside center, but would also mean we can keep a man of JP’s experience in the team, whilst making room for some young, exciting wingers who bring more unpredictability and electricity to the role.
25 Sep 2012, 18:32 pm
Looks like Beale could be starting at 10 this weekend instead of Barnes. Potential for an electric game
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