Coach Peter de Villiers and the selectors have made six changes, including two positional, to the Springbok starting XV that faced Italy last week for Saturday’s final test of 2009 at Croke Park in Dublin against Ireland.
The Official SA Rugby web site says the following:
In the front row, Tendai Mtawarira returns to the starting XV in place of Wian du Preez and BJ Botha starts at tighthead with captain John Smit moving to hooker in the place of Adriaan Strauss.
Victor Matfield returns to the starting XV, replacing Andries Bekker, Schalk Burger is back at flank with Danie Rossouw moving from the side of the scrum to number eight. There is one change to the backline with Wynand Olivier starting at 12 in place of the injured Adi Jacobs.
There are four more changes on the bench – hooker Bismarck du Plessis and prop CJ van der Linde return from injury, whilst Irish-based centre Jean de Villiers is recalled and flank Dewald Potgieter is included in the Test 22 for the first time.
Smit will equal Percy Montgomery’s record as the most capped Springbok against Ireland (six caps), while Jaque Fourie will equal Jean de Villers’ record as the most capped Springbok centre (43 Tests).
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)
lol gbs check you thread headline
it says springboks team and not springbok team
kapich?? 😆
Look at that team list…….It is getting exciting now!!
Irish Devil, you have to admit it looks a bit ‘scary’ !! 😆
31@ Tjarky – sit jou brille op en kyk weer…. daasie ‘n “s” nie… jy’t net verkeerd gelees…
Cheers okes and girls, going home.
32@ Karlien – Good team this one, hey!!
33 – GBS “Hi” 😐
35- Good, is possibly a bit of an understatement!! All the important damaged ones have pulled out all the stops and have made it through the medicals!! Just hope they ones going on to the Barbarians Match the next Saturday manage to stay sound!
36@ Karlien – Sorry.. Hi… how are you today?
bliksem you removed it heheheheheheheheheheeeeee how lekker lag ek nou 😆
38 – GBS all good thanks, sitting here in my Bulls Jersey…..only downside is I have to go to work shortly. Grrrrrr.
How’s you?
hiyas carol sweety hugssssssssssssss hope you are well
40@ Carol – Busy… multitasking, of course… oi
39 – Sharky – I love the term ‘Bliksem’ it is ‘lekker’!! Hehehe
How is life with you Sharkey, where will you watch the game tomorrow?
41 – Sharky, you will never know just how much I needed that hug then!! Thanks 😉
Feeling right perky now!!
42- GBS I have never known you not to be busy, I don’t think boredom in an option for you in Brakpan!! 🙂
Hey, I can multitask but not blog from the shower so I will look in before I head off to work……See you in a bit!
44@ Carol – You doing Night Shift tonight??
lol carol glad it helped and doing great this side hun and ur side??
DIE LEWE IS N LIED EISH SO NICE TO BE A SHARKY 😆
@46 – Especially come finals time…
Hello everyone , hot as hell here today, just finished work.
I like this team , this is about our best.
Think some guys give Frans Steyn to much credit, how many tests did he play at full back? His decision making is also not the best, he often does the most stupid things, but anyway he is not the discussion. This team is good.
Frans Steyn is the best inside-centre in the country.
But I’m happy with Wynand there, he deserves a fair chance. He played a huge role in the Bulls’ successful Super 14 campaign, and was the best inside-centre during the Super 14 this year.
45 – GBS Doing a promotinal ‘thing’!! Make up on, ready to do the charm offensive now!!
46 – Sharkie Mooi Man!! 😉
48 – Superbul, send some of that sunshine over here – Pronto!!
Over and out ! xxx
49
NO, why do you think so, he was solid , but he could never settle down in one position. But somehow he got the nod , something that i still cant understand. Learning to play rugby in a Springbok jersey.
50
YES
52 – He was never given the chance to settled down. Dick Muir donnered him around after the RWC (where he was the best inside-centre). Frans Steyn played a huge part in getting that William Webb Ellis trophy. He was good enough to play for the Springboks when he was 19. Jake White knew how to manage him. Pdivvy didn’t.
~settle
In 2003 SARugby gave the national coach permission that he can use up to three overseas based players if he wish. That decision is still valid. PdV stated his preference not to make use of it, until recently. His three players are BJ, CJ and JdV. Thus Frans Steyn cannot currently be utilized.
@55 – Didn’t SARU later say that, that report was bullshit?
They did indeed (if remember correctly it was during 2008), but retract it later after SARPA objected to it. The 2003 decision still stand.
49 – VanStaaten,
Now you talking mate. Also our best FB. To lose the youngster from Bok rugby so young is a travesty. Should have kept him here at all costs.
58@ Puma – Arghhhhhhhh come on Puma, you just want to load the Bokke with Sharks & Ex-Sharks…. the Bulls bulletjie, Zane, will be solid!
Freegin One-eyed Tjarks…. hehehe
steyntjie is the best , but i also think zane will be fine , if not spectacular atleast he is consistent and reliable
go zane do us proud
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