De Jongh set for Murrayfield start
13 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in Edinburgh, reports Juan de Jongh is likely to run on against Scotland, while Pat Lambie is expected to be retained at flyhalf.
De Jongh impressed for the Stormers in Super Rugby and recently enjoyed an excellent Currie Cup, scoring in the final. Coach Heyneke Meyer has been reluctant to use him. He is concerned primarily about the player’s size, worrying that this would compromise him in contact situations at Test level.
However, Meyer strongly suggested he sees Scotland as an opportunity to give the 24-year-old game time.
‘We’re a relatively young team and haven’t played together much, we want to keep some continuity. We respect Scotland and won’t just give Test caps away. There won’t be a lot of changes but the one that will probably happen is to see Juan come in. He has been knocking hard on the door and deserves a chance,’ Meyer said.
‘It isn’t definite, I want to speak to some of the [senior] players as well, but he probably will start. We’ll have a rotation policy in that position. Jaco Taute probably had his best Test against Ireland [at outside centre], and we’ll have to see whether we pair Juan and Jaco, who can also play inside centre, and give Jean de Villiers a break. Jean has played with a couple of injuries recently so he needs a rest. Jaco could also play at fullback [replacing Zane Kirchner], but again, I don’t want to make too many changes.’
Meyer is also expected to persist with Lambie at flyhalf after praising his performance at Lansdowne Road in difficult conditions. With the coaching staff in search of quality back-up to the injured Johan Goosen, who’ll reclaim his starting position if he stays fit for the 2013 Test season, Lambie has the inside lane to be that man.
‘I’ll probably stick by Pat,’ Meyer said. ‘It was a difficult start for him because we just didn’t have the ball [in the first half]. The second half was a bit of a catch-up. He did some nice things in possession. He has high standards and so do we, so we’re looking for an improvement. But he showed some good touches and I want to give him some confidence going forward.’
Meyer said there were likely to be changes on the bench, which could see Elton Jantjies replacing Morne Steyn as pivot cover. Elsewhere Gurthro Steenkamp has recovered from a rib injury that kept him out of the weekend’s Test, and will come into the frame to replace Beast Mtawarira, who has been sent home after suffering a recurrence of a heart condition he was treated for earlier this year.
Team doctor Craig Roberts, however, sought to allay fears about Mtawarira’s health and playing future. ‘He has been treated for an irregular heartbeat in hospital in Dublin. This isn’t life threatening or career threatening in any way and he is quite capable of playing with it,’ Roberts said.
‘Heyneke and I had a meeting with him today and made the decision to send him to Cape Town to have a minor procedure done later this week where they try to isolate and eradicate the cells that are causing the irregular rhythm. He had it done earlier this year, but clearly they didn’t get all the cells.
‘Anything can set it off, we don’t actually know precisely what does. I’ve also had quite a few players who’ve had it. Beast has gone into this rhythm a couple of times in the past and we’ve just managed it. I need to make it clear that he could have played this weekend at no risk.’
Meyer added: ‘If it happens again this week we’re back to square one. It worries me and it is at the back of his mind. You want guys out there that are totally focussed. He is also on medication that sometimes slows you down. It is also important for him to be with his family. It was a difficult decision, but the right one we believe.’
Jannie du Plessis picked up an ankle injury in Dublin, but Meyer and Roberts indicated that he was likely to recover. ‘He is looking good. We’ll assess him at training and we are hopeful he will be ready for the weekend.’
700 Comments
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12 Nov 2012, 14:59 pm
Fantastic news.
12 Nov 2012, 15:08 pm
as i said…
Guthro
adriaan
jannie
eben
juandre
francois
marcell
duane
francois
patrick
lwazi
jean
juan
jp
jaco would be ideal for scotland with
chilli
heinke
patrick
flip
alberts
ruaan
elton
lionel as the replacements
12 Nov 2012, 15:10 pm
@xtremebull-2: Bring
6 Flo
7 marcell
8 arno
12 Nov 2012, 15:10 pm
Ja…stick with Pat and give him an extended run until Johan Goosen is fit again,also would like to see Elton on the bench and Jaco at 15.
12 Nov 2012, 15:10 pm
Jeez everything is a contradiction…
‘It isn’t definite, I want to speak to some of the [senior] players as well, but he probably will start. We’ll have a rotation policy in that position.’
Spin doctor…
12 Nov 2012, 15:14 pm
all good news ….get better soon Beast.
Also happy that Jantjes will hopefully replace M Steyn on the bench…
Marcelle Coetsee at 7 will also add some dynamism to the pack, played fantastically when replacing Alberts on Sat…
So happy for JDJ….
12 Nov 2012, 15:18 pm
About 20% of the fans will never be happy, no matter what Heyneke does or says. Gumboots above as reference.
12 Nov 2012, 15:20 pm
well there you have it
12 Nov 2012, 15:21 pm
@Tacitus-7:
Quite right mate! I don’t follow just any messiah… There is only one that I follow…
12 Nov 2012, 15:21 pm
I’ll donate R10 000 towards Rugby Development every time JDJ passes the ball on Saturday …. my money is safe
))))))))
12 Nov 2012, 15:21 pm
Elton replacing Morne due to Morne’s terrible performance as a non-used sub on Saturday, or because Heineken is bowing to public pressure?
12 Nov 2012, 15:22 pm
Nothing but spin from Heyneken, but JdJ will definitely start no matter what HM is blabbering here.The fact of the matter is ,that he was reminded last week who is paying his salary.
12 Nov 2012, 15:23 pm
@Tacitus-7:
Remember how vocal you were with PDivvy? Well I’m the same now…
12 Nov 2012, 15:24 pm
@katman-11:
Howzit Katman! Did you watch the golf? Playoffs suck…
Ja please explain how you make changes on the bench like this. Splinters??? Saw bumbs…
12 Nov 2012, 15:24 pm
@katman-11: Political pressure more likely….as well as WP/Stormer pressure.Who knows,but at least he knows who his masters are.
12 Nov 2012, 15:27 pm
Sore LOL
12 Nov 2012, 15:30 pm
@katman-11:
Social pressure.
Gwede defriended him on Facebook.
12 Nov 2012, 15:30 pm
Still feel HM should have started this match with Jantjes……I am a Lambie fan, [ although Goosen is my long term favotite to take over 10]…..but do feel to be fair to Jantjes a start would have been the way to go……..then HM can compare the 2 and decide for the England game….
f HMis really not sure who his 2 nd best 10 is , 1 being Goosen ……..then Jantjes should at least be given the Scots game to staks a claim imo…
12 Nov 2012, 15:32 pm
@suffer_guy-10: I’m going to count.
12 Nov 2012, 15:32 pm
Juan de Jongh recently upgraded his try scoring celebrations and on that alone he deserves to be in the starting line-up.
12 Nov 2012, 15:33 pm
@Gumboots-16: Whose bums?
12 Nov 2012, 15:34 pm
@Gumboots-14: Didn’t see it, but read about it. Fookin’ell, when will a play-off go Oosthuizen’s way?
12 Nov 2012, 15:34 pm
What about Mvovo for Flopgaardt?Maybe the okes on the ‘get rid of HM’ Facebook page should up the ante in the next 24 hours.
12 Nov 2012, 15:37 pm
@suffer_guy-10: Place a second donation for every time he does not break to inside
12 Nov 2012, 15:38 pm
alberts and hougie should play off the bench.. with brits and heinke there also, would provide lots of ‘impact’.. would like for etzebeth to eventually play 5.. juandre is average, and bekker injury prone.. get a more mobile 4… maybe even alberts… when bismarck ,schalk and goosen back… no looking so bad.. then just find a decent coach… SARU should buy Joe Scmidt out of his contract at Leinster..
12 Nov 2012, 15:38 pm
@wnbb-23: And pick Tootie ?
12 Nov 2012, 15:38 pm
Social media changed the political landscape in Egypt,so getting Heyneken sorted out shouldn’t be a problem.
12 Nov 2012, 15:38 pm
@gunther-17: So what does he say to Morne then?
“Your conduct on the bench was unbecoming. Your fistpumps looked fake and you missed at least three hi-five opportunities with Pat Cilliers and Lwazi Mvovo. I’m giving Elton your seat.”
12 Nov 2012, 15:39 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-19: Sorry, forgot to;-)
12 Nov 2012, 15:39 pm
@katman-22:
Eagle won it!!! Can’t argue with that… Yes it is about time he gets one going his way. The oke is but 19 or something like that… A mature head for sure…
12 Nov 2012, 15:40 pm
12 Nov 2012, 15:41 pm
go with this team for Scotland…
Guthro
Schalk Brits
Jannie Du Plessis
Etsebeth
Franco VD Merwe
Flo
Marcelle Coetsee
Vermeulen
Ruan Pienaar
Jantjes
JDV
JDJ
Mvovo
J PP
Kirchner…
12 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
If Jean is rested, then A Strauss becomes captain…. If that happens, we are likely to see another game where Brits get no game time.
12 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
@line break-25:
12 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
The Springboks may have an alternative captain leading them onto the field for their second tour match against Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Saturday.
Coach Heyneke Meyer has said that while he intends keeping changes to a minimum out of respect for Scotland and the need to build winning momentum, he is considering giving his regular captain, Jean de Villiers, a rest.
Meyer was responding to a press conference at the team hotel in Edinburgh on where Western Province’s inform centre Juan de Jongh stood in his plans. The omission of De Jongh, the star of his team’s recent win over the Sharks in the Currie Cup final in Durban, was one of the talking points before the match against Dublin in Ireland last week.
“I definitely want to give Juan a chance, the reason I left him out last week was just because I wanted to keep changes to a minimum from the perspective of what we needed on defence,” said Meyer.
“I haven’t made up my mind completely about this yet, and I still need to talk to a few people, but I would like to institute a rotation policy in the midfield. I thought Jaco Taute played his best test so far against Ireland, so it is a case of whether we play Jaco and Juan together in the midfield, or whether we pair up Juan with Jean.”
Asked if that meant he was thinking of leaving out his captain, Meyer said that there was a chance De Villiers would not be leading the side at Murrayfield.
“I am thinking of giving Jean a rest this week as he has been struggling a bit with that hamstring injury that has been bothering him recently,” he said.
“I still believe fullback is Jaco Taute’s best position, and would love to play him there now, but I don’t want to make too many changes for the Scotland game. I think we should be looking to build momentum, and we did not play well last time out against Ireland. I have a lot of respect for Scotland.
“They may have lost heavily to the All Blacks but it was mainly in a period of 10 minutes that the All Blacks did most of the damage. Scotland scored three tries, which is not something we or Australia have managed against New Zealand this year.”
The Bok team will only be finalised later and named on Wednesday, but Meyer confirmed that Pat Lambie would continue at flyhalf.
“He didn’t have much opportunity to stamp his authority on the game in the first half but he showed some nice touches in the second and Pat also knows he is capable of better so I would like to back him and give him a chance to gain confidence going forward by building on his performance,” said Meyer.
Should De Villiers sit out the Murrayfield test, vice-captain Adriaan Strauss, who has rapidly stamped himself as an international player of quality in the absence of the injured Bismarck du Plessis, should be the man to lead the Boks
12 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
@line break-25: I see quite a lot bloggers want EE to switch to five.Why?Is it to accommodate another poor Bull in the team.If they turn him into a five my choice for four would be Elstadt.I know he is injured now,but that would be a great combo for 2015.
12 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
@grant10-32: Drop Vermeulen , he is to slow , play him prop
12 Nov 2012, 15:49 pm
@katman-28:
Provably the same thing the JSC said to Gauntlett.
12 Nov 2012, 15:52 pm
So Juan is going to be selected. I guess Heyneke Meyer is not a racist afterall…….
So Skop and the rest of the bandwagon crew should therefore be issuing an apology for what we now know to be an incorrect accusation of racism against Meyer.
12 Nov 2012, 15:55 pm
@the authority-39: Pressure,bud and realising who pays his salary.Big difference.
12 Nov 2012, 15:56 pm
@capebull-37:
One of Willem Alberts or Duane Vermeulen needs to be benched… Big boys, but we are getting stretched on defense because they’re both kinda slow.
12 Nov 2012, 15:56 pm
@capebull-37: Rather a slow Vermeulen than a pienk pansie Spies…..
However I do believe Marcelle Coetsee should start at 7…..Alberts to do damage last 25 min…
Vermeulen does more than Spies will ever do….
12 Nov 2012, 15:56 pm
@wnbb-40:
Oh so that’s why he selected Juan. My apologies, I wasn’t aware you could read his mind.
Idiot.
12 Nov 2012, 15:57 pm
Pressure starting to tell on HM… He is doing what the supporters are telling him to do…
I wish he will listen about the game plan though…
12 Nov 2012, 15:57 pm
y n0t play lambie at fullback in the last 20 then and bring on jantjies when subbing kirchner? We have the mobility and utility of the players exploid it HM!!!
12 Nov 2012, 15:58 pm
@the authority-41: I tend to agree with you….
12 Nov 2012, 15:59 pm
Guys – let’s not do the race thing again please.
There is no proof that Meyer is a racist. Leave it at that.
12 Nov 2012, 15:59 pm
Going to Murrayfield on Saturday.
If anyone’s around, let me know, and we can organise a lemonade or two.
12 Nov 2012, 16:00 pm
Playing Taute at 15 with JdJ alongside his provincial partner isn’t really a major disruption. HM is just blowing smoke as he knows JdV needs a rest before playing England and Taute is his current first choice 13. So JdJ is just being used as cover for Jean, not because he’s been “knocking on the door”. Hell, if he was, Taute by comparison hadn’t even opened the garden gate.
12 Nov 2012, 16:00 pm
@the authority-43: if you don’t understand the political situation in this country you might consider yourself an idiot instead of an authority.Do you really think that Gwede uttered his disgust last week in his personal capacity??
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