Perth – Ruan Pienaar will be at fullback when the Springboks face the Wallabies in the Tri-Nations international on Saturday, a source close to the Springbok team told The Witness on Wednesday.
This is expected to be the only change to the Springbok starting line-up when coach Peter de Villiers announces his team on Thursday – though flank Schalk Burger, returning from his lengthy suspension, will be on the bench.
Steyn, powerful, brave and with a prodigious boot, could certainly have made the Springbok fullback berth his own but his decision to sign for French club Racing Metro will now cost him his place as coach Peter de Villiers looks to the future.
Steyn will be on the bench as cover in case the Pienaar plan backfires.
Pienaar may lack the booming boot of his Sharks team-mate but he is a more instinctive footballer than Steyn and knows when to run, pass or kick. Whether he has the positional sense and is safe under the high ball remains to be seen.
Pienaar started the season as the Springboks’ first-choice flyhalf but the emergence of Morne Steyn as a match-winning kicker has resulted in him being relegated to the bench.
De Villiers, his coaching staff and the selectors have made it clear that they regard Pienaar as the better all-round flyhalf and more effective in sparking his outside backs, but Morne Steyn’s kicking form has been irresistible.
Of course, a strong argument could be made to field Pienaar at flyhalf and Morne Steyn at fullback where he has occasionally played for the Bulls and that could still be a possibility in the months ahead.
Danie Rossouw (tweaked hamstring) is the only Bok fitness concern and he or Andries Bekker will cover the lock position from the bench.
De Villiers defended his decision to fly his previous starting team to Perth a day after the reserves had travelled.
“Wednesday is normally the players’ day off and we wanted to keep the week’s preparation exactly the same as any other week,” De Villiers said shortly after his arrival in Perth.
“We did all of the hard work on Monday and Tuesday. We’re trying a new thing and reducing the tour to two-and-a-half weeks. It was definitely a major factor in our decision that we were playing in Perth which is a short, nine-hour flight.
The Springboks need six points from their next three games (two against Australia and one against New Zealand) to claim the title.
The Wallabies see the mobility of the South African pack and the accuracy of their kicking game as their biggest threats.
“The athleticism of the Bok pack is what stands out. They have the ability to really get around the park while also maintaining a solid set-piece and lineout. They’ve also really stepped up at the breakdowns with a guy like Heinrich Brussow, and Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Danie Rossouw and Bakkies Botha really do the hard graft there. It is a simple game plan but very effective,” Australian assistant coach Jim Williams said on Wednesday.
The Test kicks off at 12 noon (SA time) on Saturday with New Zealander Bryce Lawrence the referee.
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Likely Bok team: Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, John Smit (c), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.
Reserves: Chilliboy Ralepelle, Jannie du Plessis, Andries Bekker or Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger, Ricky Januarie, Adi Jacobs and Frans Steyn.
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Jan fullback ruan
Full back Janne!
Lets hope that the Boks klap the Aussies!
Al wat ek kan sรช is hulle fark vir Ruan soooo rond…geez ๐ฟ
Bok team just announced.
Ruan at #15 and Schalla on the bench.
What’s up with this Ruan shift?
Tot die eerste game wat ons verloor omdat dit nie altyd gaan werk om op Morne se starfskoppe staat te maak om games te wen nie maar ons sal moet begin driee druk dan word hy weer op loskakel gespeel. Gaan ons nog kos.
@Pietman – Geen idee nie.
@K9-MonsterLeeu –
Well, I hope Ruan comes to the party, or else his self-confidence is going to take a big knock a la Gaffie du Toit…..faark!
@Pietman – Ruan should pack his bags…go and play overseas where they play him flyhalf….and come back after 2 or 3 years. Cause in SA he is being wasted.
Helloooooooooooooo
Hell, I see this web site runs so smooth… Articles are up, no problems… running like clockwork… I’m not even needed anymore…. so I can blog in peace like the rest of you !!
Thank you my friends and fellow Authors and other webmonsters…. it makes it sooooooo simple for all of us !
There, that’s my compliments for the day !
Hehehehe
@grootblousmile – u forgot to compliment my hair.
@Pietman – I have put up an article with the team Pete…
10 @K9-MonsterLeeu Hehe jy alweer ‘n nuwe pruik?
10@K9-MonsterLeeu – Hehehehe… Sorry, there are some things you cannot compliment without blatantly lying through your teeth!!
GBS
I see you didn’t use any of that which I sent you ๐ฅ so no more articles for you ! ๐
11@Koos – Hello Koos… dankie vir die Artikels mater…. magtig ek het goeie tjomme
15 @grootblousmile Plesier, ek copy en paste lekker. Laat weet maar as ons iets moet verander. Wou gister ‘n ding opsit met tabelle maar dit was te veel van ‘n gesukkel, sal later bietjie rondspeel en sien of ek dit kan reg kry…
14@Rugby_Princess – I appologise RP, I’ve been under the kosh here with my normal Day Job… have left most of the Article-writing over to the rest.
By the time I got to my mail and your contributions, there was mostly a similar Article up already….
Solution to the problem…. YOU become one of the Authors here…. REALLY !!
@grootblousmile – jy dink nie ons moet daai job aansoek/cv wat ek vir julle gemail het hier plaas op die site nie? Gee die persoon net beter kans om dalk ‘n werkie erens te kry.
16@Koos – Ek het klaar geskryf aan ons Joernalistieke Beleidsbepalings vir die toekoms…. sal dit later vandag tik en op ‘n Private Page vir AUTHORS hier sit…. dan weet julle mooi wat mag gedoen word en wat nie…
Ek sal seker teen die naweek vir julle ‘n Training videotjie ook opsit op daai selfde Private Page, wat so paar fynere dinge verduidelik…
14 @Rugby_Princess RP, I will also look at them but I can’t access the private emails from here and have not been to the home computer for a couple of days now…
18@K9-MonsterLeeu – Hehehehe, dit sal ook dalk in Private Pages moet opkom…. hahaha
Pokkel, you have registered and been APPROVED
Bombs away… gaaan mal !!
@grootblousmile –
Nnooo … I am not responsible enough ! ๐
Ask koos, Manly & Os – they will tell you !
I am not even trusted with a set of keys to the Chivalry ๐
23@Rugby_Princess – Oh come on, don’t be such a “Kiwi sissie” !!
Hehehe
Fark… forgot… YOU are a Kiwi Sissie !!
Bwahahahaha
@grootblousmile – Dankie- ek maak so
Good morning, Goeie more, Howzit!!
K9 10
Some people have absolutely NO appreciation for proper hairstyles ๐
25@Pokkel – Vrind, gaan update net jou Profile ook… ons vereis Naam en Van… dankie.
@SA Barbarians – yeah i know. Abs No taste. Thats why they r on rugby blogs and not fashion blogs ๐
@K9-MonsterLeeu – 28
and wear those green and kaki two tone shirts ๐ ๐
@SA Barbarians – veldfokus pakkies en grass hoppers ๐ฏ
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