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, 18:25 pm
@blue and white stripes-149: L o M F
12 Nov 2012, 18:26 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-142: Your cat claws are showing,
12 Nov 2012, 18:28 pm
@wnbb-146: You cannot make a statement as you did and then leave it up in the air.Please answer my question.Is J d J a political selectioon or not.
12 Nov 2012, 18:29 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-142: Very clever Brig.You have just about covered all of your bases in case of any eventuality .
12 Nov 2012, 18:29 pm
Yet another meeting of the CMMS…
Cape Mutual Ma.sturbation Society…
Incorrigible…
Wankas Anon…
12 Nov 2012, 18:30 pm
Outtahere…
Farken boring…
Will return after the tugging and poodlefcking is finished…
12 Nov 2012, 18:31 pm
@ryecatcher-151:
Mine too.
Russia, Wales and Nkosi Sikelel are my favourites.
12 Nov 2012, 18:33 pm
@ryecatcher-153: He hasn’t been selected yet,so,in all honesty,I can’t answer that question yet.You will just have to wait for my answer then .Ok.
12 Nov 2012, 18:34 pm
@Heavens Game-156: The Romneyrite not staying?Shame
12 Nov 2012, 18:35 pm
@wnbb-159:
12 Nov 2012, 18:36 pm
Specially for you Hg: “The hurricane has interrupted the presidential campaign. Both presidential candidates are taking measures to prepare for Hurricane Sandy. President Obama is staying in Washington to coordinate relief efforts. And Mitt Romney is moving his smaller homes into his larger home.” –Conan O’Brien
12 Nov 2012, 18:36 pm
@wnbb-159:
He’s gone a’Roveing.
12 Nov 2012, 18:37 pm
@wnbb-158: OK pal accepted.But your implication in post 61 quite emphatic. And Btw.I would agree to his selection.
12 Nov 2012, 18:43 pm
Hmmm, I’m glad for the change, one would think public pressure moved HM.
I would take it 1 step further and highlight that since Beast was sent home he feels he has to select 3 POC’s.
Just judging him on his track record which doesn’t suggest he all of a sudden has faith in JdJ.
12 Nov 2012, 18:46 pm
Hg must have been one of the few outside of America who actually believed in old Mitt. “Speaking of Paul Ryan, a new poll actually found that 42 percent of Americans do not approve of Mitt Romney’s running mate, which isn’t too bad considering most Americans don’t approve of Paul Ryan’s running mate.” –Jimmy Fallon
12 Nov 2012, 18:52 pm
@papaown-164: Don’t know whether playing three is his policy or not..Agree with you that he don’t rate JdJ though.He might think,since it’s only Scotland,he can get away with playing him and thus get the wolves off his back.
12 Nov 2012, 18:56 pm
@wnbb-165:
The interesting thing about HG is his scorn for Liberals, yet he’s a fervent supporter of Classical Liberalism and the Laissez Faire philosophy of the right. I wonder if he’s aware of the difference?
12 Nov 2012, 18:57 pm
I would actually prefer all WP/Stormers players of darker hues not making themselves available whilst Meyer is in charge of the Bok team.Might be radical,but why be taken for a joyride by a coach that doesn’t really rate you?
12 Nov 2012, 19:03 pm
@ryecatcher-153: For HM it was. For the rest of the world not.
Would hope to see Mvovo get a start too. Mullet was nowhere on defence.
And Krusty just irritates th kak out of me…runs around with an oopbek lie an overcooked snoek.
12 Nov 2012, 19:05 pm
Public pressure…. sure.
JDJ was not the encumbent centre. HM started the tour with him on the bench. Big deal.
now he is about to pick him..
Show me PROOF you guys are NOT all about race. In this case twisting and turning every situation to make HM the big bad wolf or the puppet of pressure.
This was exactly the same pattern when he dropped Steyn first.
And with Marcel C. And with JJ E.
Wnnb and Nama. WTF are you doing these days. because between you two and skop, on average every second post are by you. I think you are in need of a rest – go to the bench or be dropped alltogether for a week or so. It would make a nice change from your repetitive style.
12 Nov 2012, 19:07 pm
@wnbb-168:
I genuinely believe that HMs problem is the type of rugby he wants to play, where size is the determining factor.
12 Nov 2012, 19:07 pm
How strange, how very strange that no one seems to want to talk cricket and its about a test against their great SH rivals, the Australians?
Has it anything at all to do with only one team being in a position to win this test now and the other(Proteas) can’t)?
Hedge your bets, one and all.
12 Nov 2012, 19:09 pm
@wnbb-168: sk-aap
12 Nov 2012, 19:11 pm
@Neilanate-172: sure. you think on that track. 3 hundreds, one double hundred and a sixty odd in the first innings………. that anything is going to happen. because Clarkie says so.
Cockle doodle doo
12 Nov 2012, 19:14 pm
@Neilanate-172: Maybe as this is a rugby blog?
And, you think, in 1 day, Oz is gonna build a big enough lead and bowl the Proteas out on what seems an absolute demon of a pitch?
Take another hit son.
12 Nov 2012, 19:16 pm
@David-171: I agree with you.He needs to be honest with players and not drag them around the world to carry tackle bags.He has every right to play HIS way ,but not at the expense of giving players false hope.With South Africa’s political situation he is actually caught between a rock and a hard place.Probably explains his effort to get the other Zim-born prop into the squad.Not easy being a Bok coach in this country.
12 Nov 2012, 19:20 pm
@Neilanate-172: That test is as dead as Mitt Romney’s campaign to win the White House back for the Republicans.Maybe that’s the reason for the lack of interest.
12 Nov 2012, 19:28 pm
Everyone scurrying for lame excuses which is so different to the’ cockahoop’ story of days 1, 2 and 3(remember 40/3 and the noise).
Point still is, however, that only 1 team is in a position to possibly win it even if a miracle is required on that flat bed. talk about fickle, here we see it change overnight.
The story of our country.
12 Nov 2012, 19:29 pm
@blue and white stripes-149: My fave foreign anthem, although it’s technically only their rugby anthem is “Ireland’s Call”.
Followed closely by “Flower of Scotland”.
12 Nov 2012, 19:30 pm
@wnbb-176:
The problem is, like Jake, as long as he sticks to this policy the Boks will remain the domain of big white players.
12 Nov 2012, 19:32 pm
The Aussies will bat till tea.
The Proteas could easily implode and be bowled out in a session but that is highly unlikely.
Both the no ball “dismissals” could’ve had a major effect on the outcome.
12 Nov 2012, 19:36 pm
@Neilanate-178: The cricket has been rather disappointing. The Aussies are going to try and play for a win. Do I think it’s possible – notfuckinglikely.
Everytime I see Clarke, I just want to feed the skinny runt.
The end.
12 Nov 2012, 19:41 pm
@David-180: That’s probably the big difference between us and the Aussies.The Aussies because of their limited player pool HAD to make use or develop every player that showed the ability to play rugby at a higher level,thus constantly developing their gameplan.Our so-called high numbers probably restricts the way we think about rugby in terms of gameplans etc etc.Most fans as well as Bok coaches believe that bigger is better and that is the only way Bok rugby will be successful.
12 Nov 2012, 19:43 pm
@Jeraldjay-181: I know about one.Morne.The others??
12 Nov 2012, 19:48 pm
@wnbb-184:
Kallis was caught off a Siddle no ball in his 40′s and ended up with 137.
12 Nov 2012, 19:49 pm
@wnbb-183:
It’s also a coaching cop out. It’s far easier to create a game plan based on size than one that utilises the talent of a smaller but more skilled player in the overall pattern.
12 Nov 2012, 19:49 pm
147
12 Nov 2012, 19:54 pm
@Jeraldjay-185: Thanks.
12 Nov 2012, 19:58 pm
resting jean for this match will be the first step of putting the old war horse out to pasture…
@David-186:
true david…
12 Nov 2012, 20:06 pm
@shooter-170: Meyer is first and foremost a bloody coward, secondly he is a closet racist even though he don’t want to think of himself in those terms it sticks out like a bloody sore thumb it is exactly what he is.
Any other international coach with any rugby credibility would pick Juan de Jongh ahead of Taute at center, every one bar Heyneke Meyer.. now tell my who do you actually think that is?
12 Nov 2012, 20:08 pm
Willievz is correct WP made the wrong purchase for the wrong FB they should have bought Andries Coetsee before they shelled out all that dough for Elton Jantjies and Jaco Taute.. Andries Coetsee would have been by far the better buy.
12 Nov 2012, 20:09 pm
@skopdiekan-190:
who = why
12 Nov 2012, 20:10 pm
@David-186: Absolutely.The majority of our coaches are old school so it’s going to be extremely difficult to change their mindset.In today’s cut and throat business of professional sport where quick success is everything it will be even more difficult to change their mindset.It will take a strong and visionary coach to try and attemp to change SA’s so-called entrenched rugby style of play,but will the national body or even the fans give him the time to expand our rugby gameplan or style of play?Personally I don’t think so.We,as a rugby nation,believe,whether true or not,that we are special and that winning is everything ,not tomorrow but today.
12 Nov 2012, 20:12 pm
@ufo-189:
Not going to happen. HM is too conservative for that. But WP have proved that they can win without JDV present. And I’ve been a huge fan of his for years.
Otherwise HM needs to select a new captain as well. But, JDJ needs a start. This Sat will be fine with me.
12 Nov 2012, 20:13 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-179: Irelands call sounds like “Heidi”
12 Nov 2012, 20:15 pm
@ufo-189: War Horse.Good movie
12 Nov 2012, 20:16 pm
@Neilanate-172:
Weren’t the Aussies at 21/9 not too long ago. Only to be bowled out for 49.
All teams are prone to collapses.
Don’t shout your mouth off too soon, buddy.
12 Nov 2012, 20:18 pm
@ryecatcher-195:
That’s why I’ll go with Land of our Fathers.
Or in some cases, Land of our Grandfathers.
12 Nov 2012, 20:20 pm
@I am a stormer-198: Land of my toppie
12 Nov 2012, 20:24 pm
Equating visionary with Heyneken is a damn right impossible thought I forgot to add.I got nothing against the him,but he absolutely and truly stuck in a 1960′s time warp .
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