It is good to be able to have a united SA Nation again after the division of the Currie Cup. Our blood all turn to green every time that the Bokke pull those magnificent jerseys over their heads, our hearts swell with pride…. we expect nothing less than for the Bokke to win.. and win well.

End of Year Tour time, this time with a difference, 2 games have been included against Franchise Teams (Tigers & Sarries) and 3 Tests have been scheduled.

This means that there is ample opportunity for the Springbok Management to experiment and a clear extra Dirt-Tracker Springbok Team has been selected to go on tour.

It is worrysome that the chosen Bokke team for this game includes players who have never played together in their respective combinations… let’s look at this aspect critically…

In the front row, only Gurthro Steenkamp and Chilliboy Ralapele knows each other well, both being from the Bulls. At Tight Head though we have Jannie du Plessis who has not scrummed in combination with these two.

At lock Danie Rossouw and Bekker have never (or rarely) scrummed next to each other, but both have been regulars in the Bokke group.

At Openside flank there’s the sublime Dewalt Potgieter, but he’s actually a blind side flanker, at No 7 there’s Davon Raubenheimer who is at best a Currie Cup Flank and at No 8 there’s the in-form Ashley Johnson. None of these loosies have played together…. and there’s a definate imballance in the way the loosie-combo has been put together.

Amongst the Halfbacks, Heini Adams and Ruan Pienaar have never had the opportunity to play together and poor Ruan has once again been shifted from No 9 to No 10.

At centre we have 2 individual stars… Wynand Olivier and Juan de Jong… given time they could set the world alight, but as it stands, the first time they ever passed each other the ball was during this week’s training cessions.

The back 3 are from 3 different Provinces in SA, with Nokwe, the speedy but suspect defender on one wing, steady but unspectacular Odwa Ndungane on the other wing and Earl Rose, the unpredictable and sometimes unsteady fullback (who should actually not ever wear the green and gold).

These players are pitted against the “Bulls” of the North, who, despite giving 6 players to the English squad, is a settled side and doing very well in their competitions up North. In Mauger, they have a general… and their forwards are a solid unit.

It is difficult to make predictions on this one and my head seems to indicate that the Tigers might win, the heart however is hoping for Wynand Olivier and Juan de Jongh to run the Tigers to pieces.

Let’s make a compromise…. heart wins, Springboks by 5 – 8.

Players to watch: Wily Aaron Mauger is always worth watching, such a clever player even if he is out of position, but then Ruan Pienaar plays in so many positions he seems out of position wherever he plays but he too is a player of skill and greater speed. Johne Murphy (Tigers) is a most promising, committed young player. The other wing, Argentinian Lucas Amorosino, scored a spectacular try last weekend and could be a star in the making. For the Springboks the centre pair, young Juan de Jongh and more experienced Wynand Olivier, have the speed and skill to provide excitement. Most of South Africa will keep an eye on Earl Rose at fullback, mystified as many are at his selection. There will also be interest in Chiliboy Ralepelle’s captaincy. At school, Pretoria Boys High, he was highly rated as a player and a leader, following in the footsteps of John Smit at the school. Ralepelle has captained the Springboks once before – and that in Leicester in 2006 when the Springboks played a pick-up side called a World XV and beat them 32-7 at Walkers Stadium.

Head to Head: Aaron Mauger versus Ruan Pienaar. This could be the crux of the game.

There are no previous results. This is a new encounter though in the past Springbok touring teams would play against Midland Counties, The Springboks won in Leicester in 1906 and 1912 but lost there 30-21 in 1931. The Springboks won 3-0 in 1951 and the teams drew 3-3 at Welford Road in 1960.

 

Teams

Leicester Tigers: 15 Scott Hamilton, 14 Lucas Amorosino, 13 Andy Forsyth, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Johne Murphy, 10 Aaron Mauger (captain), 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Brett Deacon, 7 Ben Pienaar, 6 Geoff Parling, 5 Ben Kay, 4 Calum Green, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Mefin Davies, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 George Chuter, 17 Dan Cole, 18 Tom Armes, 19 Dan Hemingway, 20 James Grindal, 21 Greig Tonks, 22 Lote Tuqiri.

South Africa: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Davon Raubenheimer, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle (captain), 1 Gürthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 François Hougaard, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Riaan Viljoen.

Date: Friday, November 6
Venue: Welford Road, Leicester
Kick-off: 19.45 (19.45 GMT, 21.45 SA time)
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: Roy Maybank, Robin Goodliffe
TMO: Andrew Turner, Graeme Hughes

99 Responses to Preview: Leicester Tigers vs Springboks

  • 31

    #29 Ek lag jou krag sny uit…hehe

  • 32

    As Wikus Blaauw netnie soos daai dowwe drol in Toy Story gelyk het as hy sy helmet op het nie, kon ek hom dalk gelike het… nee wag, dis bietjie te sterk gestel… kon ek hom darem verdra het….

    Hy het ‘n lang hartseer gesig….

  • 33

    31@ Supa – Ek het nog ‘n Notebook en ‘n selfoon ook, en elkeen kan Internet toe gaan…. ek worry nie

  • 34

    #32 Jy gaan Kingpaul se hart nou baie seer maak. Hy wag al in spanning vir die Wikus Blaauw action figure.

  • 35

    #33 En se nou stoepkakkertjie byt jou in die enkel en jy moet skielik dokter toe?

  • 36

    Pakslae sal moet hard werk vanaand daarvoor. Bekker behoort weer op senter te staan om van Pienaar af te hardloop.

  • 37

    35@ Supa – Stoepkakkertjie sal dit nie oorleef nie, glo my…

  • 38

    Kingpaul

    Jy loer vir my!

  • 39

    Jis jis
    Hoe lank nog?

  • 40

    Daar gaat Koninkie weer…terug na die bottel toe. 😆

  • 41

    #39 Naand Paul…nog laaaaaank!
    Wie gaan wen? Hoe ver?

  • 42

    40@ Supa – Ja, Koningkie is ‘n Bottel-baba…

  • 43

    42# 😆

  • 44

    Supa
    Ek dink net Wikus is van die sterkste voorrye in die land! En hy het dit vanjaar al bewys. Maar ek is bly hy is nog nie gekies nie, gee hom nog so ‘n jaar of twee saam met Proudfoot, en dan sal jy sy volle poteniaal sien. Daai ou is so sterk soos ‘n bees.

  • 45

    44 – Hy moet darem meer doen as net sterk wees. Hyt maar swaar teen die Leeus, Cheetahs en Luiperds gekry. Maar soos jy se, dalk oor twee jaar.

  • 46

    @42
    hahhaha, ek borsvoed nog steeds!!
    Maar gaan nou nou oorslaan van die bier af na iets sterkers toe!!

    @41
    Bokke gaan wen, met ten minste 20 punte!!

  • 47

    #44 Proudfoot gaan Bulle toe kom volgende jaar…hy soek n s14 medalje!

  • 48

    #46 Hoop jy is reg. Dalk doen Earl the Pearl die ding vanaand en score n hatrick. K9 sal partytjie hou asof dit weer die nuwe millenium is.

  • 49

    @45
    Jy moet jou oogklappe afhaal en slag mooi kyk wat daar voor aangaan. Al wie hom vanjaar in die CC vasgehou het was die Cheetahs. En ek is nog steds nie oortuig hulle het ons in die skrums oorheers nie, meer ‘n geval van een vir jou, een vir my…

  • 50

    SOME PATHETIC NEWS JUST ON SABC NEWS A FEW MIN AGO

    BEAST MIGHT BE WITHDRAWN AS THERE HAS BEEN COMPLAINTS THAT HE IS NOT A SA CITIZEN

    AN URGENT APPLICATION HAS BEEN REQUESTED FROM HOME AFFAIRS

    STILL NO ANSWER TO THE FINALITY AS THEY FLY TO FRANCE ON TUESDAY MORNING

  • 51

    KP
    Onthou, ons almal kyk nie deur gestreepte brille nie. As hy die Cheetahs, Leeus en Luiperds domineer sal ek dalk meer saam stem. Hy is nie sleg nie, en skrum sterkgenoeg, maar hy kan darem meer doen op die veld soos nou en dan die bal dra en groot tackles maak ook.

  • 52

    Ek het vroeer in die week erens gelees Wiaan du Preez gaan ook Europa toe!! Dis ‘n gatslag vir SA rugby!! Ek kan ook nie glo WP Nel weeg net 92kg nie! Bliksems sterk vir so ‘n klein mannetjie!!

  • 53

    Serious Sharky??

  • 54

    KP
    Wian gaan net vir twee maande. Hy kom terug vir die s14.
    Ek het gesien WP Nel weeg 92kg. Gewonder of dit nie fout is nie.

  • 55

    Waar is die nommers nou?

  • 56

    Supa
    Hy maak groot tackles! En ‘n voorry moet eerstens kan skrum, dan sy werk in die lynstane doen en dan, as hy klaar sy deel in die vastelos gedoen het worry ek oor baldra! Wikus word na Wian du Preez as die beste losskop in die CC gereken.

    Sharky
    Is dit waar?

    GBS
    Waar is die post-nommers nou skielik heen?

  • 57

    Supa
    Gaan lees gou die artikel op rugby365
    http://www.rugby365.com/news/2027600.htm

  • 58

    As dit waar is oor Beast is dit nou tyd om Wian du Preez nader te trek!

  • 59

    Supa
    Waar is jy nou?

  • 60

    Help!!
    Ek is alleen!!

    En ek hou nie van alleen drink nie….

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