Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was forced to make a couple of changes (6 in total) for the test against Ireland which sees John Smit return to hooker, and Jean de Villiers included in a strong bench.
Injury to Adi Jacobs opened to the door for Peter de Villiers to include a 3rd overseas based player in as many weeks with Jean de Villiers joining the Boks from his Munster club in Ireland.
De Villiers however does not start as expected by many but will provide cover from the bench while Wynand Olivier gets a deserved start in a run-on test against a top rugby nation.
John Smit also moves back to hooker which might see the end of the Smit tighthead experiment with BJ Botha completing a more familiar look front row packing down at number 3. Beast comes back into the number 1 jersey after Wian du Preez did duty against Italy.
Peter de Villiers also opted for the more physical Danie Rossouw at number 8 in place of Ryan Kankowski who does not feature in the match 22 at all as Dewald Potgieter and Jean Deysel was preferred as back up to the loosies from the bench.
The bench (certainly the strongest of 2009) sees both CJ van der Linde and Bismarck du Plessis return from injury.
Springboks for Ireland test (test caps in brackets):
The Springbok team is (test caps in brackets):
15 Zane Kirchner (3)
14 JP Pietersen (32)
13 Jaque Fourie (53)
12 Wynand Olivier (26)
11 Bryan Habana (56)
10 Morne Steyn (11)
9 Fourie du Preez (54)
8 Danie Rossouw (45)
7 Schalk Burger (54)
6 Heinrich Brüssow (12)
5 Victor Matfield (91)
4 Bakkies Botha (65)
3 BJ Botha (18)
2 John Smit (92) – captain
1 Tendai Mtawarira (21)
Reserves:
16 Bismarck du Plessis (31)
17 CJ van der Linde (57)
18 Andries Bekker (2)
19 Jean Deysel (1)
20 Dewald Potgieter (uncapped)
21 Ruan Pienaar (36)
22 Jean de Villiers (54)
November 26th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
That is one strong f%^*$ team
November 26th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Nice let’s go and skop some gatte now
November 26th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
As good as it gets
I would have made maybe 1 change! 16 – Strauss instead of Bismark…
November 26th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Eish, this will make the prediction difficult
Bookies must have changed there odds on seeing this
November 26th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
6 Heinrich Brüssow (12)
Eish
12 tests aLLready
a lot of the Springbok “greats”- have less than that!
just dont ask me a name
FyndrAAi wiLL know!!
November 26th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
18 Andries Bekker (2)?
Only two caps?
November 26th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Reply to WiLLem @ 3:42 pm:
Italy last week, France the week before? Surely he played a 3N game, no?
November 26th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Reply to JT @ 3:48 pm:
Bekker:
Position: Lock
Club: Parow NTK RFC
Province: Western Province (2008)
Springbok number: 795
Test debut: 7 June 2008 vs Wales in Bloemfontein aged 24
Last test: 21 November 2009 vs Italy in Udine aged 25
Total tests: 20
Tour matches: 2
Total Springbok matches: 22
Win ratio: 15-5-0
Tours: British Isles, 2008; France, Italy, Ireland & England, 2009
Vodacom Super 14 Player of the Year nominee, 2008
Tallest player ever to play for South Africa
Son of Hennie Bekker
WP Absa Currie Cup 2008
November 26th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Reply to WiLLem @ 3:42 pm:
Only 2 worth mentioning!
November 26th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:52 pm:
2 at lock and 18 on the wing
November 26th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
hehehe
But then if that is the criteria….
November 26th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Reply to JT @ 3:53 pm:
We only going end of January.
By then it should be nice and cold already with good snow.
I personally tend to prefer skiing to boarding though.
Some awesome slopes @ saalbach /hinterglem area, have you been there?
November 26th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
This is one hell of a team.
All we still need is Tina @ 15, and Pierre Spies @ 8.
November 26th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Reply to welshbok @ 4:05 pm:
on the odd ocasion – nice!
Interesting facts:
SA Total caps: 733
IRE Total caps: 706 (Leamy is out with O’Brien replacing him)
November 26th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Bye bye Kanko.
Well done Snor.
Don’t blame the coach if
this team does not skop gat.
Now just don’t fook the
replacements.
November 26th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 4:27 pm:
What can a coach at this level really do? IMO it is all about selection and he got it right (considering the availability) for the first time on this tour…
I am watching at the local Irish pub on Saturday with about 10 Oirish – please PLEASE don’t lose it!! :nono:
November 26th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Reply to JT @ 4:39 pm:
another thing the coach needs to do is get the heads right!! BTW where is TB?
November 26th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 4:27 pm:
I am still concerned that the “fire” will be missing.
November 26th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Man, there is a demon rugby schedule on Saturday afternoon, all of the games have the promise of offering good rugger
November 26th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
November 26th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Reply to Ollie @ 5:09 pm:
yip me too, thats the key, hope can get up for one last hurrah.
November 26th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Reply to cab @ 5:30 pm:
If they do go out fighting it is going to be a monster match, likewise the AB v France.
Both on terrestrial here in Belgium.
November 26th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Reply to Ollie @ 5:34 pm:
Will get to see both myself.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
my weekend Schedule:
Friday Night at The Galway Bay Irish pub:
19:45 Stade Francais v Toulon
Saturday:
15:30 Ireland v South Africa,
18:15 Wales v Australia,
21:00 France v New Zealand
Sunday:
Maybe will give the Cricket a peek!
November 26th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 4:27 pm:
Don’t blame the coach if
this team does not skop gat.
A bottle of KWV Roodekop is on its way to you!!!
Post of the day.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Reply to JT @ 6:01 pm:
Tape the games!
November 26th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Reply to Morné @ 6:28 pm:
duh! I have a MRP (Tivo) and tape everything, watch it again (without emotion) and then delete – if it is a classic I keep it.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Reply to JT @ 6:34 pm:
I forgot to ask, does your Bok jersey fit?
Is the signed WP one up in the club?
November 26th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
time will tell.
side looks good,
shame we had to lose the French game,
to return to sanity.
lets see how they get on.
November 26th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Jou mail gekry, Duiwel?
November 26th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Ja dankie Dubbelloop,
sal bietjie begin rondsnuffel
November 26th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Reply to Morné @ 6:46 pm:
Hi morne – the Bok jersey is an XL so won’t fit me for a few years yet
However it is good – I can wear it over my winter jacket at the games.
The WP one fits perfectly and the signed one is still in the cubboard but was planning on getting it framed on Saturday. Will get you the pics ASAP. Promise! Thx again!
November 26th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Reply to Duiwel @ 7:12 pm:
Would not have made a diff IMO – sometimes we just need to concede to the better side on the day. France were bloody AWESOME!
November 26th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Reply to JT @ 7:41 pm:
I dont remember the jersey being that big…
You must be a skraalgat!
November 26th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Reply to Morné @ 6:26 pm:
Hehehehe. Lucky for you there
is no such wine.
Check volgende keer die etiket
voordat jou gat te veel stamp:
KWV RoodeBERG.