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)
@88 Puma – we fear Burger much more than Deysel – he has a huge reputation around the world and is a class act mate. I do agree since his injury he is not the same player though.
86 – Jip, my swaer is mede eienaar as ek dit reg het.
68 – Super, Fransie is A BORN FULL BACK. BORN to play there boet. He is the most natural FB ever. Just needed this year and next and would have been probably our greatest ever.
Zane will be a very good FB but never a GREAT FB.
81 Puma,
I dont like your rating of JdV against WO. “a far better player” aikona, did you forget the outcries when we let the BIL run us to shreds?
BUT with all my confidence, I think this is a great Bok side – close game – conditions probably favouring Ireland – but class is permanent and that cannot be denied.
89 – Irish
Wait and see saturday mate. This time the forwards won’t go back as in that game. And a back like to play on the front foot.
Snoek nou lekker daar geeet , jou suster ontmoet , regtig nice plek en ons begin mekaar nou ken. Kos was lekker.
91 – Irish, Burger is a brillinat player and fears nothing just after that op he does protect that neck a bit now. Not the same player as he was before he hurt that neck.
Deysel is a superb blindside. Unkown to the Irish too. For me Deysel and Brussow together are awesome. I would have played Burger at 8 and Danie on the bench. Now that would have been a fearsome loose trio. Burger these days just gives away too many penalties and let us hope no yellow. Then we on the back foot.
Go check some rugby data on rugbydata.com
Interesting to see who the two best rugby playing nations is of all time.
@96 Snoek. I’m joking mate. The media here say his defence is probably the best in SA team – they doubt his attacking ability and feel he tends to do too much himself. I can’t really comment haven’t seen much of him.
93 Puma ai jaai jaai, man he is still in a minus in my books. Cost his teams more than he gave them the edge. He gifted the S14 to the Bulls and made serious mistakes in the Bok jersey too.
Superbul @ 97
Lekker man, sy is mos maar ‘n kortgat. Was self nog nie daar vandat hulle die plek het nie.
Maar dit is lekker om te kuier met goeie kos en pelle, en moenie van die voggies vergeet nie.
@98 Puma – don’t really know Deysel at all. Saw him for the first time on tour here. Looks a good prospect. Brussouw on the other hand is the best 6 in the world at present. No doubt about that. BOD even mentioned that he will have to be shadowed big time.
94 – Super you would not…….hehehe. You a Bulls supporter. 😉
The only thing I do have to criticize JdV for is he sometimes never passes. Then WO does the same. So let us see.
100 – Cool man
But enjoy watching him play, he can be electric. Unfortunately the weather might not help in that regard.
103 – Irish that is why it would have been good to have Deysel next to Brussow as he will be a marked man.
Deysel plays blinside for the Sharks. Strong and fears nothing either and he can fetch well too.
meant – blindside
Right I heard the RT blogger waiting for their team announcement before making predictions. Well let’s have them now. Mine Paddies by 9.
Puma yes lets see, hope the Bokke take this game. Whats your prediction.
I feel like going for a 15 points difference.
Reasons:
1. Nearly 90 000 very excited rugby crazy crowd
2. Home ground advantage and used to conditions
3. A better backline
4. Forwards – now very even
5. Crosswinds at Croke Park crazy and Paddies played many a game in those conditions
6 Slippery conditons – which touring teams struggle with.
@109 Superbul = Paddies by 15 – possible
Bokke by 5 if the weather is as bad as you say Irish.
Boks have the better backline imo.
@112 Snoek – hoping for a rain free game – but probably not. will still be very windy mate.
Hahaha Iriesh, in fact 15+ for Springboks.
101 – Super, Fransie was only 19 years of age in 2007 still a teenager. That hooter at the Tank you could not hear it. I know if only he kicked it out but the hooter was way, way to soft. Saders done the same to us 2 games early in that tourney. They ran with the ball instead of kicking it out when time was up. They said themselves after they could not hear the hooter. I don’t think Fransie heard the hooter.
Also at the age of 20 made the wc starting team at inside centre and done a damn fine job. He is a monster talent just been messed about as per-usual by SA rugby. Now we have lost a huge talent at the age of 22. I am not proud of that. No other country would have let a youngster that talented out. If Sharks could not have afforded him then it was upto Saru to have kept him here at all costs. Crazy to have lost him. Far too young had so much to offer still.
He just never ever got a position of his own in the Bok squad. We all know he should have had the FB position since last year but it was given to another player because of having to have certain players in the team. Ag, it drives me nuts.
😉 I know…hehehehe
If this was a dry game with good conditions the boks would take it by 15 at least.
Rain , mud , sheet(s) of rain, maybe 7 would then be realistic.
@115 Superbul – in these conditions – that is a brave call.
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