The Springboks have made two changes to their starting line-up for the Vodacom Tri-Nations Test against Australia at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
sarugby
Both changes are amongst the backs, with Jaque Fourie returning from suspension to partner Jean de Villiers in midfield and Frans Steyn starting at fullback in the place of Gio Aplon.
Juan de Jongh, who played at outside centre in the 22-29 loss against the All Blacks last week, moves to the bench, replacing Wynand Olivier. Aplon falls out of the match 22.
There is one change amongst the reserves with Ryan Kankowski, who joined the squad on Monday, preferred as loose forward cover ahead of Francois Louw.
Steyn last played a Test against Wales in Cardiff on 5 June and rejoined the squad this week after being unavailable for the All Blacks Test. Fourie, meanwhile, returns from a four-week suspension after he was yellow-carded in the opening minutes of the previous clash with the Wallabies in Brisbane last month.
Kankowski looked sharp for the Sharks in their win over Western Province in the ABSA Currie Cup last weekend.
De Jongh gave a good account of himself last weekend and is a great asset on the bench.
Victor Matfield has been selected at lock and will play in his 100th Test for the Boks in front of his home crowd at Loftus Versfeld.
The Springbok team is:
15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (capt), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp. Reserves: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Butch James, 22 Juan de Jongh.
@ Puma:
Ek is kalm, dont worry , hope we entertain the others here.
The fact is we know our backline is coached by a wrecker called Dick so believe me many weird things will happen
@ superBul:61 – I know Super that is the problem.
Have to go out now. Catch up later. Going to look at some new computers and also another big screen. Back later.
Sorry to all the kiwis:)
In 1872 the New Zealanders invented the condom, using a sheep’s bladder.
In 1873 the English somewhat refined the idea by taking the bladder out of the sheep first.
@ Pam Anderson:
😆
@ Pam Anderson: rofl
Spies and Habana still in the team?
Kankowski and Januarie on the bench?
What a bloody joke.
Comment: Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town – At least Juan de Jongh has only been banished as far as the bench. Poor Gio Aplon has been sent all the way to Siberia.
I rather feared that one of these Springbok backs might have to make way for some proven, returning stalwarts against the Wallabies at Loftus on Saturday … I hadn’t expected both.
But Tuesday’s team selection, while always likely to be “difficult” for various reasons, left me with an unavoidable sense of injustice with regard to Aplon and De Jongh.
Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town –
But there is also a case for saying neither Aplon or De Jongh were the proverbial “problem” in the loss to New Zealand, and that a time-honoured principle in sport suggests you must be played out of a team, not summarily booted when you are playing well.
France-based Steyn, the subject of weeks of inter-continental kerfuffle over his availability, commitment to the national cause and match fitness, certainly owes the Boks a good game, given the questionable circumstances of his meteoric recall to the fray.
Might it have been wiser to start with Aplon at fullback, but promise Steyn some solid game time off the bench, particularly if the Boks are tumbling into troubled waters (which, touch wood, they really shouldn’t on this occasion)?
:sleep:
Januarie… i cant belive this
Would of been nice to see a new wing on number 11 Banana Habana has done nothing besides giving away tries the whole tri nations… he should be dropped.. maybe Gerhard van der Heever….. or anybody else at this stage
Kankowski not my fav player in the world think Spies is way better….even on defence Spies is his master and Spies not the best in the world
hmmmmmmmmmm,
always expected jfourie to come back into the 13 jersey
but
aplon completely gone from the 22? didnt expect that one though!!
..
think the bench look a bit weak …. hope we dont need too much of the guys on there!!
..
anyway guys
i’m out
chat again tomorrow!!
63@ Pam Anderson
lmfga!! Eat ur hearts out Kiwi’s!
At least it shows that the English have been upt to something close to brilliance…. and hopefully patented it!!
giegiegiegiegiegie!!! :-p
Ok, I don’t get it.
On my Blackberry RT works fine and Voldy doesn’t.
On my Ipad Voldy works fine but RT doesn’t.
What gives?
@ Pam Anderson:
Don’t worry, keep the jokes coming. I liked the last one but then I’m English. 🙂
Looks to me that Elsom & Pocock are going to eat Spies’ lunch again. Oh dear. 🙁 And why wouldn’t they pick Aplon on the wing to replace Habana. Your selections are really a mystery!!
Tell me about it Jim!
Think Spies and Caster Semenya have been getting their pills mixed up!
How’s tricks in UK?
@ Pam Anderson:
I’m not sure, I live in the US 🙂
68@ superBul:
Ek kan maar net dink dat PDV dalk redeneer soos Jake White, hy het altyd die mening gehad n’ goeie groot ou is beter as n’ baie goeie klein outjie.
Maar so ver as de Jnogh betref, hy is tog nie so klein nie, en sy verdediging is uitstekend. Ek glo de Jnogh as n’ aanvalswapen en “creativity” is beter as de Villiers.
Maar ek kan jou n’ brief gee dat ons spelpatroon saterdag dieselfde sal wees as verlede jaar.
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