Pieter de Villiers has named his match 22 for the game against Australia at Loftus on Saturday. The team shows two backline changes with Frans Steyn coming in at fullback and Jaque Fourie coming in at outside centre.
Ryan Kankowski takes his place on the reserve bench while Juan de Jongh is in the 22 jersey.
Springboks:
15. Frans Steyn
14. JP Pietersen
13. Jaque Fourie
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Bryan Habana
10. Morne 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
1. Gurthro Steenkamp
Substitutes:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Danie Rossouw
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Butch James
22. Juan de Jongh
Tweet
Have to feel for Aplon hey?!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) : yes, a bit tough on him
Beware public, Fransie Steyn is not the saviour the media is building him up to be.. He is a great player, make no mistake about that. He should be in the team, absolutely. But Gio did really well against the AB’s too, I don’t think FS would have changed the result.
Media is putting huge pressure on Frans.. I have seen him in the flesh, he walks and does not fly.
Appels have been very solid, JP should feel very lucky.Personally would like to see Juan de Jongh in the centres with Jaque Fourie moving to wing
Bismarck has to be in the 22 in Bloem.. Let him get another 80 min in the CC and he is good to go.
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 3) :
I feel the same as you Oubaas2009.. he will not be the hero come Saturday..
@frikkie se broer (Comment 4) :
Or even Aplon on the wing and Pieterson playing Griquas on Friday night..
Eish – The more i see of the Boks selections – the more i lose faith.
Like blind men throwing darts.
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 5) :
Beast and Bissie to play for the Sharks then.. great news..
How is CJ still there after his performance? Jannie was missed. Should have BJ on the bench with Smitty covering loosehead if need to. PDV likes Guthro to play 80 min anyway..
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 8) :
Good point.. its just not what you want to see.. players walking into the team while the player in that position was performing really well..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 9) : Affirmative! Man, it was a great pick me up watching my Sharkies destroy WP.. Almost made me forget the Boks game, and then I had another whiskey and did forget.
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 5) :
You can’t be happy that Aplon and de Jongh have been axed ! 💡
I thought Klein Flip was superb. Very glad they retained him. I would have dropped OUTsurance Spies, and played Schalk at 8 with Flo and Juan on the flanks. Pocock is going to slaughter the breakdowns again.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 11) : Indeed. Rough on Aplon and de Jongh – Its not like Fourie was setting the world alight.
My biggest concern is no fetcher – in the team or on the bench. After the last test against Aus and last week – if they cannot see the need for it i am not sure about their competency.,
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 13) : Thought they both had great games.. Helluva tough on them. I would have kept them.. Brought Fourie and Steyn onto the bench. In my team you play yourself back into the team and don’t come in on reputation.
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 13) : Well done by the way. Fantastic result for the AB’s.
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 14) : Agreed. Flip was excellent. And i agree re Spies as well – i have never seen a player play a game and actually not contribute. I would like to see Kanko, Vermuluen or Alberts in there instead.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 18) : Pierre Spies is overrated. Finish and klaar. Physically a superb specimen but its under his chest thats the problem, I just wish he had a heart the size of De Jongh or Aplon.
Its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog.
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 13) :
It really is a shame that the younger players arent given a chance, especially sine the Tri Nations is a lost cause..
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 19) : I agree wholeheartedly. the most overhyped player. Unless he is playing Italy. 😆
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 7) : Hows about Peterson ans Appels on the wings and Habana at home writing “i shall not go for the intercept” 1000 times on the blackboard
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 15) :
And did you hear the news that Brussouw’s return has been delayed as he is going for another surgery on his knee.. We need him back!!
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 16) :
I think they are both good players, but just look a little light weight for me at Test level…. they lacked a cutting edge on Sat.
Huge pressure on Steyn and Fourie to deliver instantly.
What a first test for Flip to be involved in and i think he will improve, but once again looked out of his depth could i go as fart as to say that he didn’t look like he knew what was going on. I thought he was poor.
I agree with you that there are serious problems for the Boks with Pocock at the breakdown , he makes McCaw look slow !
I think there is only room for Smith or Burger not both and they drop the openside from the 22 😕
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 22) :
Hahaha!!
Do you have a wing shortage at WP that you are asking for him to be released?
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 22) : Yip, that would work. Bryan needs some feet up time anyway. Not the Bryan we know and love and need at RWC 2011 IMO.
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 22) :
1000 times
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 23) : 😯
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 25) : No Rich, he just needs to have a bit of a rethink about his game
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 24) : So was it Stein, Speights or Tui that you were drinking? Man, you must have had a lot.. I thought JDJ, Gio and Flip were all up there with our best on the park. Add Juan Smith in there too.
Thought Jannie Dup going off (and CJ getting whipped at 1), as well as Smith being subbed were a big turning point for the Boks.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 23) : Ive got the media release here somewhere
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 24) : De Jongs tackling will stop a bus, Aplons not far off, they put alot of bigger okes to shame.
If we lose the next 2 games, then I really dont know. 🙄
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 29) :
I was only joking dude.. I agree with you all the way.. he needs to have a bit of a rest and rethink..
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 31) :
You sould post it up.. I have only seen it as news on one site..
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 30) :
No unfortunately totally sober !
Just thought Flip looked lost don’t have any stats to back it up ….but…..he may be a dud,he’s young and can only improve. Seemed to get involved unnessarily. Looked rubbish.
Take it from someone who know he wasn’t anywhere near the best of your lads.
Poor old De Jongh tackled himself into the ground poor chap.
….and you wing at fullback looked like a wing at fullback, no surprise there. He would however be a better option than the actual wings you have !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 36) :
Stats on Flip:
Tackles made – 8
Tackles missed – 1
Handle count – 9
Handling errors – 0
Rucks attended – 20
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 37) :
Time on field – 58 minutes
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 38) :
I think you need to split that ruck figure offensive/defensive
it is 10 each
wow does that mean Danie played 22 minutes his numbers are not going to look good when compared to Sam Whitelock….get White locks up Rich
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 36) : You need to take it from our perception – where our Number four lock has been sent off the field in the first 10 minutes 2 times and Flip on debut was carded after about 1 minute of play in the second half. The fact he played almost 60 minutes = a great game 😆
A lot of us have been whinging for Frans Steyn to be in the Bok team, so I guess we got what we asked for and should therefore be happy… would have been nice to have had Habana be the one to get the boot though. I think Aplon is “up-and-coming” and Habana deserved a reality check.
Can’t understand why Flo is not on the bench, I’m getting the impression the selectors don’t have much faith in him after his outing on the away-leg. Schalk at eigthman would have been a braver choice… making way for Flo or someone else at Flank.
IMO the players deserving of a “dropping” would have been:
Habana
Januarie
Spies
Vd Linde
… and maybe Ralepelle (especially after Bissie’s game this weekend)
Sam Whitelock:
Tackles made – 3
Rucks:
Attack – 16
Defence – 5
Handle count – 4
Handle error – 1
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 40) :
I wish him well for Saturday !
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 42) :
How many minutes on the field ? ❓
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 39) :
Compared to Roussouw:
Tackles made – 2
Tackles missed – 1
Rucks:
Attack – 3
Defence – 2
Handle count – 3
Handle error – 1
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 45) : minutes 😳
So I was down in the fairest Cape over the weekend watching the Boks get naaied and being the only Sharks supporter in O’Driscoll’s when Prooooooviiiiiiiince got shafted. 😎
During the Test, I heard something interesting from my soon-to-be-dejected fellow CC watchers. Garage Pie Januarie doesn’t even have a contract at Western Province!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 45) :
They are interesting Stats when you think
Brad Thorn hit 33 offensive rucks & Tom Donnelly hit 0 defensive !
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 44) :
30 minutes
Sorry..
Whitelock – 30 minutes
Roussouw – 22 minutes
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 48) :
I tell you, I can sit and look at these stats all day and find something else to calculate or smething interesting every time I look again..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 50) : 😉
Whitelocks workrate is special !
One of the most interesting stats is that Hougaard handled the ball 56 times and Steyn only got his hands on it 25 times..
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 52) :
Its what you call fresh legs, and it has a huge influence on the game if you have 8 South African forwards huffing around!!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 51) : That’s the nice thing about stats… always something to read into them 😉
The Boks had to make a 100 tackles more than NZ in total..
185 vs 83.. no wonder we were tired..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 51) : You have to wonder how much our current Bok coaching staff make use of stats? Cos you would have expected bigger changes sooner if they had been taking the lessons from them!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 56) : That’s what happens when you kick the ball away!
Isn’t the tackle count and the handle count poles apart between the two teams !
Juan Smith numbers look good offensively but it looks like numbers wise that he didn’t do anywhere enough work at the breakdown.
….that’s comparing him to McCaw anyway
Here are some cumulative stats over the 4 Tri Nations games so far:
Tackles made – 725 in only 4 games!
Tackles missed – 106!!!!!
Line breaks – 26 (and we could only score 64 points!!)
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 59) :
I was shocked to see that he only attended 10 rucks in the game, of a mere 4 were defensively.. where was he then?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 61) :
Tackling 😎
He should be hitting a load more offensive rucks !
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 60) : And what were NZ’s stats?
I better go and pack …out of here in 3 weeks !
I could be here all day …are you on the call tonight ?
If so look forward to chatting then ! 😉
@CS (Comment 64) :
I have only been compiling SA stats.. but will do all three nations so that I can do a review of it all at the end of the Tri Nations..
Work has been catching up a bit, so I can’t do as much analysing as I would like to..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 66) :
Have you applied for your NZ passport yet…..i hear they have been inundated since Saturday !
Right i’m gone !
But a quick summary on NZ stats:
They have played an extra game, with 5 played:
Tackles made – 716
Tackles missed – 63
Line Breaks – 69
Point scored – 161
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 67) :
I am applying next week.. Im going to see what the process is and what I have to submit this weekend..
I am on the call tonight, will chat then.. cheers..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 69) :
Really ……. that’s huge developments !
Talk tonight !
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 22) : 😆 , that’s the best idea yet! ❗
Glad Frans is back….feel bad for Aplon – Habana should be benched instead. Can’t believe that PDV is persisting with Rickie….
From the available squad I would have picked
15. Frans
14. JPP
13. Jaque
12. Juan de Jongh
11. Aplon
10. Butch
9. Hougaard.
8. Schalk
7. Juan
6. I really don’t know but probably Flo but there is no real fetcher in the squad
5. Matfield
4. Flip
3. Jannie
2. Smit
1. Guthro
It’s disgusting that Aplon is dropped and useless Habana is still in the team. Spies has done NOTHING in the Tri Nations so far and after de Jongh’s brave performance it’s a shame that he is dropped. Morne has showed NOTHING on attack this year either.
6
So we dont have a hope in the Tri Nations, and the RWC is just over a year away and yet the bulk of the squad remains intact.. What for, this was the perfect opportunity to blood some fringe players..
Pack: Beast, Smit, Jannie, Flip, Hargreaves, FLouw, JSmith, Alberts/Russouw
Backs: Hougaard, Steyn, Aplon, JdV, De Jongh, JPP, Steyn
Bench: GBotha, BJ, Matfield, Kanko/Alberts, Anyone but Ricky, Lambie, Fourie
What have we got to loose?
@Mole (Comment 74) : “Anyone but Ricky” are you sure it might be Earl Rose bro!
I dont see Kanko as a better/worse player than Spies! I think its time for a change the best i can think of is to drop Spies to the bench bring him on with 20-30min to go. Move Schalk to 8 keep Smith on 7 and get Louw on at 6. If Louw doesnt lift his game then this shift would benefit us in the long run while we wait on the return of Brussouw! Schalk, Brussouw and Smith have extremely high work rates it would be an awesome combo!
I feel for Aplon but if you take a look he was next to the ruck at all times on defence in our 22. What this does is take the speed out of our cover defence which is usualy pretty solid! It seems like they trying to keep safe next to the rucks. He did very well in defending at all times he smashed Kaino with Hougaard. But we cant afford to protect players like that he has proved that he can stand his ground against the biggest so let him defend his usual channel! And Habana is going to get a bottle of beer hit his head if he doesnt stop going for the intercept aaaaaaallllllllllllll the time!
@Ozbok789 (Comment 76) : I feel you with the Broussow, Smith, Burger combo. Spies has been pedestrian this year – besides that one try against France… Alberts and Deysel dominated him in the S14, and I think this should have been the turning point for management to change things up…
If you need a beer to smash over Habana’s head, I am more then happy to get one for you. I cannot stand this idea of pushing out of the line (creating the overlap in the process) Intercepts only work if the opposition doesnt see you coming.. Most of the time NZ’s backs are running from deeper making it incredibly difficult to get the intercept right…
The selectors have to grow a pair and drop out-of-form players for both the benefit of the player (renewed conviction to get his jersey back) and the team as a whole.
@Mole (Comment 77) : I couldnt agree more mate. We need to give Botes or Stegman a run to see how they shape up as fetchers! We cant carry on like this and not have any back up in this department! I dont care if the player is average as long as he goes for the ball for 80min you cant play without it anyway