Peter de Villiers has named his Springbok side to take on the All Blacks in Bloemfontein this weekend. Jacque Fourie starts at outside centre in place of the injured Adrian Jacobs.
The rest of the team has a settled – in fact, almost predictable – look to it. Bakkies Botha is back from his suspension and takes his place in a tight five that really picks itself. Heinrich Brüssow is named at openside flank, together with the old firm of Juan Smith and Pierre Spies.
The only slight surprise is on the forwards replacement bench, where Ryan Kankowski wears the number 19 jersey. Danie Rossouw will cover the second row. Jannie du Plessis has been named as the reserve prop.
Ruan Pienaar is back as first-choice flyhalf, with Bulls kicking machine Morné Steyn on the bench. Jean de Villiers has been passed fit to play, with another Bull, Wynand Olivier, providing backup on the bench.
Bok 22:
15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (capt), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Wynand Olivier.
BOKKE!
Nice team
exactly – predictable, which I guess is good. I just wonder whether these guys will not be too old come 2011. hmm
it’s a strong side, all right. Reckon we’ll take them with that combination.
and happy happy to Frisbee
how a 
day
@rekinek (Comment 3) : let’s concentrate on winning 2009′s test in 2009. We can worry about 2011 in 2011.
@robdylan (Comment 6) : then it will be too late. didn’t you pay attention to the 4-year plan of Winning Ways. hehehe
i’ve just realised that should on ego to Bloem for the weekend of 1st one can watch both sharks and bok games.
@rekinek (Comment 8) : nah – I thought THIS weekend’s Bok test was in Bloem?
@robdylan (Comment 9) : there is a possibility that I mixed sth up
@rekinek (Comment 10) : how big a possibility?
Good team – right selection. Although not sure about Jannie. He hasn’t impressed me of late. I wish we drop the bullshit and pick players playing overseas – BJ should be anchoring us.
Hey – I was’nt far off…
But…GO BOKKE !!!
Is JdV still here for the whole of tri nations?
@Rahul (Comment 15) : Yup – he plans to connect after the Tri-Nations, but even that is subject to Munster paying a transfer fee of a million plus to release him early from Currie Cup duty with Province
I see Pieman Januarie is still there, not sure whatvermaak has to do to make this team but long may he stay with the Lions. Had another excellentgame on Saturday
@Whindy (Comment 17) : For once i am happy Ricky is with the Boks – means he isn’t wrecking our Currie Cup down in Cape Town
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 16) : I wouldn’t pay that much for him…
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 18) : Know what you mean, now if PDV would just keep Earl Rose with the Boks I would be happier. carry tackle Bags that would be ideal
@Whindy (Comment 20) :
@robdylan (Comment 19) : Eish – Sorry to see him go – one needs to look at how shite the Stormers became once he injured himself. Then again you fellas pay exorbitant fees for Internationals to holiday in the South with little or no effect….
@Whindy (Comment 20) :
Dude, according to reports Earl had a damn fine game against the Cheetahs.
What does the oke need to do to get credit from you??
@robdylan (Comment 11) : about a week big
@wpw (Comment 22) : he did indeed – methinks. The key may be to keep him in one position – I reckon more at flyhalf than fullback – and give him some time.
@wpw (Comment 22) : go back to Province
BOKKE!
@robdylan (Comment 19) : plus the insurance premium on him must be quite high
@wpw (Comment 22) : At the same token – what would it take for you to acknowledge that Earl – for all his talent hasn’t met expectation and for every good thing he does he fsck it up just as often…..
His brother Jody will be a better bet.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 28) : I also heard Jody was WAY better than Earl, whats happened to him? How old is he now?
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 28) :
Nah dude. I don’t agree.
He is still what 25 years old and has quite a few more years ahead of him.
Amazes me the kinda stick he gets when selected for the Bok ‘squad’ and yet we had the likes of Sicknote Pretorius and Louis Skoen play quite a few tests for the Boks and yet Earl is not even allowed near the team.
Imo he has got that X factor and just needs to work on his defense.
@molly (Comment 29) :
Jody is still at the Lions.
Has been playing for the VC side for the last few years and can’t seem to break into the CC squad.
@wpw (Comment 30) : Fair point but at the same time – we have players like Steyn, Pienaar and other Steyn who to be honest is about as hot and cold as Earl in front of him – so in reality he shouldn’t be near the Bok squad… Koen was picked by possibly the worst two coaches in Bok history ever, as to Sicknote well miracles happen
@wpw (Comment 31) : Its a pity i asaw him play a few times as a lightie and he looked the real deal.
@wpw (Comment 31) :
AT least he has broken into YOUR squad!!
@Prof. Ice (Comment 33) :
What was that Mrs Pienaar??
You are mos related to Ruan Pienaar aren’t you??
@wpw (Comment 30) :
>> Imo he has got that X factor and just needs to work on his defense.
He reminds me of Slapppes at times, but he needs to get rid of the incosistencies.
@wpw (Comment 34) :
For why you say THAT????
6 Heinrich Brüssow
Good to see him still starting! long may it continue!!!
@Rahul (Comment 37) : +1
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 38) : +2
@wpw (Comment 22) : Dude, watch the game and tell me he had a cracker, the arse hole does one good thing the whole game and has the x factor, but for all is “x” Factor he also makes the most basic bloody errors, that at this level are just not acceptable, as it costs his team games, and that is why I don’t rate him and hope like hell he leaves at the end of the season, funny how he is not exactly getting a huge amount of offers to play overseas
@Whindy (Comment 40) :
I guess we will have to agree to disagree then bru!
As for the lack of overseas offers, i only have one thing to say on the matter: Rob Linde
@wpw (Comment 41) : At least he got offers,
but I will lay it to rest and hope you get your little ,back at the end of the season and then watch as you tear your hair out with frustration 
@Whindy (Comment 42) :
Its all good. I don’t think Earl should be in the Bok team or squad at the moment.
Like I said earlier he needs to work on his defense and perform more consistently.
@wpw (Comment 43) : Amen to that, I also think he has potential, but maybe curb the “x” factor a bit and perform more consistantly and the other things will happen.
@wpw (Comment 43) :
You’ve moved to Earl Rose now… I need to keep up…
@blackshark (Comment 45) :
I like the look of this bench. What I see here is PdV learning from the Lions series and making sure the same mistakes were not made in this tri-nations test. Clearly PdV would like Matfield on the pitch for 80 minutes, so Pakslae makes much more sense as a replacement for Bakkies than Bekker. I see Bekker as the “heir apparent” to Matfield. We do need to find a young 4 to be heir apparent to Bakkies though. I think Adi is a super player, but he has been carrying an injury for some time now, and it has affected his defensive play. Why carry any player that is less than 100% fit, especially when you have a world class replacement in Fourie.
Front row bench is interesting. Personally I would have carried Carstens on the bench instead of Jannie. He can cover TH in a pinch, and Smit should play 80 anyway. Chilliboy can not even crack a start over an undersized converted flank in the Bulls, and a player like Liebenberg (now back in country) has been nothing short of spectacular this season and in the past. He is a fine scrummaging hooker, and is a monster in the tight/loose. Definitely should be on the bench for the Boks. Vermaak instead of Januarie…perhaps, but we all know that PdV likes Rikki…WO is definitely one of our better centres currently, and Morne covers both 10 and 15 well.
Very nice team this, and if Ruan can just relax and settle in his kicking game, the Boks should take this one in Bloem.
@wpw (Comment 22) :
No he did not unfortunately…he made a few flops under the high ball and had 2 bad kicks…
Otherwise he was a bit quite…was not in the play that much…
But definitely an improvement on the Bulls game where Kuger and Rose had the worst games I have seen anyone have this whole year…
This is the best backline we have put together the whole year…
What a game this could be!??!
And we are not playing at the coast…I wonder what our home game record is for coastal games in the 3N…
@Hmmm (Comment 48) :
Worse than Mujati going back 34 times at scrum time against the Lions??
Pirates vs Chiefs tonight
Sharks vs Bulls tomorrow
Bokke vs All Blacks on Saturday
What a weekend!!!