Junior Springboks coach Dawie Theron made two injury-enforced changes to his starting team that will play New Zealand in the final of the IRB Junior World Championship 2012 at DHL Newlands Rugby Stadium on Friday and also included fit-again captain Wiaan Liebenberg to lead the team from the side of the scrum.
Liebenberg, who missed the final pool match against England due to a wrist injury, came off the bench in the semi-final against Argentina and showed no sign of discomfort in the 35-3 win. He replaces Shaun Adendorff who moves to the bench.
Paul Jordaan and William Small-Smith, who suffered a hamstring and knee injury respectively against Argentina, will be replaced by Raymond Rhule on the wing and Kobus van Wyk at outside centre.
Rhule scored two tries in the win over Argentina after replacing Jordaan, while Van Wyk will play his first match of the tournament.
“Kobus has been part of our training squad from the start and missed selection because of injury, so it is good to have him back in the team and playing in the final. He slotted in well and I expect him to be an influential player in the final,” Theron said.
“I feel for Shaun, as he was one of our stand-outs in the tournament, but with William also out injured, we needed to have our captain back and on the field from the start. Shaun will hopefully make a significant contribution from the bench.”
Theron expressed satisfaction with the team’s final preparations.
“We are ready for the final. It will be a massive occasion and a huge honour for the team to contest a final in front of a home crowd. We worked very hard to get to this point and we now want to finish the campaign on a winning note.”
According to Liebenberg, the team can’t wait for the match.
“It is a dream final for us. Any match between South Africa and New Zealand is always something special and for us to play the defending champions in the final is the best challenge we could have faced. We respect New Zealand, but we have committed ourselves as a squad to become the first South African team to win the Junior World Championship. We are not backing down on that.”
Team vs New Zealand (Friday 22 June 2012, kick-off 18h45):
15. Dillyn Leyds (Western Province)
14. Raymond Rhule (Toyota Free State)
13. Kobus van Wyk (DHL Western Province)
12. Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
11. Tshotsho Mbovane (DHL Western Province)
10. Handrè Pollard (DHL Western Province)
9. Vian van der Watt (MTN Golden Lions)
8. Fabian Booysen (MTN Golden Lions)
7. Pieter Steph du Toit (KZN)
6. Wiaan Liebenberg (Vodacom Blue Bulls, captain)
5. Ruan Botha (MTN Golden Lions)
4. Paul Willemse (MTN Golden Lions)
3. Maks van Dyk (KZN)
2. Mark Pretorius (MTN Golden Lions)
1. Steven Kitshoff (DHL Western Province)
Reserves:
16. Franco Marais (KZN)
17. Allan Dell (KZN)
18. Oliver Kebble (DHL Western Province)
19. Braam Steyn (KZN)
20. Shaun Adendorff (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
21. Abrie Griesel (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
22. Tony Jantjies (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
23. Travis Ismaiel (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
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June 21st, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Sou eerder vir Wiaan in Fabian se plek gespeel het. Fabian was useless laas week teen die Argies, en Shaun se agressie gaan gemis word teen die AllBlacks.
Eintlim jammer om vr Kobus in die span te sien, nou gaan die Graantjies hom ook seker probeer afrokkel Tswane toe!!
June 21st, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Should have dropped the kak Booysen for the returning Captain and kept Adendorff in the starting 15… fancy dropping the IRB nominated player of the competition…
Booysen clearly a quota… not ball-skills, terrible defence, clue-less in the LO and his positional play is just pathetic…
June 21st, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:00 pm:
That’s exactly what I’m thinking! Booysen took one LO ball on Sunday. I can’t remember him making one tackle or one decent ball carry!!!
June 21st, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:00 pm: Seriously!
Dawie has not made good decisions all tournament! Why the f*** would you drop the Junior players nominee when as you say, Booysen can be dropped?
Booysen shouldn’t even be in the match 22. Bad decision. Not only do we go into the match without Small-Smith & Jordaan but we also start the match with 14 rugby players and a Spies-wannabe
June 21st, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Reply to KingPaul @ 2:07 pm: Reply to grantwp @ 2:07 pm:
I don’t blame the kid… but jeez the guy is so out of his depth it’s ridiculous… the only thing he has going for him is his height…
June 21st, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:12 pm: And yet he can’t even win a lineout ball. Think he had to jump twice against Argentina and didn’t win either of them
June 21st, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Liebenberg is 1 cm shorter than Booysen and the U20′s have the 2m PSD at flank plus two monster locks… with Adendorf controlling the ground game this pack really could have been the business…
June 21st, 2012 at 2:41 pm
That said Booysen and injuries aside… probably the best side they could put out… and match the Kiwi’s in size too…
June 21st, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Jip, Booysen all round the worst
player in the team.
Maybe he has some of Spies’ hidden
talents?
June 21st, 2012 at 2:54 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 2:41 pm: Our best side would’ve been Liebenberg in, Booysen out.
Can’t really argue about the backline. Injuries to 3 of our outside centres in the space of 1 week is just plain bad luck
June 21st, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Baby Boks will not be allowed to have their
before?
life size Bokkie mascot lead them onto the
field in the final “because it gives them
an unfair advantage.”
The Kiwis will however be allowed to perform
the haka.
——–
Have you ever heard such
June 21st, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 4:38 pm:
To the opponents… makes the U20′s a laughing stock
Looks ridiculous for mine… march on the Impi’s with drums rather… otherwise get rid of the Haka… becoming beyond a joke…
June 21st, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 4:38 pm:
Agreed
These f**king Kiwis must have their little dance…
We should object to their dance as it gives THEM an unfair advantage.
June 21st, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 5:41 pm:
Of course – it’s either both, or
none at all.
The anthems should also be spared
for bigger occasions like tests.
June 21st, 2012 at 9:17 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 5:50 pm:
Ja I agree.
Like their little fit when the Welsh said if they challenge with the Haka then the Land of our Fathers will be the answer.
So then like sulky girls they did the Haka in their change room…
Little girls…
June 21st, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 9:17 pm:
Is there any nation that sing better than the
Welsh in a stadium?
And I’m not talking about Olé Olé, which is
idiotic to start with.
June 21st, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 9:29 pm:
Naaaahhhh
Ole Ole is kak
Mexican crap
Dunno why we sing it.
The Haka should be banned
June 22nd, 2012 at 12:23 am
We have lost a lot of top players due to injuries. Gees can only take you so far and I think this is a bridge to far. Still will watch though.
Ardendorf has been coming off the bench. 22 so nothing is changed there. How good is Serfontein?? And Rhule he is good too.
Win or lose we have some great talent coming through.
So question: How many baby boks go on to play senior Boks?? 50% 20%??? If its low then there is a huuugge problem.
June 22nd, 2012 at 12:25 am
As for the Haka, one law for us and another law for every one else.
Either every one can do a jig or none our precioussss princessess.
June 22nd, 2012 at 4:34 am
Reply to Kevin_rack @ 12:23 am:
“Ardendorf has been coming off the bench. 22 so nothing is changed there.”
Nope you’re wrong mate… not only did he ‘start’ against England and then against Argentina… the IRB have since nominated him for the ‘player of the tournament’ top award for his performances in those two important games…
So yes there is a huge problem with him being dropped… and the woefully out-of-his-depth Booysen staying in the 15 let alone the 22… the loose-trio would have been an awesome mix…
It’s a good side Booysen and injuries aside… and they should give the Kiwi’s a game in spite of that…
June 22nd, 2012 at 10:21 am
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 4:34 am: so sure I saw 22 on his back against the Argies, must have been watching with 1 eyed closed. Next time I will close the good eye.
June 22nd, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Reply to Kevin_rack @ 10:21 am:
Unfortunately I’ll not be watching… 2.30am (2hrs away) is just too much with a big Saturday planned…
I’ll just have to turn off all social media and internet until I can watch the re-run…
June 22nd, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 4:52 pm:
big Saturday planned
——
Let me guess:
Catching up on last Saturday’s
gardening that was not done?
June 22nd, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 5:05 pm:
Worse… that and the mother-in-law over for the weekend!!!
Nag John-Boy…
June 22nd, 2012 at 5:52 pm
I suggest all Cape Spanish girls should observe No Panty Day and wave their “bits” at the All Blacks to make them naar…