Double boost for Boks
7 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in Dublin, writes Jean de Villiers and Francois Louw participated fully in Tuesday’s training session and will start against Ireland on Saturday.
De Villiers was ruled out of the Currie Cup play-offs with a hamstring injury sustained in the Springboks’ final Rugby Championship match in Soweto and has been carefully managed since in the hope that he would recover for the tour opener. The Springboks’ skipper didn’t train fully at Blackrock College RFC on Monday, but participated in a defensive session today, showing no signs of discomfort.
Louw hurt his neck on club duty for Bath a fortnight ago and was sidelined for the clash against London Welsh last weekend, but also appears to have made a full recovery and will start at openside flank, with Marcell Coetzee, who stood in for him in yesterday’s training drills, on the bench as cover.
The formation the Springboks ran this afternoon further indicated that Pat Lambie has trumped Morne Steyn for the starting berth at flyhalf. Lambie is also likely to assume goal-kicking duties ahead of Ruan Pienaar, although the latter is a very competent goal-kicker for his Irish club side Ulster, and will be used if Lambie’s boot betrays him.
Interestingly, Elton Jantjies slotted in at pivot for what was almost certainly the reserves, meaning Steyn is unlikely to make the match 22. This is in keeping with head coach Heyneke Meyer’s belief that Steyn is not the type of impact player he needs.
Hooker Schalk Brits is, and will inject pace, skill and athleticism into the contest when he replaces Adriaan Strauss. With the forecast for fine, cold but largely clear conditions, the stage is set for Brits to impress on his return to Test rugby after a four-year absence.
180 Comments
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7 Nov 2012, 13:40 pm
@mabu-146: Depends on what your flavour is. Do you want a big far t to impress the kids or a strong one to impress the connoissuer…..hehehe
To answer your question, depending on the position and role of the player it might call for one or the other or a combination of both.
7 Nov 2012, 13:40 pm
@Finfan-132: holy **** that is a train smash of note waiting to happen. If he´s planning an afternoon of up n unders ala Morne Steyn chased up by fullbacks and tall blokes like JP, Taute, Kirchener and Lambie we are in deep poo.
7 Nov 2012, 13:40 pm
@ufo-144: I think he said the Irish forwards wont make Maties 3rd team or something like that.
@ufo-144: He also played Habana at 13, which was terrible.
7 Nov 2012, 13:42 pm
@nama1-145:
@ufo-150:
great point about players choosing where to play…
i don’t think hougie has proven he can’t cut it at 9 because he has not been backed 100 percent there…
7 Nov 2012, 13:42 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-151: But having said that it does not mean I will exclude a guy just based on size. Habanero was a small bloke when he started out and gradually bulked up.
7 Nov 2012, 13:43 pm
@nama1-145:
So, Vermaak as bench 9?
7 Nov 2012, 13:44 pm
@ufo-154: Watched a TV program the other night where he said he would prefer 9 and admitted that his form went for a dip and is working hard to regain it so he is fulle aware of his shortcomings. Hope he sorts it out though as he will be vital when the next WC rolls around.
7 Nov 2012, 13:44 pm
@Sasuke-153:
that’s right…!!
7 Nov 2012, 13:46 pm
@Finfan-132: What an awful team. Even a plank like Meyer wouldnt select that… Would he?
7 Nov 2012, 13:47 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-157:
good to hear that and good to know he’s willing to work on it… as i said i would prefer to pick him at 9… so hope he succeeds… you’re right we will need him in top form at the wc…
7 Nov 2012, 13:49 pm
team out
7 Nov 2012, 13:50 pm
@Finfan-132: link to article pls? It seems a bit unbelievable.
7 Nov 2012, 13:51 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-159: I agree, a terrible side that. I reckon he got cold feet and would rather start the test with his blue-eyed boy at 10 and at least know what to expect. But why the fark move Kirchner to outside centre?? I can only think that Taute again didn’t impress at 13 during the previous training sessions.
7 Nov 2012, 13:57 pm
@nama1-145: Agreed. Hougie should sit bench for the Boks and should be considered as back up scrumhalf first and then back up wing second.
7 Nov 2012, 13:58 pm
Looking forward to the tour… Scotland to go down by 40+
Blog me this….
HM mentioned that he would have wanted to be involved earlier to get to know the younger players better….To have a better grasp on the debth of the national setup.
Here’s a thought…… why dont the boks have a tour to the US and Canada after the European tour?
HM can take a bok B team (not handing out caps) and feature the best next 15 players who are not currently in the elite bok squad/team.
This team can even feature fringe squad players, such as Malherbe, Aplon, Daniel, Bresler etc. and european based fringe players like Mostert, Mujati, van Niekerk ect.. Or scrap that idea and just have a B team with promising youngsters..
Pollard
Kitshoff
Steph du Toit
Serfontein
Van Zyl
Rhule
etc
etc
7 Nov 2012, 13:59 pm
@Sasuke-164:
I agree there is no point in having more than one utility back…
7 Nov 2012, 14:02 pm
@grant10-161: Where?
7 Nov 2012, 14:06 pm
@Jeez-165: Could work. OR why not go to Second Tier European nations e.g. Romania, Russia, Georgia, Portugal. Save you the trip West.
7 Nov 2012, 14:06 pm
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
7 Nov 2012, 14:09 pm
Morne Steyn on the bench bleh…..think i just puked on my laptop.
7 Nov 2012, 14:11 pm
@Jeraldjay-169: I dont agree with Hougaard at 11, Taute at 13 and Morne Steyn on the bench.
Didnt Meyer say Morne Steyn is not the type of bench player he is looking for?
7 Nov 2012, 14:14 pm
@David-156:
For now Hougie is there already…but don’t select him as your starting wing then.
Play him of the bench.
7 Nov 2012, 14:16 pm
@goodstuff-115: Ja, I’m only yanking your chain, because that Bad Lipreading stuff is so funny.
7 Nov 2012, 14:26 pm
@Sasuke-171:
I’ll stick with Hougaard at 11. Let him settle in that position. Remeber he has played alot of rugby with Morne at 10 so the wings haven’t seen any ball.
I rate the guy ’cause he offers something different.
JDJ in place of Taute is a no brainer. Only HM can explain that one. His inform and will be playing next to his normal partner.
Morne Steyn is on the bench just because of sentiment. Jantjies had an excellent game against the AB’s under extremely difficulty circumstances.
7 Nov 2012, 14:26 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-159:
It looks like a last 20 min rearranged side as a test for England.
7 Nov 2012, 14:27 pm
@nama1-172:
I agree. He’s a good bench backline replacement.
7 Nov 2012, 14:31 pm
@Sasuke-171: That idiot spouts any kind of BS to asage the journos. Taute should play 15, why persist in messing with his experience at test level?
7 Nov 2012, 14:37 pm
@goodstuff-177: Because HM believes in a big and strong 13.
Regardless of whether or not he can defend in that channel.
He is happy to overlook the 13 of the best defensive team in the S15 and replace him with a bigger player.
7 Nov 2012, 14:52 pm
@willievz-178: I am starting to think other reasons also apply.
7 Nov 2012, 14:59 pm
@Sasuke-168:
Or perhaps just a bok barbarians team with all the best club based players…
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