Samsung World XV coach Nick Mallett has selected his match 23 for Saturday’s clash against the Springboks at Newlands. Toulon flyhalf Matt Giteau will captain the side.
Three former Sharks players have made the starting line-up; Toulon’s Craig Burden is at hooker, Saracens’ Alistair Hargreaves at lock and Castres’ Rory Kockott at scrumhalf.
Other South Africans in the squad are Wynand Olivier (inside centre), Juandre Kruger (lock), Pat Cilliers and Schalk Ferreira (both props).
Wallabies James O’Connor and Drew Mitchell join Giteau in an exciting backline combination.
Samsung World XV: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Matt Giteau (captain), 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Steffon Armitage, 6 Mamuka Gorgodze, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Juandré Kruger, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Sona Taumalolo.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Joe Tekori, 20 Alexandre Lapandry, 21 Jimmy Cowan, 22 François Trinh-Duc, 23 Stanley Benson.
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What a backline!!! 😯 I think that they’ll test us! I’m very keen to see how we cope with Armitage. He was AMAZING in the Heineken Cup Final!!!
I hope Kockott and Burden have blinders. Go World XV!
gonna be fun. No injuries to sharks please. In a month you have to play real rugby again. 😈
@JarsonX (Comment 2) : You really shouting for xv? 😀 😀
Isn’t it 4? Pat Cilliers was with the Sharks for a nice long time before he left
This World side should teach clueless Meyer and his geriatric Boks a lesson or two
In a way I hope that the World XV pack holds up to the more experienced and bulky Bok pack.
Because if it does, this backline could cause some serious havoc against our more dour, one dimensional back division.
@John Galt (Comment 7) : If they can limit the set pieces and speed up the game, they could tire out the Bok pack. Not a lot of speed in the Bok loose trio.
Couple things to consider with this side; Both Kockett and Giteau are play makers which could end up getting in each others way. Olivier at 12 is dodgey. Ranger can be both good and also go walkabout. Armitage will challenge but the breakdown is reffed differently here- providing is a southern hemisphere ref-its not a free for all. Pretty lightweight bench. So yes decent side but easy to break down i think
@SheldonK (Comment 9) : George Clancy from Ireland will be the ref
@Bokhoring (Comment 10) : Eish…altho to be fair he hasnt been bad in the games ive seen. Could be worse. But why a NH ref for games here?? Gotta love the IRB logic
@West Indies Cricket Board (Comment 3) : yes and so say all of us
Go Bokke!
@SheldonK (Comment 11) : They have probably been watching SuperRugby and seen how limited the SH refs are, week in and week out.
@Butchie34 (Comment 5) : he’s not starting.
I don’t think the XV pack will be able to live with the Bok pack though. But then 9 and 10 must kick cleverly, and not just hand over possession.
Would it be too much to hope for a festival type game? Thats what I want to see.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 14) : I dunno if any better up North. For me the refs have been ok but the TMO and Assistant Refs have been shocking.
@benji (Comment 12) : Thank Phuck. Now I can get out of my closet. GO WORLD XV!!!
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 17) : That type of game would not suit the Boks
Greetings mense!
Robbo, you know I’ve always kept a pragmatic approach on all things Sbura, never punted him over anyone and been forthright about his game.
Reading the following passage from Jake’s interview with SARM leaves me feeling some kinda way!
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‘I was amazed he wasn’t rated by many within the Sharks structures. I heard horror stories about how he was treated and the lack of faith in his playing ability. He is the one player who intraining stood out for me when I started at the Sharks and while he can play wing, I believe his best position is at outside centre.’
@Megatron (Comment 21) : awesome! 🙂
And welcome back
Mixed feelings here,while I would enjoy to see Meyer and his geriatric Bulls side catch a snotttie of note,to get it from Mallett the bozo would not be the best.Imagine if he wins how insufferable and unplayable he will be.
I have a feeling Kockert is going to shine here, he and Gittaue could be a surprise pairing,but then Mallett will take all the credit for that.
@SheldonK (Comment 18) : I have watched so little NH rugby I really dont know how they have been – I havent read many bad things about them though so just presume they are getting it “right”. Yes our assistant and TMO’s ( 😯 ) have been very poor but there has been a fair amount of frustration at the refs themselves.
@Bokhoring (Comment 20) : I know, but Im hoping.
@Megatron (Comment 21) : Just relieved that someone had the good sense to put some faith in him. How’s he enjoying his new ride?
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 24) : Ya look the refs def havnt been on form this year in SH thats for sure.
@The hound (Comment 23) : Win or not Mallett will be his pompous, straight talking, insufferable self. Thats no problem for me if he can get it going with this team. I still have very fond memories of what his Boland / False Bay team could do in the 90’s
@Megatron (Comment 21) : Long time no see. Don’t be such a stranger in future 😉
Going to be an interesting game. Would love to see the Workd XV backline (minus Wynand) in action, but also feel that they wont see much ball if the Boks forward dominate as they should.
Good opportunity to see if Rory and others to show their value
@stevovo (Comment 30) : Wynand can be good if he focuses on distribution and defense. He’s never been the best player but he was never completely kak either.
@ChrisS (Comment 31) : Thousands would disagree,what a wasted choice,we could have blooded a decent youngster here,Paul Jordaaan springs to mind.
I hope this geriatric Bok team beats Mallet’s World XV into submission!!!!! I really hope they knock that groot bek back to camp staaldraad where he belongs!!!!!
@JD (Comment 33) :
Hang in there Bru,Mallett is a dick head of note but he’s not that dick head, that is Rudolph Strauelli
Look, I know I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but the coach will never get the selection 100% to each person’s liking, even for fans of HM. I myself don’t like the Ruan, and Gurthro selections, but I still think we should still support the team.
HM – like many of his predecessors – is not everybody’s cup of tea. But, even if you don’t support the coach/coaches, at least support the team – it is still a South African team.
@Blue Centurion (Comment 35) : Most definitely. Boks all the way.
Carl Hayman, like only the most hectic NZ tighthead eva! If the rock of Gibraltar was a kiwi tighthead it’d be Carl Hayman. Oke’s were bleak they couldn’t raise funds for him jam All Blacks for the ’11 RWC
@Blue Centurion (Comment 35) : Agreed. Well said!
Oooh need to change my propic for this site, this the first time my facebook pic actually shows here.
@The hound (Comment 34) : ja I know but I’m sure he would have liked it there with Dolphy.
@Blue Centurion (Comment 35) : yes can’t please everyone but I would have liked one or two youngsters with the old hands to show them the way before going into the Rugby Championship.
Not a chance the World XV beat the Boks….half their team only arrived on Wednesday.
I’m no fan of HM and his geriatrics, but I hope the Boks put in some entertaining rugby and I’m expecting the dam wall to burst sooner rather than later.
But I am also looking forward to seeing Kockott giving Pienaar and FdP a schooling in modern day scrumhalf play.
Go XV!!!!!
@Megatron (Comment 21) : Does that mean that you’ll be warming up to the Sharks a bit more? 😈
@FireTheLooser (Comment 42) : have not seen Pienaar in a while, going to be interesting but Rory might have a hard day behind that World XV pack.
Go Bokke
@JD (Comment 45) : To me, the sign of a great 8th man and a great scrummie is their ability to gain forward momentum behind a retreating scrum.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 44) : you know you’re pushing your luck neh? 😀
@FireTheLooser (Comment 47) : yes it is very hard for 8 and 9 to look decent behind a losing pack. Going to be interesting to see how Rory and Pienaar play.
@Megatron (Comment 48) : We’ll always try to lure you over to the dark & light side 😈
@FireTheLooser (Comment 50) : the Black & White side 😉
@Megatron (Comment 48) : Seriously though, pop in a little more often.
World XV by 10. 😆
SA 47 – 13 World XV
Well done Bokke!!
Jannie was terrible
Ruan was terrible
Both Steyns were terrible
Not cleaning rucks very well
Habana was great
Le Roux was good
Hendriks was good
Du Preez was good
@vanmartin (Comment 54) : Great game to watch and a very positive start.
Stoked to see Mvovo having an awesome game. 🙂
@gregkaos (Comment 56) : Yup and I thought JPP played a good game at 13. Kept the ball alive at crucial times. Cornal Hendricks suffered from a little over-eagerness but I liked what I saw from him.
@Hmmm (Comment 55) : No mention for Bakkies….def the standout forward.
@vanmartin (Comment 57) : JPP on defense however had his upper body going left, with his legs going right…all over the place.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 59) : I thought both scrums and defence were poor at times so I’m not judging JPP in isolation in that regard. Both areas that will probably receive attention in the coming week.
Hahahahaha wonder what Mr. Fantastic will have to say on SuperSport, the Bokke nailed his World XV big time! !!!!!!
@gregkaos (Comment 56) : he looked really fast and full of running! !!
@vanmartin (Comment 57) : Bokke looked dangerous when spreading the ball wide especially after Mvovo came on.
Well done to the boks, mallet’s team was in it in the first half but the boys settled a bit in the second half. Kinda a good thing they had this game coz if they played against an actual team that slow start might have cost them. On a different note, damn refs favoring the stupid all blacks, I reckon the pomps could have actually pulled off an upset there. Oh well
And yoh, the aussies looking quite dangerous. Can’t wait for the castle championship
@Stiko85 (Comment 64) : All Blacks often start out shaky but they’ll be a different team by the time they face us I reckon. Pity the English couldn’t get the win though. I’m unsure of what to make of that Aussie victory Stiko, they played against an understrength French team who never pitched up. Credit to them for putting them away so well but I’d be interested to see how they fare during the Rugby Championships. Will they be so dominant against better opposition? Time will tell soon enough I guess.
@vanmartin (Comment 66) : yes French rugby is not at it’s best at the moment but the remember they can beat world champions one week and lose to Russia the next.
Well well. If this is the type of rugby the Boks are going to play then Heyneke might win me over. Far more entertaining than Sharks rugby. Well done Bokke.
That Joe Tekori had our boys well intimidated, even Bismarck tread lightly around that fella.
Bakkies is a monster. Hendricks looked pretty good. I thought Pienaar had one of his better games. Morne Steyn is still the brake on the backline. JPP must have enjoyed handling the ball so much.
Overall ended up being a very entertaining game.
I see it is confirmed – Frans will play for the Toshiba Brave Lupus (what a name 🙄 ) after the Super 15.
@Bokhoring (Comment 71) : Ai tog, because Frans really haven’t played enough rugby as it stands 🙄
How is he able to play for them, presumably missing the rugby championship, yet he has a SARU contract?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 72) : This was reported on Planet Rugby. The report just mentions that he will fulfill his Super rugby commitments and then join them.
It is not clear if he will play in the RC or not. I always thought country trumps club in the international windows, although it does not seem to be the case with FdP.
@Bokhoring (Comment 73) : I think the IRB is doing their best to lure the Asia market over to proper international rugby, so they seem to be getting away with not releasing players for international rugby (or selectively releasing players).
This whole Japanese club rugby thing will force HM to select younger players for the Boks….seems the Japanese has a particular fondness of Sharks players.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 74) : it’s part of their contracts, similar to the Kolpak system some cricketers use to go play county cricket in UK. Don’t blame the clubs, blame the players signing the contracts picking money over country.