Gurthrö Steenkamp
South Africa’s Player of the Year in 2010, Gurthrö Steenkamp, will make his 50th Test appearance for the Springboks when they take on Wales at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban on Saturday (kick-off 17:00 SA Time, 15:00 GMT).
Steenkamp has been included in the starting line-up for the first Welsh Test in one of six changes to the match-day squad from the team which comprehensively beat the World XV last weekend in Cape Town, four of which are positional shifts.
Cornal Hendricks, who shone for the Springboks last weekend at DHL Newlands, will make his Test debut on Saturday, while his provincial team mate from the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, the uncapped Lood de Jager, has been selected on the bench.
The two changes in the backline are at inside centre, where Jan Serfontein will earn his first Test start for South Africa, and scrumhalf, where Fourie du Preez will start with Ruan Pienaar on the bench alongside Tendai Mtawarira, who has swapped places with Steenkamp.
The 32-year-old Steenkamp, who made his international debut on 27 November 2004 against Scotland in Edinburgh, will become the 29th Springbok to reach 50 Test caps. He will also become the sixth prop to achieve this feat behind Os du Randt, CJ van der Linde, Ollie le Roux, Jannie du Plessis and Mtawarira.
“This is a wonderful achievement for Gurthrö and I’m very proud of him,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“He has been playing Test rugby for a decade and is vastly experienced at all levels of the game. Gurthrö always gives everything he has for the Springbok jersey and it’s always good to see commitment and hard work pay off.”
Meyer was also very happy for Hendricks and De Jager, who have been two of the Toyota Cheetahs’ stars this season.
“To make one’s Test debut is a proud moment in any player’s career. Cornal and Lood fully deserve to be in the squad this weekend and I know they will do well,” said Meyer.
“Cornal performed exceptionally well in his first start for South Africa against the World XV last weekend and really made the most of his opportunity.”
“Lood has everything expected from a modern lock – not only is he big and powerful, but he likes the physical stuff and is very skilful as well.”
“I also planned on giving Jan an opportunity this month. He was first selected when he was 20 last year and it’s always been our plan to groom him for a long Springbok career. He’s been playing well for the Vodacom Bulls lately and his first start for the Springboks is well-deserved after making nine appearances from the bench in 2013.”
“Jan and JP Pietersen will face a very experienced midfield combination on Saturday, but they have played against the best in Vodacom Super Rugby and know what is expected of them.”
Meyer said he is expecting a stern challenge from Wales on Saturday.
“They started their tour well with a good win in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday evening and they are always fired up and ready,” said the Springbok coach.
“Wales have an experienced coaching team and they were the Six Nations champions in 2012 and 2013, as well as the back-bone of the British & Irish Lions team which beat Australia last year, so this will be a massive challenge in our first Test of the season.”
“Although we got our season off to a good start against the World XV last weekend, there were a few areas of the game we were not satisfied with and which we worked hard on this week. We will have to be at our best on Saturday and we want to make our supporters proud.”
Victor Matfield, who will captain the Springboks for the 18th time in a Test, will equal John Smit’s South African record of 111 Tests in the Green and Gold.
Four players who are part of the squad were not considered for selection because of illness and injury. They are Juan de Jongh (chest infection), Siya Kolisi (flu), Oupa Mohoje (flu) and Marnitz Boshoff (ankle).
Springbok team:
15. Willie le Roux (12 caps 20 points)
14. Cornal Hendricks (0 caps 0 points)
13. JP Pietersen (51 caps 80 points)
12. Jan Serfontein (9 caps 5 points)
11. Bryan Habana (95 caps 265 points)
10. Morné Steyn (54 caps 636 points)
9. Fourie du Preez (vice-captain – 67 caps, 75 points)
8. Duane Vermeulen (16 caps 5 points)
7. Willem Alberts (30 caps 35 points)
6. Francois Louw (28 caps 25 points)
5. Victor Matfield (captain – 110 caps 35 points)
4. Bakkies Botha (78 caps 35 points)
3. Jannie du Plessis (51 caps 5 points)
2. Bismarck du Plessis (vice-captain – 57 caps 45 points)
1. Gurthrö Steenkamp (49 caps 30 points)
Replacements:
16. Schalk Brits (5 caps 0 points)
17. Tendai Mtawarira (53 caps 10 points)
18. Coenie Oosthuizen (14 caps 10 points)
19. Lood de Jager (0 caps 0 points)
20. Schalk Burger (68 caps 65 points)
21. Ruan Pienaar (74 caps 130 points)
22. Johan Goosen (4 caps 8 points)
23. Lwazi Mvovo (7 caps 5 points)
Stats and facts:
- The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 707 Test caps (288 in the backline and 419 in the forwards), while there are a further 225 caps worth of experience on the bench.
- South Africa and Wales have played each other 27 times since 1906, with the Springboks winning 25 Tests, losing once and one was drawn. The Springboks have scored 739 points and 92 tries and conceded 382 points and 32 tries for an average score of 27-14.
- South Africa and Wales last met on 9 November, 2013 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The Springboks beat Wales 24-15 thanks to three tries from Jean de Villiers, Bismarck du Plessis and Fourie du Preez against five penalties by Leigh Halfpenny.
- Victor Matfield will equal John Smit’s record of 111 Tests for South Africa in what will be his 11th Test against Wales, one more than the previous record 10 appearances against the Welsh, held jointly between him and Smit.
- Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 94 Tests in this position and if he scores a try, will extend his record of 53 Test tries for South Africa.
- Morné Steyn will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok flyhalf, with 52 Tests in this position. If he scores a try, he will also extend his record of eight Test tries as a flyhalf for South Africa.
- If he scores a try, Bismarck du Plessis will extend his record of nine test tries for South Africa as a hooker. Bismarck and his brother Jannie will also be playing together in their 32nd Test, a Springbok record for brothers.
- Schalk Burger will extend his record as the most capped Springbok flank, with 66 Tests in this position. He also shares the record with Juan Smith for the most Test tries as a flank (11).
- Gurthrö Steenkamp will be playing in his 50th Test for the Springboks. He will be the 29th Springbok in history to achieve this feat. If he scores a try, he will extend his own record of six tries as a prop for South Africa.
- Cornal Hendricks is the only new Springbok in the starting team. He will be Springbok No. 855. If he goes on, Lood de Jager will become Springbok No. 856.
- Thirteen of the players were involved in the last Test in 2013 (against France). JP Pietersen played on the wing while Gurthro Steenkamp and Bakkies went on as substitutes. Coenie Oosthuizen played tighthead prop while Ruan Pienaar started at scrumhalf.
- The referee is Romain Poite of France. This will be his fourth Test involving South Africa. The Springboks have won two and lost one of these encounters. His last game was the Test against New Zealand on 14 September, 2013 at Eden Park in Auckland, when the Boks lost by 29-15 in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
Springbok Test match records at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban:
- Most points – 31 (1t, 1c, 8p) by Morné Steyn on 1 August, 2009 against New Zealand.
- Most tries – five by Stefan Terblanche on 19 June, 1999 against Italy.
- Most conversions – eight by Gaffie du Toit on 19 June, 1999 against Italy.
- Most penalty goals – eight by Morné Steyn on 1 August, 2009 against New Zealand.
- Most drop goals – three by Naas Botha on 3 May, 1980 against South America and also three on 6 June, 1981 against Ireland.
super @ 120
ag nee wat
eks seker ou scrumdown het ñ paar duisend rand wat rondlê en hy nie weet wat om mee te maak nie!
Ashley wrote:
NEE WAT!
Nadat n klomp adders “liberation shopping” kom doen het by my 2 weke terug is daar nou FOKOL wat rondle nie.
Nie eers n spaar DSTV remote nie.
scrumdown @ 122
oops!
123 @ Ashley:
Ja. Sukkel om by Ellis Park te kom virrie Bulls game. Eet gou ky media sentrum. Sit PC aan. Kyk na foon. 10 MISSED CALLS!!!
Bel na vrou toe. Sy se kom maar huistoe. Bliksems het ingebreek an skoongemaak. Broad flipping daylight!
Jaag kar toe. Halfpad huistoe bel sy en se ek kan net so wel bly en game klaar kyk!
Go figure!
Tot nou toe nie die game gesien nie.
@ Scrumdown:
115
Dis hoekom ek lief is vir die site. Mense wat kan lag…… nadat hulle die bulle se seisoen opgevlok het
@ superBul:
Net jammer dat daar ook mense is wat nie wil lag nadat die Stormers hulle seisoen opgevlok het nie
126 @ nortierd:
Ja, ‘n sin vir humor is nie vir almal beskore nie!
Just saw this on Planet Rugby
New details have emerged about the reason why Frans Steyn walked out on the Boks, with a reported dispute over image rights being the real reason.
Steyn withdrew from South Africa’s squad on Tuesday ahead of June games against Wales and Scotland, and according to timeslive.co.za, it was after several Saru officials had arrived at the team hotel in Durban. The website continues by saying the centre departed “in an agitated state”.
The shock news has left Springbok head coach Heyneke Meyer having to call in Jan Serfontein to an already depleted midfield, next to JP Pietersen.
Steyn meanwhile has departed, with the website explaining that he’d “been at loggerheads over the handling of image rights” for quite some time.
“His image rights have been owned by a third party since he joined French club Racing Metro in 2009 – a standard practice for high- profile sports stars,” they reported.
“When Steyn returned to South Africa in 2012 he was awarded a Springbok contract with a specific understanding that the use of his image rights would take place under licence from the third party. Payments were to be made separately and directly to the party by Saru, but that was not honoured.”
128 @ nortierd:
Once again, appropriate legal action would have sorted that out.
We all know SARU is run and adminsitered by “snakes”, rugby players cannot say that they are not aware of this, as this has gone on for years and years now.
Surely the necessary paper work must be in order on the issue, if not there is blame to be apportioned both ways.
So, while Fransie Steyn’s sulky attitude still remains, SARU has once again showed how they are unable to work for the common good of rugby in SA.
Bunch of lilly-livered, spineless, asswipes at SARU… from the top down!
@ Gena_ZA:
118
Priceless
Camo Bulle raak nou in die 5 jaar…….10 jaar stage, dalk volgende jaar
@129 GBS
When have they really used his image since he returned?
He is in the Sharks ad where each player pays homage to ex Sharks, did he walk out on the Sharks on charge them more to do the ad?
Does he charge SA Rugby mag an amount if they want to do an article about him and include photos?
Nee wat, na hierdie petalje het hy fokkol image oor nie
Perhaps McDonalds, KFC, Big Jack Pies , Elastoplast and, after the Loftus game, Cleenex tissues are clamoring for his image rights, and SARU don’t want a Bok associated with those brands?
131 @ nortierd:
It would be pure conjecture to guess how and where his image was used, and by whom.
Nonetheless, that is a matter which sounds like a reasonably simple legal matter and contactual interpretation to be sorted out, enforced and executed against SARU / Sharks / Whoever infiringed without proper compensation.
Hoor julle daai spining sound, oom Daantjie Cracen probeer die aarde se atmosfeer binnedring. Sies Frans fark you try ooit enige besigheid in SA en die land sal jou meer boikot as Luke, jy is nou in sy league
@133
I’m trying to think off the top of my head where they have used his image. I imagine when the Boks as a team does an ad before a series, but then the whole team or at least most of the senior players partake in those, so does he want to be left out or must they pay him more than say Jean, who is captain, or Victor who has a 100 tests, or Habana etc etc
He is not bigger than the game and definitely not bigger than the team.
He is one of a couple of players who can slot into the 12 position, and at the Boks, unlike the Sharks, his name is not the first to go on the team sheet.
I think if you go back in the archives of this site you will pick up that few liked him, almost everyone still wait for his so called brilliance. Last year we were against his contract. He will never ever ignite a bok backline. Solid yes , he is so bloody thick , that is his best asset.
Just send him to Jake and Japan.
So, Fransie build up an “image” through rugby by playing test rugby under the auspices of SARU and then wants SARU to reward him for his “image rights”.
Image rights in an individual sport I can understand but very difficult to claim it in a team sport where your performance is so much dependent on others.
Yes, the likes of Michael Jordan etc also have it but you’ll probably find that they’ve trademark their name as a brand. What brand does Fransie have?
@ nortierd:
I’m no legal eagal but I do remember that at one stage after the 1995 RWC all the Bok players signed contracts, except Chester. He only got paid a match fee. That allowed him to do adds for Pepsi and he got paid well for it.
The rest of the Bok players were handled by SARVU (at the time) and only appeared in ads sanctioned by SARVU (usually sponsors of SARVU). They did not receive compensation for appearing in ads because it was part of their duties as employees of SARVU, if I recall correctly.
137 @ Nama:
Maybe I should start selling my Image Rights too… might make billions doing it….
I mean, there is only one GBS, since 2005!
Time for Jurie Roux to speak up since Fransie’s side has broken the agreement of silence by virtue of his father speaking out.
What role did Jurie play in this fuckup?
@ grootblousmile:
Who knows, GBS. Go for it.
139 @ grootblousmile:
Would that be on the ‘willing seller willing buyer basis’ GBS? Now where you going to find a ‘willing buyer’
141 @ Bullscot:
Do they HAVE TO BE willing?
Eishhhhhhhhh… I’ll force them!
Hahaha
Nogal waar wat Rob opn News24 te se het vandag:
“Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town – Frans Steyn has always been a pretty single-minded character … a bit of a modern-day Michael du Plessis, if you like.
They are similar rugby players: versatile, undoubtedly gifted, unpredictable and impulsive.
You could throw in volatility, too, although perhaps Du Plessis was the more inclined to a short fuse – I once saw him fell a tighthead prop with a punch in a club match and be promptly sent for an early shower; Steyn seems that bit more sedate in temperament terms.
Both men arouse strong, conflicting emotions: rugby fans have tended to either love them or hate them, with surprisingly little room for a middle ground…………..”
Ou Fransie word dalk ook na dese n ledeprediker in die Baai, soos Dr. Michael Doep.
@Nama 138
Chester and Frikkie, lol
He actually convinced Chester to buy into Pepsi, just as they were trying to get back into the market in SA.
Pepsi in Paarl. All Coke did was buy all the Pepsi stock, stacked the crates on top of each other and pushed it over.
Remember, those days the value was in the glass bottles, empties were recycled, the Pepsi itself wasn’t as valuable. So once they broke all the bottles, it would have been too expensive to replace them, end of the “Chester and Frikkie are Pepsi owners” show
Seems like Fransie has found himself his own Frikkie
😀
Wat’s die probleem met bru? Ek kan nie my “picks” maak nie. Enige iemand wat ook daai probleem het?
GRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTS!!!
en watse skeurgeluide is dit wat ek uit die Durban wêreld hoor?
hmmmm
wonner of dit nie frans steyn plakkate is wat van mure afgeruk word
voor charges uitgestuur word nie!!
@ Nama:
Ek dink Chessie het n redelike Spur royalty ook gekry darem, ek onthou sy gesig was oral op hul plakkate destyds. Hy het later die Spur in die Paarl ook gehad.
Weet jy hoekom Chester nie ook kontrak gekry het soos die res van die ouens nie? Daai kontrak was groot geld werd destyds, ek onthou oorlede Tommie het na die wereldbeker R2,7m gekry, daar was A, B en C kontrakte, hy het n A-kontrak gehad.
@pietman
Weet darem nie so mooi nie, Michael was darem in n klas van sy eie.
Nie eers sy eie spanmaats het geweet wat hy volgende sou doen nie, met Fransie is dit net die teenoorgestelde, almal weet hy gaan probeer crashball teen die naaste teenstander
Nama wrote:
Ja, ek het.
Probeer bo op rugby klik en maak weer ‘tournaments’ van voor af oop.
145 @ Nama:
Nothing wrong with Bru, one gets to the Picks Window easily…
I have not tried to do picks itself though.
Users Online
Total 97 users including 0 member, 97 guests, 0 bot online
Most users ever online were 3735, on 31 August 2022 @ 6:23 pm
No Counter as from 31 October 2009: 41,328,897 Page Impressions
_