Jean de Villiers will make an inspirational comeback to top-level rugby from the bench for the Springboks, almost 8 months after suffering a horrific knee injury, when they take on the World XV at DHL Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

Victor Matfield will captain the Springboks, with Warren Whiteley making his 1st start in the Green and Gold at No 8, while 2 uncapped players, Jesse Kriel and Vincent Koch, have been included in the match-23.

If De Villiers makes an appearance it will be his 1st rugby since suffering a dislocated knee and ligament damage in the final match of 2014, against Wales in Cardiff.

De Villiers has gone through more than 7 months of rigorous rehabilitation and is now completing a remarkable recovery.

“Jean is a massive asset to South African rugby and it’s wonderful to know his return to play is progressing so well that we can give him some game time from the bench on Saturday,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

“The mere fact that he is back in shape and ready to play is testament to his incredible work-ethic and his professional approach to the game. Jean has really put in hours and hours of extra work to get here and he is a great example for any player on how to put yourself in the best possible position to recover.

“We will still manage how he is used against the World XV and afterwards we’d like him to return to Western Province, where he will be available for their ABSA Currie Cup warm-ups.”

Meyer said the decision to hand the captaincy to Victor Matfield for the time being was not a difficult one. Ruan Pienaar has been given the Vice-captaincy.

“The captaincy is a very important thing to me and it’s something that I believe should not be treated lightly, especially at international level,” said Meyer.

“Victor is the most-experienced player in the history of Springbok rugby and has captained successfully at every level of the game.

“He led last year too when Jean was injured and was the Vice-captain for the rest of the season. Victor is also still in great shape – at our recent fitness tests, he performed the best of all the forwards.

“Ruan is very experienced and in a key decision-making position. He will run things at the back with Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen backing him up.”

Meyer said of the selection of Whiteley, Kriel and Koch: “All 3 of them were magnificent in Vodacom Super Rugby and they deserve this opportunity. I’m excited to see how they step up to this level.

“I’ve always rated Vincent and followed his career for a long time. He has really improved a lot recently, which is testament to the hard work he and everyone who has worked with him, has put in. He has proved that players can become Springboks from one of the so-called smaller unions.

“Warren is a specialist No 8 and will have big shoes to fill with Duane Vermeulen out injured. Although he has played in only 2 Tests, he brings experience and leadership to the pack, having led the Emirates Lions with great style this season.

“The reason we’ve decided to go with Francois Louw and Marcell Coetzee is because we have lost some ball-stealing ability with Duane not available, but both our flanks can now fulfil that role.

“Jesse has played at outside centre before and starred for the Junior Springboks in that position in 4 of their 5 matches in 2014. He’s also been training with us for a long time and I’m sure he will slot in easily with Damian de Allende in an exciting but a little inexperienced midfield combination.

“I’m very excited to see how Jesse, Damian and Handré Pollard will play next to each other. They are still young and I believe they are the future. They will also have a very experienced back-trio next to them on Saturday. It’s important to have a combination of youth and experience and we’ll continue to work on that.”

The Bok coach added that he also had to keep in mind the return to the game of players who had been injured in the last few months.

“We had to bring players such as Oupa Mohoje, Schalk Burger, Cobus Reinach, Pat Lambie and Jean back at some stage and decided this was the best opportunity to do so,” said Meyer.

“The same applies for other players returning from injuries, who we will manage in the coming weeks. We don’t have a lot of time to get ready for the World Cup, so we will have to use every minute of game time we have wisely before we get on the plane to England.”

Meyer also announced that following a meeting with Jaque Fourie on Tuesday, a mutual decision was taken that he would return to Kobe, his club in Japan, to regain his fitness and to get game time.

“He decided to withdraw from the Springbok squad for now, but we agreed that the door is still open for him to be selected for the Rugby World Cup if he is needed,” said Meyer.

Steven Kitshoff will be out for approximately 4 weeks after sustaining an injury to his medial ligaments of his left knee on Tuesday.

Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts said Kitshoff was sent for scans on Wednesday morning which confirmed the diagnosis of a grade 2 MCL injury and he will unavailable for the Springboks’ next 3 matches.

 

Springbok team to face the World XV:

15 Willie le Roux (Toyota Cheetahs), 14 JP Pietersen (Cell C Sharks), 13 Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), 12 Damian de Allende (DHL Stormers), 11 Bryan Habana (Toulon), 10 Handré Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), 9 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), 8 Warren Whiteley (Emirates Lions), 7 Marcell Coetzee (Cell C Sharks), 6 Francois Louw (Bath), 5 Victor Matfield (Captain, Vodacom Bulls), 4 Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), 1 Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks)
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss (Vodacom Bulls), 17 Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls), 18 Vincent Koch (DHL Stormers), 19 Oupa Mohoje (Toyota Cheetahs), 20 Schalk Burger (DHL Stormers), 21 Cobus Reinach (Cell C Sharks), 22 Pat Lambie (Cell C Sharks), 23 Jean de Villiers (DHL Stormers).

 

Stats and Facts:

• 10 Players who played against the World XV in last year’s corresponding fixture, will be in action again on Saturday. They are Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Victor Matfield (who also captained the team), Francois Louw, Ruan Pienaar, Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen, Willie le Roux and Schalk Burger (who was also selected as replacement).
• The Springboks have played 3 official Tests against World XV teams – on 27 August 1977 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria (SA won 45 / 24), on 26 August 1989 at DHL Newlands in Cape Town (SA won 20 / 19) and on 2 September 1989 at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg (SA won 22 / 16).
• The Springboks also played 3 non-Test matches against World XV teams – on 3 June 2006 at Emirates Airline Park (SA won 30 / 27), on 3 December 2006 in Leicester (SA won 32 / 7) and on 7 June 2014 at DHL Newlands in Cape Town (SA won 47 / 13).
• The referee is John Lacey of Ireland, who has been in charge of 2 Springbok Tests before, both in 2014 – against Argentina at Loftus Versfeld (SA won 13 / 6) and against Wales in Cardiff (SA lost 12 / 6).

 

Date: Saturday 11 July
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-Off: 17:00 SA Time (15:00 GMT)
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Jason Jaftha (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)

 

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Jesse Kriel:

It is an accolade that will make many purists choke on their coffee, but young Jesse Kriel is being likened to a South African great like Danie Gerber.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, addressing a media briefing after he named his team for the opening international of the year, said he believes Kriel can be 1 of the best outside centres that South Africa has produced.

Kriel is 1 of 2 uncapped players named in the matchday 23 to face a Worlds XV at Newlands on Saturday.

And, based on the Springbok coach’s admiration for the 21-year-old Bulls star, he indeed has the attributes that made Gerber the legend he became during his heyday in the 1980s.

“Jesse is an unbelievably exciting player,” Meyer told the media briefing at the team hotel in Cape Town, adding: “I have always rated him.

“2 Years ago, when he was still Under 20, I invited him to our Springbok camps, where he slotted in at centre. I 1st worked with him as a 19-year-old, where I did a lot of skill work with him and I always thought his best position was outside centre.”

Meyer believed even at this early stage of his career he already adds a lot to the team.

However, it is his skills that will have many salivating over the future with this youngster in the Bok midfield.

“He has a great acceleration and brilliant feet,” Meyer said, adding: “I am really excited to see Handré, Damian and him at No 13.

“There are a lot of youngsters there. Maybe not a lot of experience, but very exciting players.

“I am thinking of those guys, along with Lambie and Jan, as the future.

“I can’t wait to see them play. Yes, they will make mistakes, as they have never played together. However, what they lack in experience, they will make up for with their youthful exuberance.”

Meyer said the encounter with the World XV is the right game to give Kriel a run.

“I believe Jesse can go on to be 1 of the greats. He is 1 of the most talented players I have coached, but it is now up to him to take it onto the field and show he can play at the highest level.”

Meyer said there is a chance he might give Kriel 10 to 15 minutes at fullback at the end of the fame.

“However, I should probably stick with him at centre for the next Test or 2.”

He said the youngster can help the Springboks at wing as well.

“It is like a young Frans Steyn, where he can cover No 12, No 13, wing and fullback.

“I really have a good feeling about Jesse. I really believe he can go on to be 1 of the best outside centres that South Africa has produced.

“What I have seen in training is an acceleration that I haven’t seen with a lot of players, especially the outside gap. I want my outside centre to be able to take the outside gap, which not a lot of guys can do.

“In terms of his speed he is there. The tough thing for him, Damian and Polly (Pollard) is that they haven’t played together.

“They are facing very experienced backs and will be tested on defence. In terms of attacking I know they will do well. On defence they will face a tough call.

“However, this is the right game to give them a go.”

While some will frown upon Kriel selection at in the midfield, given that he has played fullback for the Bulls all season, he has played at outside centre often before and starred for the Junior Springboks in that position in 4 of their 5 matches in 2014.

 

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Jaque Fourie sent back to Japan:

World Cup-winning centre Jaque Fourie has withdrawn from the Springbok team due to a lack of fitness.

Fourie, a member of the victorious 2007 Springbok team, last year retired from international rugby.

However, he was recently lured back into the Springbok fold, currently preparing for the opening international of the year – against a World XV at Newlands on Saturday.

His departure from the Springbok squad was an footnote to the team announcement, made at the team hotel in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer revealed that, following a meeting with Fourie on Tuesday, a mutual decision was taken that he would return to his club in Japan, to regain his fitness and to get game time.

“He decided to withdraw from the Springbok squad for now, but we agreed that the door is still open for him to be selected for the World Cup if he is needed,” Meyer said.

The 32-year-old Fourie has played 72 Tests for the Springboks.

He made a try-scoring debut at the 2003 World Cup, when the Springboks beat Uruguay in a pool match 72 / 6 in Perth.

4 Years later he scored 4 tries on the way to the Final of the World Cup and he played at the Stade de France when the Springboks beat England 15 / 6 in Paris to win the Webb Ellis trophy for the 2nd time.

Fourie’s dynamic, powerful running inspired a decisive try against the British & Irish Lions in the 2nd Test at Loftus Versfeld in 2009. His score allowed Morné Steyn to later win the game with a long-range penalty.

His last Test was against France at Stade de France in November 2013.

 

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Willem Alberts needs rehab & conditioning:

While Springbok supporters are still reconciling with the fact that they might be without Duane Vermeulen at this year’s Rugby World Cup, there is now fresh concern over the availability of Willem Alberts.

Alberts had already been ruled out of this Saturday’s clash against the World XV at Newlands with an ankle injury, on Monday, but more clarity over his fitness and the seriousness of the situation was revealed by coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday.

“He’s been struggling with a few injuries,” said Meyer.

“He had an op at the end of last year so he’s been struggling with a back injury and his knee is not 100%.

“Whenever he puts a lot of effort in he gets more injured so it’s a bit of a catch 22 and he’s just hurt his ankle ligaments as well.

“So he struggles to run, he struggles to train and if you don’t train you fall behind and if you do train you come away with injuries. So we’re boxing smart with him at the moment, taking him out of sessions and it is now mostly gym work and rehabilitation.”

Meyer added that Alberts’ heavy work load during Super Rugby as well as his physical approach to the game might help explain his fight for fitness.

“It’s just a question of being over-played. And the way he plays – he’s a very physical warrior – he’s always going to get injured,” said Meyer.

“The plan was to bring him back against the All Blacks but, looking at him now, he won’t be fit for the All Blacks so the plan is rather to take him out of all this and really condition him well.”

Meyer has opted for a lose trio of Francois Louw, Marcell Coetzee and Warren Whiteley and while he acknowledges the loss of Alberts and Vermeulen, he has urged his players to show that they have what it takes to fill those positions.

“With Willem and Duane out, we know what we’ve got in them,” said Meyer.

“It’s going to be a race for them to be ready for the World Cup so we have to look at different combinations.

“Although Marcell is more an open-side flanker I want to see what he and Flo can do together.”

 

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Steven Kitshoff blow – out for 4 weeks:

Loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff will have to wait a while longer to make his Springbok debut after suffering a knee injury in training.

Kitshoff’s was not included in the Springbok team named to play the World XV on Saturday, with Bok team management confirming he will be out for approximately four weeks after sustaining an injury to the medial ligaments of his left knee on Tuesday.

Team doctor Craig Roberts said Kitshoff was sent for scans on Wednesday morning which confirmed the diagnosis of a grade two MCL injury and he will unavailable for the Boks’ next three matches.

Kitshoff was the standout prop for the Stormers in this year’s Super Rugby competition and was expected to make his Springbok debut on Saturday.

 

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Vincent Koch’s rise:

It won’t be a Test debut of course because it isn’t a Test match (the match does not have Test match status), but recuperating Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen should feel a touch of pride when he sees his Stormers teammate Vincent Koch wearing the green and gold for the 1st time against the World XV on Saturday.

While Vermeulen was coming back to consciousness after undergoing a neck operation on Wednesday, energetic tighthead prop Koch was busy crediting the Stormers captain for the meteoric rise which has seen him transform from Steval Pumas Currie Cup player to a strong challenger for a place in the Springbok Rugby World Cup squad.

That place is far from a foregone conclusion, and Koch is the 1st to acknowledge it. He has some strong challengers for the right to wear the No 3 jersey, 1 of them being Frans Malherbe, who was among a group of players who joined him in making a pact to do everything in their power to get themselves into the Springbok squad.

“Frans was 1 of the guys, who together with Steven Kitshoff and Scarra Ntubeni stood together and promised to help each other to mount a challenge for a place in the squad. We had a good season in the scrum with the Stormers so it all worked out in the end, but I will need to prove myself now to stay in the frame for the World Cup,” said Koch.

“There are a lot of guys who I have looked up to and who have played a role in my development, and some of them are out of the system already. But when I came to the Stormers, it was Duane who really helped me a lot. It wasn’t just on the field, but off the field as well. I look up to him because he’s such a good leader and an incredible player. It’s largely thanks to him that I am where I am today.”

Indeed, and perhaps the reason Vermeulen took an extra interest in Koch was because he was a product of the Pumas, the union he is still contracted to during the domestic season and where the convalescing Springbok No 8 started his 1st class career.

Vermeulen progressed to Springbok colours via a couple of seasons with the Cheetahs before moving to the Stormers, and some considered his eventual selection to international rugby as belated, for he would not have been out of place in the Springbok team during the Peter de Villiers era. For Koch, however, the rise has been a lot more meteoric.

“When I moved down to Cape Town to play for the Stormers I never dreamed it would lead to me being selected for the Boks,” said the 25-year-old, who is currently sporting a healthy beard.

“When I was invited to the 1st Bok camp earlier this year, it started to become a reality for me, and I started to dream. But to be honest, I never thought it would be this soon. Now, looking forward, I need to believe that my chances of making the World Cup squad are as good as any other player. I am looking forward to doing everything I can to earn my place at the World Cup.”

Koch does have a couple of factors in his favour, not the least of them being that he used to be a loosehead so has versatility value, another being that his mobility makes him the perfect impact player, plus the fact that there will be a large group of front-row forwards in the Rugby World Cup squad.

“I need to just focus on my game now and train every day as if it is my last. I have to give absolutely everything and provide another option for the Bok coach to consider. We all have a chance, and if I can play to the best of my ability, it will boost the players around me.”

Koch said the young group of Stormers forwards set themselves the task at the start of the season of being the best pack in Super Rugby, and he feels the inclusion of 4 front-rowers – himself, Malherbe, Kitshoff and Ntubeni in addition to lock Eben Etzebeth – in the Springbok squad was an indication that they had gone some way towards achieving that objective.

“We worked really hard, through a lot of hours of sweat and even blood. We tried to go into every game with the confidence of knowing we could dominate the opposition. I must say I grew a lot, and the Stormers really helped me to develop as a player. I’m really grateful that all the hard work has paid off.”

 

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JJ Engelbrecht not out of the picture:

Although Jesse Kriel is playing at outside centre on Saturday, JJ Engelbrecht says the Springbok door has not been closed on him.

Kriel is not the 1st player that Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has shifted to outside centre, having done the same with Engelbrecht who started his career as a wing, as well as the likes of JP Pietersen, Damian de Allende, Jean de Villiers and Jan Serfontein who have also played in the No 13 jersey since Meyer took charge.

Although Kriel played at outside centre for the Junior Springboks last year he played at fullback for the Bulls in Super Rugby this year, with Engelbrecht starting regularly in midfield.

Engelbrecht last played for the Springboks against Scotland at Murrayfield in 2013, and will line up against them for the World XV at Newlands this weekend, although he says that he will not be out to prove anything.

“I had the whole of Super Rugby to prove myself, this week is an exciting opportunity to go up against the Springboks and I hope it goes well.

“It was disappointing not to make the Bok squad, but you have to put on another hat and I am seeing this as just another game,” he said.

He explained that he is in regular contact with Meyer who has told him that he is still being considered for Springbok selection.

“The coach told me that the door is not closed for me, and you never know what his plans are.

“I have got a good relationship with coach Heyneke, I know where I stand and we chat often enough,” he said.

Engelbrecht said that while it will be strange lining up against the Springboks, he is hoping to be able to go out and express himself.

“You never go onto the field with the idea of losing and it will be tough against the Boks and naturally we will go out to win the game.

“It is tough because obviously you don’t have all the structures or time to prepare, you just have to get as close as possible as a group and get to know all the guys.

“We have got a couple of training sessions so we will work on 1 or 2 things and we will just try and play the space and the opportunities.

“I am just looking to go out there and really have fun and enjoy myself, obviously we don’t have much time to prepare as a team so there is not much structure so it will be nice to go out there and play without much pressure and the way you want to play,” he added.