JP Pietersen double-tackled in the Scotland game
The experienced JP Pietersen is back in the Springboks’s starting line-up for their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against Wales at Twickenham Stadium in London on Saturday afternoon.
JP Pietersen, who scored a hat-trick against Samoa in the 2nd pool match, is included in the only change to the starting team that beat the USA by 64 / 0 in the Springboks’ final Pool B match, last Wednesday at the Olympic Stadium.
The 63-capped wing, who has recovered from a knee injury which kept him out of the USA Test, will wear the No 14 jersey and Bryan Habana will revert to the left wing for this encounter. It will be the 42nd time they play together as a wing-combination in the Springboks’ starting team.
Habana currently leads the try-scoring stakes at Rugby World Cup 2015 with 5, while Pietersen is joint 2nd with 4, a position he shares with 5 other players.
“JP and Bryan have been in superb form and are playing some of the best rugby of their lives,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“They have been scoring some wonderful tries, as has Lwazi Mvovo, so it’s really great to know that there is good competition among the wings.
“It made sense to reunite Bryan and JP on the wing as it brings a lot of experience to our backline, which has been doing well despite the relative inexperience of Handré Pollard, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel.”
The Springbok bench shows 4 changes from the last match. The experienced quartet of Adriaan Strauss, Jannie du Plessis, Ruan Pienaar and Pat Lambie are all back to give the South Africans a boost from the replacements’ bench.
With a combined total of 252 caps between the 4 of them, these players should be able to make an impact later in the game.
“We’ve seen 1st-hand how important it is to have experienced players on the field at the end of a match and to have this kind of experience available on the bench in a knock-out match is great,” said Meyer.
“Saturday’s match will be huge and we are expecting an arm wrestle right until the end. We’re playing against a well-balanced side that always likes to mix things up when it comes to physicality.
“They have a good set-piece and some strong ball carriers upfront and in the back – it’s what you expect to face at this stage of the competition and we’re very excited about the challenge.”
The only player who was not considered because of injury is Victor Matfield, who felt some discomfort in his hamstring at training on Tuesday.
“We were planning to use Victor from the bench to add even more experience to our replacements, but we’re also not prepared to risk him if he’s not ready. Luckily in Pieter-Steph du Toit we have another young player who has been performing very well and will slot in with ease,” said Meyer.
Springboks: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Fourie du Preez (Captain), 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Jannie du Plessis, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Jan Serfontein.
Stats and facts:
- South Africa and Wales have only played once before against the other in a Rugby World Cup tournament. That was in 2011 when the Springboks won by 17 / 16.
- Saturday’s Test match will be the 31st between these 2 countries in a rivalry that started in 1906 during the 1st Springbok tour overseas. Of the previous 30 Tests, Wales could only manage 2 wins while 1 Test was drawn.
- South Africa’s record against Wales: P – 30, W – 27, L – 2, D – 1, PF – 814, PA – 440, Win% – 90%
- The most points scored by the Springboks in a match against Wales were 96 (96 / 13) in 1998 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. On that occasion the Springboks crossed the try line 15 times. The winning margin of 83 is the 5th highest in Springbok history.
- The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 686. There are 317 caps in the backline with 369 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 337 caps.
- Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 113 caps in this position. He is the most experienced Springbok backline player with 114 caps and only Victor Matfield (125) has played in more Test matches for South Africa.
- If Bryan Habana scores a try he will extend his own record of 64 Test tries for South Africa. Currently he is joint 2nd on the list for most Test tries. David Campese of Australia is the other player. 1st On the list is Daisuke Ohata of Japan on 69 career tries.
- Bryan is also the new world record holder for most Test tries as a wing. He surpassed the previous record, held by Daisuke Ohata of Japan (62), during last Wednesday’s match against the USA.
- Bryan is the joint record holder for most career tries (15) in Rugby World Cup tournaments. He can become sole record holder by scoring just 1 try. Jonah Lomu of New Zealand is the other player with 15 career Rugby World Cup tries.
- Bryan and JP Pietersen will be playing in their record 42nd Test as a wing combination in the starting 15.
- Schalk Burger will play in his 77th Test as a flank, South Africa’s most capped Springbok flank. Saturday’s Test will be his 18th Rugby World Cup Test to become the most capped Springbok in Rugby World Cup. He is also the Springbok record holder for most tries as a flank (14) as well as a forward (16).
- Bismarck du Plessis is the Springbok record holder for most tries (11) in Tests as a hooker.
- Fourie du Preez will play in his 75th Test match.
- The referee is Wayne Barnes of England. He became a professional referee in April 2005 and at the end of 2014 had already officiated as referee in more than 50 Tests. It will be his 12th Test involving South Africa. Of the previous 11 Tests, South Africa won 8 and lost 3.
- Twickenham Stadium is the largest dedicated rugby union venue in the world, the 2nd largest stadium in the United Kingdom and 4th largest in Europe. This is the venue for this 1st quarterfinal match of Rugby World Cup 2015. Twickenham Stadium has a seating capacity of 81 605.
- The Springboks have played 20 Test matches at this stadium, winning 11 and losing 9. Except for the Rugby World Cup semifinal against Australia in 1999, all Tests were against England.
Springbok Test match record holders at Twickenham:
- Most points: 21 by Jannie de Beer (6p, 1d) against Australia, 30 October 1999
- Most tries: 2 By Chester Williams against England, 18 November 1995
- Most conversions: 3 By Ruan Pienaar against England, 22 November 2008
- Most penalty goals: 6 By Jannie de Beer against Australia, 30 October 1999
- Most drop goals: 4 By André Pretorius against England, 25 November 2006
30 @ Tassies:
I decided long ago already that I am too old to start over somewhere else on the globe.
My roots are here, my support structures are here, my Afrikaans Language is spoken here, my son is here, my wife and family are here, my life and businesses are here… in South Africa.
So, I’ll stay here as long as I am allowed to be fully economically functional!
How do they say… “The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence!”
I have a number of new things in the pipeline, amongst them buying a few unbonded properties in the coming months, also in addition developing a “Container Homes Project” I’ve been contemplating for a while, also bringing in a few shipping containers with some very specific electronic products I have a vast market for. So I’m definately not sitting twiddling my thumbs, if you get my drift.
What I do lament is not getting to some of my hobbies, like for instance making wooden furniture (not for commercial sale but for myself). I have a bloody awesome heap if woodworking machinery which just stands in storage plus a few cubes of some of South Africa’s best hard wood varieties… just begging for my attention. I love woodwork… “hout is goud!”
At night, when my mind struggles to switch off after a busy day, which is every night, my mind wonders and I come up with the greatest ideas…. sadly time is a factor on almost all of them.
Some people dream, some people have nightmares… whereas I seem to have these very real creative ideas when I sleep! I suppose that is a blessing!
I smell an upset….. well not so much a smell, but a slight tainted odour of an underdog getting up….no, not the scrotum pinching frogs…. but the dumb Welsh…. Meyer should’ve gone with his heart and let loose with a few more old bulls… experience needed in these one off clashes…. mark my words…lol
grootblousmile wrote:
That plus no one else wants you …..
😉 😉 🙂 🙂 🙂
grootblousmile wrote:
Cde Julius must be proud of you
NZINCHINA wrote:
Don’t understand all the sudden loving for Australia either NZINCHINA, they have been doing well this year and seem to have a good coach but am not so sure about their strength in depth and for me this is where NZ are superior to all. There is still a fair amount of rugby to be played but I have a feeling that whoever wants to win the World Cup will need to beat NZ, not so sure France will manage to do this in the quarter final.
33 @ Stormersboy:
Have had a number of offers over the years to work abroad… turned offers down from the UK, USA, Canada & India.
But now getting over 50 means I would not qualify in certain countries for immigration purposes… but that’s OK…. if they don’t want me, I don’t want them either!
I am happy here in SA, despite our little problems.
To me the biggest SA problem is our unfavourable exchange rate, the rest of the problems are far more subsiduary.
34 @ BrumbiesBoy:
The difference between me and comrade Julius is that I won’t get a K for woodwork, but an A++
grootblousmile wrote:
Going overseas is not for everyone. A bit like changing jobs when you have a perfectly good one, some find that the grass is greener on the other side because there is more manure there. 💡
grootblousmile wrote:
Think you are playing down the energy crises over there, to me the security of a nation’s energy supply is very important, so much depends on it.
@ Bullscot
We’ll take the Frogs this weekend, probably in the last 20. Australia are a good side but the hype isn’t justified, it’s seems the massacre at the garden of Eden a few weeks back has all but been forgotten.
@ Bullscot:
Unfavorable exchange rate, that’s a nice way of putting it 😀 😀
40 @ NZINCHINA:
No that is not what I wrote NZCHINA, but even so not the kind of thing to put smiley faces to.
Wales team to face the Boks:
Gareth Anscombe , Alex Cuthbert , Tyler Morgan , Jamie Roberts , George North, Dan Biggar , Gareth Davies , Gethin Jenkins , Scott Baldwin , Samson Lee , Luke Charteris , Alun Wyn Jones , Dan Lydiate , Sam Warburton (C) , Taulupe Faletau .
Replacements: Ken Owens , Paul James , Tomas Francis , Bradley Davies , Justin Tipuric , Lloyd Williams , Rhys Priestland, James Hook.
Teams for NZ v France quarterfinal:
NZ: 1. Wyatt Crockett , 2. Dane Coles , 3. Owen Franks , 4. Brodie Retallick , 5. Samuel Whitelock , 6. Jerome Kaino , 7. Richie McCaw (c), 8. Kieran Read , 9. Aaron Smith , 10. Daniel Carter , 11. Julian Savea ,12. Ma’a Nonu , 13. Conrad Smith , 14. Nehe Milner-Skudder , 15. Ben Smith ,
Replacements : 16. Keven Mealamu, 17. Joe Moody, 18. Charlie Faumuina , 19. Victor Vito, 20. Sam Cane , 21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22. Beauden Barrett, 23. Sonny Bill Williams
France: Scott Spedding; Noa Nakaitaci, Alexandre Dumoulin, Wesley Fofana, Brice Dulin; Frederic Michalak, Morgan Parra; Louis Picamoles, Bernard Le Roux, Thierry Dusautoir (capt); Yoann Maestri, Pascal Pape; Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado, Eddy Ben Arous
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Damien Chouly, Yannick Nyanga, Rory Kockott, Remi Tales, Mathieu Bastareaud
@ Bullscot:
Lighten up Bully, I know you didn’t write that but that doesn’t change the fact that the rand is now worth slightly more than recycled dunny paper, if you follow economics/finance check out the job the Nats are doing in NZ, that’s how a country should be economically managed.
I’m not sure a failed milk salesman should be giving finance lectures.
Just saying.
😆
@ gunther:
Bonzai funny guy!
an Englishman walks into a bar… Usually there’s a Welshman, Irishman and Scotsman in the joke, but they’re still at the world Cup.
anyway. There has been no rain yet at the World Cup.. Rain predicted on Saturday at Twickenham…
A few deciding games may still be influenced by rain one would think.
Which I think why, Meyer went with Ruaan, when he picked his squad. including a few others that play in NH.
47 @ shooter:
Very very good Springbok Team. I my opinion almost as good as you can muster.
Except perhaps for Schulk.
I would have gone for Alberts, but I think he has been under an injury cloud, so maybe the very best Hieneken could manage.
GO BOKS!
44 @ NZINCHINA:
Spent a week in your country in July and really enjoyed it, was staying with really nice people in Christchurch and met a man who is quite involved in local politics, the name escapes me now but he also stood in at one point as acting Prime Minister, used to play cricket with the man was staying with. Seemed quite a knowledgeable guy, had done quite a bit of work in SA as well. It was quite an experience to see the condition of Christchurch so long after the quake still but slowly but surely it looks like the people are rebuilding their lives there, the folk was staying with had to have their house completely rebuilt. Although I did find it quite aggressive on the roads there, maybe this is a bit of pent up frustration from the years now of disruption. It will be really nice there once all the work is done.
Getting back to the original point, there are unfortunately many issues of concern in SA and will not ‘lighten up’ as you suggest just don’t think it good to be gleeful at others hardships.
@ Bullscot:
Would this man have called himself Jim Anderton.
If it was, he was a fine rugby player in his youth in Auckland.
I would guess he would be about 75 years old by now. And one of the finest men to ever call himself a Member of the Labour Party. Thus making him an arch enemy of NZC, who is a National Party man to his core………………………………………not that there is anything wrong with that. 😉
Bullscot wrote:
It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do
Especially because unlike other emigrants Saffa’s gets pushed to another country as opposed to being pulled like my Pom (Canadian girl) and Aussie (adventure) mates here
Work is hard as well, you’ll have to take a step down and work your way back up again. Especially to get some “Canadian Experience”
But if you work hard you can do it and there is no prejudice against you because of your skin colour
You’ll have to accept you’ll always be an immigrant because of your accent and lack of shared history. Don’t get me wrong they accept you without prejudice.
The kids adapt the best, my friend in Auckland’s kid had the real Kiwi accent after a couple of months in Grade 1. Our friend’s kids in Vancouver converse in Canuck with each other but in Afrikaans with their parents
Just like an immigrant to SA won’t know about the ’95 drop goal, you don’t share history of “the Great One” or the Blue Jays winning the World Series
But you’ll build your own and eventually you’ll be able to talk with them about “Sid the Kid’s” gold medal winning goal in 2010 and the Canucks fans burning down Vancouver after losing the playoffs
You’ll run into lots of other Saffas, make friends, watch rugby together and have lots of braais. My friend gave his recipe to our local butcher and he now can’t keep up making Boerewors.
I think it will be worth it in the end
grootblousmile wrote:
The lifestyle in SA is one of the best in the world combined with the weather
If you’re happy it’s all that matters
NZINCHINA wrote:
You’re doing well, number 7 on the HDI Index
I still can’t believe the Aussies are no 2
@ cane:
#53 Hi cane yes that’s right that is who it was knew would remember if heard his name again. You did well to work it out from my post. We spoke a bit about rugby but so many other topics in such a short time. Was Jim a centre?
@ Victoriabok:
#54 Hi VicBok yes can identify with a lot of what you say there and do have a few SA pals here but didn’t actively look SA expat groups up initially as wanted to try integrate more with local people. Find it weird sometimes when am asked where am from after living in a place for more than a decade. As you say the accent stays with you and makes you different although think in a good way as folk here are normally interested to have a chat if they hear the SA accent it is amazing how many Scots have either been or know people who worked or are still in SA.
Bullscot wrote:
Here it’s always “My doctor is from South Africa”
It’s amazing how many Saffa doctors are here
If they call him “doctor Van”, you just know the poor man got tired of them butchering it trying to pronounce Van der Westhuyzen, Van der Merwe or Van Schalkwyk and told them to just call him Van 🙂
They pronounce French surnames like De Villiers flawlessly though
@ Bullscot:
I hope you enjoyed yourself there, though I think there are far better places to go in NZ than Christchuch. I was also fortunate enough to visit your country nearly 20 years ago, back then it was Nz$1 / 3 rand, I was coming from London so SA was incredibly cheap – I didn’t want to leave!
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