Heyneke keeps faith in Boks
3 Oct 2012
Heyneke Meyer has made no changes to the Springboks’ starting line-up for the Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks.
The Boks had several injury concerns following last Saturday’s clash against the Wallabies, but Meyer has confirmed that Zane Kirchner (hip), Johan Goosen (heel), Willem Alberts (hip), and Jannie du Plessis (stiffness) all trained with the team on Wednesday, and are all expected to start.
News that Coenie Oosthuizen has been cleared of a serious neck injury has prompted Meyer to include the Cheetahs prop on the Bok bench. Oosthuizen replaces Pat Cilliers, who featured against Australia last week.
‘Coenie is a superb athlete, a player whom I believe has the potential to be one of the all-time greats,’ said Meyer. ‘I will never gamble on a player’s health. We know that there is no risk to playing Coenie this weekend.
‘He has been out of action [due to a neck injury] for some time, but he understands our systems and what’s required of him having been with us since the beginning of the year.
‘In these types of games you need an impact player who can produce something special when he comes off the bench, and Coenie fits the bill.’
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Francois Hougaard, 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.
Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Marcel Coetzee, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Johannesburg
313 Comments
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3 Oct 2012, 13:11 pm
good team dragons!!
Lets hope that de Jongh, Lambie and Jantjies get good game time.
3 Oct 2012, 13:11 pm
giddyup
3 Oct 2012, 13:13 pm
bring in bambie 2nd half
3 Oct 2012, 13:14 pm
I really hope the Kirchner critter gets injured early, quickly and fast, so Lambie can finally get a decent run.
3 Oct 2012, 13:14 pm
@bokgat1-3: yup and the other 2 with at least 20 minutes left
3 Oct 2012, 13:16 pm
Kirchner is the right call for this particular game.
3 Oct 2012, 13:20 pm
taute vs snakey
eish
3 Oct 2012, 13:21 pm
if we win, and counting the walking dead, can we finally say we have more depth then the kiwis, or is this just temporary
3 Oct 2012, 13:22 pm
Great to have Coenie back on bench…
3 Oct 2012, 13:22 pm
@pattyfries-4: frik what the hell did lambie do? looked like a dam alzeimers gimmer when he feked up defence in the aussie try. kirchie is doing a pretty good job dont blerry replace someone for nothing! lambie should do underwear modeling like quade cooper bout as good as he is gonna get to be honest fek!!!
3 Oct 2012, 13:24 pm
I don’t get this criticism about de Jongh and Elton being kept back so long before coming on against Aus.
In truth, you should not bring anyone on unless there is an injury or they’re required for a specific tactical purpose.
When Heyneke – obviously under quota pressure – wished to bring them on about 15 minutes before the end (that’s when the bloody cameraman started to zoom onto them every time there was an injury break, collapsed scrum or shoelaces that had to be tied up), the Boks suddenly experienced an unexpected setback in that the Aussies were camping on our goal line for about 10 stoppage inclusive minutes.
Hence, Heyneke did the sensible thing by not bringing new guys on and potentially disrupting our defensive alignment until we got out of our own territory. The moment this happened, the quota superheroes got their chance.
I call them quota superheroes not because they aren’t good enough to play for the Boks, but because in the context of that particular game, the only reason to bring them both on was to satisfy the quota brigade.
Elton replacing Goosen to rest his sore foot was maybe an option (again, once we were out of our 22), but De Jongh was really not necessary other than to appeas Ashfak and his Peninsula partners.
3 Oct 2012, 13:25 pm
@Blitzbok-10: No, no, no. Hougaard “feked up”.
3 Oct 2012, 13:25 pm
@Malcolm B-1: dunno bout de jongh and jantjies. jantjies is too scared to make a tackle and the blacks will breath ****** fire down his throat if they see him! taute was frikin impressive. lambo is a ***** boy tying to play a mans game.
3 Oct 2012, 13:28 pm
@Finfan-12: No hougaard at least attempted the tackle lambie couldnt put the attacker under any ****** pressure! lt him just ***** pass and over. lambie not first time coked up on defence but you all against the bulle? always excuses excuses for the guppies or someone gotta call out a ***** bull just for hell of it. just admit it mate lambo aint got **** i thought he coulda been best but it aint happenin
3 Oct 2012, 13:30 pm
Seeing that the result is immaterial (ABs already won the RC), I would’ve played Jantjies, De Jongh and Lambie. Goosen got his chance and come on with 5 minutes left to play, so can Taute and Kirchner.
3 Oct 2012, 13:31 pm
Blitzbok.. That wasn’t lambie’s man. Hougaard missed Beale, lambie had to come in to cover and as he did so the pass went wide. Nothing he could have done about that.
Kirchner has done well, far better than expected. Its time Lambie got some game time though. What better chance than against NZ under pressure, to see if he has what it takes
3 Oct 2012, 13:31 pm
@Finfan-12:
Yes, I was upset with Hougaard with that defensive mishap. My reading of it afterwards – when emotions had calmed down a bit – was that there was an overlap in any case, and Hougaard charged up too fast in order to try and smother the move before it went wide. It was a calculated gamble that didn’t succeed.
But I agree that Hougaard didn’t have one of his better games, overall. JP Pietersen and Habana would appear to be our first choice wings at this point.
Hougaard will probably end as an bench impact player.
3 Oct 2012, 13:31 pm
@Transformation-7: Jean vs Nonu
3 Oct 2012, 13:32 pm
@Tacitus-11: nice one
3 Oct 2012, 13:32 pm
@Blitzbok-14: An “attempted tackle” in my book means fckall and on the playing field it means even less than that. Idiot.
3 Oct 2012, 13:35 pm
Another thing I don’t get is this rumoured defensive frailty of Goosen.
He looks like he’s built like a brick sh*thouse, and in fact looks a lot more powerful, even at his young age, than Morne Steyn, Elton and Lambie.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think he is a particular liability in that respect, compared to our other options at flyhalf – barring Frans Steyn of course.
3 Oct 2012, 13:36 pm
@Tacitus-17: Hougaard has lost form as scrumhalve and wing. Frustrating. I would prefer him as an impact player at this stage, a role that suits him well because of his unpredictability and game breaking ability.
3 Oct 2012, 13:37 pm
@Finfan-20: a attempted tackle means a *** load more than walking in a circle holding your arms out. thats the fukking point you sh!!thead.
3 Oct 2012, 13:38 pm
@grant10-9: Hi Grant, yes but I hope he is 100% !! Getting the opinion of a neuro surgeon a few days before a test match concerns me. Coenie played 35 minutes in the last 3 or 4 months. Is it really worth the risk to play him against the All Blacks ? To face Woodcock, Franks or even Faumiana is no joke, especially if you’re not 100%. If he was feeling stiff after a Cheetahs match, imagine the discomfort after a Bok match. Maybe I’m too negative – let’s hope I’m wrong
3 Oct 2012, 13:39 pm
@Finfan-22:
I’m not sure where Hougaard is best suited, but I can tell you where he is NOT suited, and that’s as our starting scrumhalf.
I’ve been advocating his move away from the 9 position since the beginning of the year or earlier, and frankly, I even prefer Vermaak to him at 9 for the Bulls. At this stage he can get a starting position at wing, but once Pietersen is back, Hougaard will probably be a good impact player, especially coming on against tired defenders in the last 20 mintes of a game.
3 Oct 2012, 13:39 pm
@Tacitus-21: when he came on against new zealand he caved in and they targetted him immediately. he was the worst defender for the cheetos with robert. not great defender but you get most out of his attack it can work out. not as bad as elton or some other guys. probably why i wanted peter grant instead even tho he has a piddly boot. more all round solid.
3 Oct 2012, 13:39 pm
@Tacitus-21: You are right – he is no defensive liability. He can tackle IMO
3 Oct 2012, 13:40 pm
@pattyfries-4: not nice
3 Oct 2012, 13:43 pm
Tacitus = deluded bigot
3 Oct 2012, 13:43 pm
@Finfan-12: @Blitzbok-14: @aleric-16: Looking at it again, granted Hougie was side stepped and beaten but Lambie was also caught in no man’s land… he could’ve either come up and shut Beale down thereby preventing him from passing or go for the outside man…
you could see his first instinct was to go in but ended up inbetween… who’s fault was it?…both and none… there was a 2 on 3 overlap anyway… that’s my take on it
3 Oct 2012, 13:43 pm
@Blitzbok-10: Was not him.Was Hougaardt.Follow full sequenceSee support players for tryscorer.
3 Oct 2012, 13:43 pm
@Blitzbok-23: I know, you are quite right. A missed tackle should at least be spectacular and means a shitload more than a normal missed tackle. The fact that a try is scored doesn’t matter. I actually also ignore the tries scored against us and only look at missed tackles. The more spectacular the missed tackle, the better I feel. Idiot.
3 Oct 2012, 13:44 pm
@aleric-16: he had his ***** chance and he failed. thats the point kirchner is doing a ****** good job leave the guy alone to do his job. for *** sake of he was sh!!t then fine cut him but lambo aint doing anything when he is on like a ****** invisible man talk bout low impact. i just dont get the hype at all or the hate against kirchner. if he does his ****** job then whats the ****** problem. its ****** sad when everyone got to create a reason to hate him that doesnt ****** exist.
3 Oct 2012, 13:46 pm
Coenie is not an established TH at Super Rugby level, not yet, can he cover the position at Test level?
A 4:3 bench split with 3 midget backs might be potentially a risky decision no doubt enforced on HM
The ABs will attempt to run at the Boks backs often, plenty of fun’s awaiting
3 Oct 2012, 13:47 pm
@Finfan-32: you stupid **** he didnt make ANY tackle or anything. thats the worst ****** thing of all. i guess you dont know how defending works and lambie was just ****** awful. players outside of main defender have specific jobs you know he could have and should have done alot more but didnt. idiot azzole.
3 Oct 2012, 13:50 pm
All Blacks sitting at 16 consecutive test wins. Boks have got to put a stop to their streak this eekend
3 Oct 2012, 13:51 pm
@Blitzbok-35: Did you see Kirchner’s lovely missed tackle against the ABs in NZ? Hell, it was excellent. Idiot.
3 Oct 2012, 13:51 pm
@Finfan-22: as soon as JPP and Frans return then it is Hougie to the bench to replace Lambie. The 3 backline subs should be Taute (centre, wing, fullback) Hougie (scrumhalf, wing) and Elton (playmaker)
3 Oct 2012, 13:55 pm
@Tomsta-36: they only on 15 now two away from the Bok record.
3 Oct 2012, 13:58 pm
Not surprised that he has selected the same team.
Hougaard must start to earn his place at wing. He has done vokkol (at wing) so far.
Will Pienaar be able to play two good games in a row? I can’t remember that he has done that in the past.
How can a player be a quota but also deserve to be a Bok at the same time?
JJE and Potgieter did not deserve to be Boks but I did not hear anybody calling them quotas.
Can we get the definition for a quota player again, please. I’m confused.
3 Oct 2012, 13:59 pm
@Blitzbok-13: I rate de Jongh though and feel that with enough exposure he can be great. I have never liked jantjies to be very honest but i believe that he is next in line after goose and needs adequate game time to build confidence and gain experience. IMO he is by far the better 10 between him and Morne, hence the experience factor needs attention, else we get morne back to starting 15 if Goosen gets injured. i do tend to agree with you tho on Lambie.
3 Oct 2012, 14:01 pm
average of 20 caps per forward.
3 Oct 2012, 14:02 pm
Heyneke really puts pressure on his players by saying they could be all time greats! He did it with Goosen and now with Coenie.
Good luck guys!
3 Oct 2012, 14:03 pm
average of 38 caps per back
3 Oct 2012, 14:03 pm
@Finfan-37:
What missed tackle was that? When Smith scored his try?
@RL-39:
Record is shared by the AB’s and the Boks. Can’t just say it is the “Bok record.”
3 Oct 2012, 14:07 pm
Will this be Jean de Villiers’ last test for the Boks?
3 Oct 2012, 14:08 pm
FH is not a winger. He gets caught out of position too much. Taute needs to do more then tackle and clean. He shoud atleast try catch a ball and run with it. But i will not hold my breath. What i do like though is we now have some sort of continuity. Not the rubbish that was going on before.
3 Oct 2012, 14:09 pm
@RL-38: Agree 100%. However, it would be sinful not to have Lambie on the bench. Maybe HM should consider a 3 – 4 split on the bench: three forwards, four backline subs. Would be a first.
3 Oct 2012, 14:10 pm
@nama1-46: No. Maybe end of year tour or next years Rugby Championship will be his swangsong.
Saw a cool pic of JDV and Goosen when he was a laaitie. Now he is playing with his heroes.
3 Oct 2012, 14:11 pm
@nama1-45: As far as I can remember yes. At least he tried.
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