Pietersen boost for Boks
21 Nov 2012
JP Pietersen has been named to start for the Springboks despite having to undergo a late fitness test, while Elton Jantjies has been included on the bench.
Pietersen was initially expected to miss the clash against England at Twickenham, but his groin injury has responded well to treatment, although he will have to prove he is completely recovered on Friday before he is cleared. Prop Gurthro Steenkamp also struggled with a leg ailment at the beginning of the week, but will start.
‘It’s great to be able to field an unchanged team,’ said Bok coach Heyneke Meyer. ‘We’ve been able to show some consistency in selection on this tour and that is a good thing.
‘The players have worked extremely hard on the training field and it wasn’t easy to select the match 23 for each of the three Tests, but I’m happy that we managed to stick to combinations.’
Jantjies is included on the bench for the first time on this tour, replacing Morné Steyn. The injury to reserve prop CJ van der Linde also sees Pat Cilliers promoted to the match 23.
‘The plan was always to give Elton a run on the tour,’ said Meyer. ‘He’s shown earlier in the season that he can play Test rugby. It’s also good for his development as a player to experience the conditions here and to play in front of a big crowd like Twickenham.’
Meyer said the demands of a long season were obvious when looking at the team.
‘It’s been a long season, with most of the guys carrying knocks and not able to train. The challenge is to get up for it mentally first and foremost and then bring the physicality,’ he said.
‘I am worried. I can see that mentally it’s been a long season. Having said that, I know this team and they’re warriors who want to win for their country and the guys next to them.’
The English media has demanded an elevated level of physicality from what they deemed a poor showing in their defeat against Australia. Meyer said he was braced for an immense challenge in that regard.
‘As a South African looking back, I didn’t think England teams were particularly tough. My coaching stint in Leicester, working with guys like Lewis Moody and Martin Corry, who are probably the toughest guys I’ve coached, changed that perception completely,’ he said.
‘Our guys know that they had the edge in South Africa physically because it was at the end of the northern hemisphere season. Now we’re here at the end of ours and they are fresh and we need to toughen up. Maybe in a sense they underestimated the Wallabies, but they will be up for South Africa.’
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gürthro Steenkamp.
Subs: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
329 Comments
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21 Nov 2012, 15:21 pm
@kaksioek-147: That ‘s is exactly what I am saying , do’nt you read my posts.
I am not happy with the game plan………( a mix Stompie defence / Bulls kicking)
If you play this game plan Vermeulen is your best 8 at the moment.
If you change the game plan , like we all hope for , Vermeulen will dissapear with the old game plan
Players suffering under this game plan are from Lions/Cheetas and Sharkies e.g. Lambie
21 Nov 2012, 15:21 pm
@Daddy-143: indeed Daddy..
I laugh with my pals, how we have have too many “WWE” that work regligiously hard on the physicality and tackling or “Body-slams.” Then ask them to put the ball through the hands, there’s nothing. It’s like watching “WWE”!!
There is a place for players like Vermuelen, who works his butt off every game putting in WWE-Moves, and for that reason alone we will get the upper hand on the North, as they can’t handle the physicality. However put us against a team that is up for physical and has skills too????? The result is we lose hard like AB’s show us day in day out.
21 Nov 2012, 15:22 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-150: I suggest you start watching those videos
21 Nov 2012, 15:23 pm
Spies is kuk in any man’s language…..even in Braille .End of debate.
21 Nov 2012, 15:24 pm
@Tbozknows-152: Amen brother , the new breed like Arno offers both
21 Nov 2012, 15:25 pm
bULLS ALREADY LOST cj sTANDER BECAUSE OF THE NON TACKLING SHOWBOAT….
Wait till Arno Botha gets gatvol…..
21 Nov 2012, 15:26 pm
@capebull-155: Arno is a good player. I saw him at U20 and i thought what a beast.
Him + Nizaam Carr played well together.
21 Nov 2012, 15:27 pm
Spies is more explosive then vermeulen but he too is low on confidence might be the fact that heineke told that when vermeulen is fit he will be the incumbent @8
21 Nov 2012, 15:27 pm
@grant10-156: I agree, and watch him play for Ireland. I will be devastated..
21 Nov 2012, 15:27 pm
Spies is a Girl..
21 Nov 2012, 15:29 pm
This ‘suffering of the Lambie’ episode has gone on far too long now…in my opinion off course.Any ten aspiring to become great should be able to play different game plans.A certain Carter springs to mind.
21 Nov 2012, 15:30 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-150: Add this to your collection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3muAkT0K9Y
21 Nov 2012, 15:31 pm
@xtremebull-158: Then he is a pu ssy with a weak mentality!!
21 Nov 2012, 15:32 pm
@Tbozknows-157: Yes with Kolisi , I like Carr as well but like Koster he has to much running in, him Stromers will go for slow heavy loosies
21 Nov 2012, 15:32 pm
Slowly but surely Bok rugby will get there….
Weak spots eradicated now……
Gone….Plod
Gone ….Spies
Gone M Steyn….
Now we just need HM to cotton onto a more ball in hand approach and tweak the backline…..
Personally I feel we need a top distributing 9…..
A fit Goosen at 10
And F Steyn with a licence to pass at 12……
Perhaps Kirchner at 15 needs to add an attacking edge to his game …. or make way for someone else…..
JD Villiers must go as well…..both Stormers and Boks do better when he is not there….
Hope we nail Poms and then we should give HM a bit of time in 2013 to implement some changes to personnel and game plan…….the coach has certainly been flexible the last few weeks, although the game plan leaves a lot to be desired…..
21 Nov 2012, 15:33 pm
@wnbb-163: If you don’t like his play leave his personality,
21 Nov 2012, 15:34 pm
@capebull-151: Let’s break this down:
Q. Who is the coach?
A. Herr Meyer
Q. What is his game plan?
A. Vokmaarvoort
Q. Who is the No. 8?
A. Vermeulen
Q. Can he like to vokmaarvoort?
A. Ja
The defence rests.
21 Nov 2012, 15:39 pm
@capebull-166: Oh dear!Bullies getting sensitive now.If only he had a personality,mate, I might consider it.
21 Nov 2012, 15:39 pm
@kaksioek-167: But Capebull was delighted with Spies playing his own special-child brand of ‘voksideways and fall over voort’ as 8 for the Bulls?
Meyer is his hero, Spies is his hero yet he is saying they don’t like to be fitting like gloves?
And sadly for him: Arno Botha with all his talent, is going to be sitting on the bench for most of the S15, while Spies continues to foksideways voort for the Bulls.
21 Nov 2012, 15:40 pm
@wnbb-161: Lambie needs to play his game.
Conforming will underplay his ability as a player.
21 Nov 2012, 15:42 pm
@wnbb-168: Spies is a Tswane treasure. Don’t fuckwithhis aura and standing in the community
21 Nov 2012, 15:43 pm
@kaksioek-167: I agree with what you say , but I am not happy with current game plan. Problem is like Strompies S15 , can any one really critisize AC , he ended top of log, he won , is winning at all cost everything ???
HM could beat England on Saturday, and his tour would be classified 3 wins, success.
Stormer supporters told us whole S15 , don’t worry about bonus points , look at winning, HM is doing the same with Rassie as advisor and JdV as captain.
Stormer supporters should answer this one.
Why were you happy with Strompies but unhappy with Bokke ?
21 Nov 2012, 15:44 pm
Yes! I would rather have Kanko or Daniels before Britney and that is any day of the week, month and year. Britney is brittle, poor hands and is made of glass… Sorry if I offended anyone it is only IMHO…
Keep him as Bulls captain… He does just great there…
21 Nov 2012, 15:44 pm
@wnbb-168: Lack of argument , get personal
21 Nov 2012, 15:45 pm
@capebull-172: Why are you happy with everything except Stormer supporters, players and coaches?
21 Nov 2012, 15:45 pm
Speaking of pussies how is my little racist maggot?
21 Nov 2012, 15:45 pm
Vermeulen is better than Spies can ever dream to be..don’t think I’ve ever seen Spies steal a ball in a tackle situation!maybe he shouldve left alone the steriods and be a wing like his old man!
21 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
@wnbb-161:
nothing great about carter at all.
his forwards make him look better than he actually is, by cheating.
21 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-169: I sad Vermeulen is useless, Spies was good in 2010, you seem to be stuck in a timezone that does not exist , Vermeulen best bok 8 in history
21 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
@capebull-172: Why are you happy with the Bulls vokmavoort but not Heyneke’s? Why did you adore Heyneke when he coached the Bulls, but suddenly question his game plan now?
If Spies was playing, you would be smiling – wouldn’t ya?
21 Nov 2012, 15:49 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-150: he is just *returning serve
*poppa style, no discernible valid reason except a chip from all the invective towards pierre…
21 Nov 2012, 15:49 pm
@capebull-172: Very few people are happy. I am only guessing, but I suspect the Strompies are not happy with Meyer because he is Meyer. However, Meyer is showing signs of – very slowly – moving away from his conservative game plan, so there is hope.
The problem I have with your criticism of Vermeulen is that I don’t think you have suggested any alternative players. If you are suggesting Spies replaces him when he is over his injury then I can’t really discuss the matter any further. I would far rather excuse Vermeulen’s lack of pace than Spies’ lack of courage.
21 Nov 2012, 15:49 pm
@capebull-179: But Vermeulen is not useless. He might not be Parisse, Lobbe or Kieran – but useless he isn’t.
It is here where your “Vermeulen is useless” argument falls flat – you have nothing to back it up with (except your dislike of the man, and everthing WP/Stormer)
See?
21 Nov 2012, 15:51 pm
LAMBIE doesn’t have a future at 10.
GOOSEN is the future – Lambie can forget any future at 10.
He can also forget a future at 15 as he just does not have the pace for an international fullback.
Heyneke should implement some BRAINS and introduce him at 12 because once Jean is gone (soon) we will have no one to cover at 12! 12 is the only position where Lambie will have a future for the boks.
Are these guys soooo stupid that they cannot see this?
21 Nov 2012, 15:51 pm
@Transformation-181: He could also be Spies’s wife doing what is expected from any half decent spouse
Defending her “man”.
21 Nov 2012, 15:52 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-175: If you read all my posts you will see that is not true, the Bulls coaching staff were useless this year , I said it on more than one occansion.
The point is that Stompies won most of their games with boring rugby , is that OK , the Bulls were useless and therefor is not worth mentioning their coaches.
I can not talk about the Sharkies coahes cause the bokke are not playing like that.
Bokke play a mix of Strompie defence with Bulls kicking.
21 Nov 2012, 15:53 pm
Pretty decent team all in all.
They should have enough club in their bag for the poms. Should have swapped flip and Kruger around.
21 Nov 2012, 15:54 pm
@grant10-156: fark sorry caps?!
21 Nov 2012, 15:54 pm
@capebull-186:
The defending is part of all great rugby teams armour… it is the kicking game that is the problem. Your point about Bulls kicking is?
21 Nov 2012, 15:55 pm
@capebull-174: There is no lack of argument here.It’s a world wide accepted fact that Spies is kak,mate!I only responded to Xtremebull saying that he is low on confidence because HM punted DV as his number 8.I don’t believe that’s the reason,but if it is,then he is nothing but a pu ssy…in any man’s book.Real men will fight on and prove the coach wrong while pu ssies will accept their fate.
21 Nov 2012, 15:56 pm
Can’t believe Guthro is back in the team after last week’s performance. Before he got subbed against Scotland, he slipped 4 tackles in the space of 4 minutes. He comes charging into players like a freight train but never makes the tackle. Simply falling off after making the hit and the ‘tackled’ player marches on. Useless sack of sh#t.
21 Nov 2012, 15:58 pm
@kaksioek-182: I hope you are right with HM , I think the pressure to win is greater than playing decent rugga. You can get away with that untill you face teams like AB’s with skill and strength, luckely there are’nt to many teams like that.
I am saying Vermeulen is average, and I agree that Spies was good last time in 2010, Kanko was the best in 2012. With all of them fit and younsters coming through, I do not think Vermeulen, is good enough to keep his place.
21 Nov 2012, 15:59 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-178: I refuse to discuss this issue with idiots.
21 Nov 2012, 16:01 pm
I’m wondering if JDV gets injured again or has to make way for a new youngster, if Strauss will be made the new captain and Bismark will end up on the bench for the next RWC again #travesty
21 Nov 2012, 16:02 pm
@Gumboots-189: No I don’t agree attack should be a bigger part,surely we learnt that lesson in S15, Wp actually added attack to the defence and won the cc.
Bulls attack was not their problem in S15 , 50 tries , Strompies 28, but their defence was useless, so you can not have one and not the other. I prefer attack with dood defence , this is what Sharkies had with 47 tries in S15
21 Nov 2012, 16:04 pm
@Yetirat-194: JdV should retire soon, Brachie, Serfontein and rest waiting
21 Nov 2012, 16:06 pm
DV has been good for years now.The call,actually.was for him to have been selected under PdV.DV,on a consistent basis,played great rugby unlike players like Spies,Kanko etc etc.Spies had a so-called good year in 2010.Enough said!
21 Nov 2012, 16:07 pm
@capebull-195: Hehe, dood defence.
I like
But you are right. The Chiefs were something like the 4th best attacking and 4th best defensive side, and won the S15.
I’d rather be balanced in both departments than be outstanding in one and mediocre in another.
21 Nov 2012, 16:07 pm
@Transformation-181: Sharp mind
21 Nov 2012, 16:08 pm
@Marty-184:
agreed marty, we’re on the same wavelength wrt lambie.
my gut feeling is time and events on the field will prove this. HQ will either consider him of sufficient skill and utility to retool him as a 12 or 15 or overlook him altogether in favour of other flyhalves and 12/15′s.
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