Uncapped loose forward Arno Botha has been called into the Springbok starting team in the place of the injured Willem Alberts for Saturday’s Castle Lager Incoming Series opener against Italy at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban.
sarugby
Botha’s place on the replacements bench goes to Marcell Coetzee, who played in all 12 Springbok Tests last year. Botha is the third uncapped player in the starting line-up, along with fullback Willie le Roux and scrumhalf Jano Vermaak.
“It’s never ideal losing an experienced member of your squad the day before a Test and I feel for Willem, but I also have the utmost confidence in Arno and Marcell, who I rate as two of the most exciting young loose forwards in South Africa,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
Commenting on the injury, Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts said: “Alberts picked up an oblique abdominal strain earlier in the week and the decision was taken to withdraw him Saturday’s Test, but he should be ready for next week’s Test against Scotland in Nelspruit.”
Revised Springbok team to face Italy in Durban (with caps) is:
15 Willie le Roux (GWK Griquas 0)
14 Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province 83)
13 JJ Engelbrecht (Vodacom Blue Bulls 1)
12 Jean de Villiers (captain) (DHL Western Province 84)
11 Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Blue Bulls 6)
10 Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls 42)
9 Jano Vermaak (Vodacom Blue Bulls 0)
8 Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls 50)
7 Arno Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls 0)
6 Francois Louw (Bath, England 17)
5 Juandré Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls 8)
4 Eben Etzebeth (DHL Western Province 11)
3 Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks 42)
2 Adriaan Strauss (vice-captain) (Toyota FS Cheetahs 21)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks 41)
Replacements
16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Blue Bulls 21)
17 Trevor Nyakane (Toyota FS Cheetahs 0)
18 Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota FS Cheetahs 2)
19 Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls 23)
20 Marcell Coetzee (The Sharks 12)
21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N-Ireland 63)
22 Pat Lambie (The Sharks 20)
23 Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls 0)
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Not a bad side now… 7 Bulls starters and another 3 on the bench…. heeeeeeeeeee haaaaaaaa
net jammer geen lappies nie
2 @ smallies:
Lappies sou dalk ‘n beter opsie as Marcell Coetzee gewees het , ja. Maar mens verstaan ook dat daar ‘n wolkie oor Flo Louw se kop was of hy heeltemal oor sy besering is, so ‘n hybrid fetcher is dalk beter as ‘n groot blindsider. Gelukkig kan Arno darem 6, 7 of 8 speel.
Die enigste lappies wat nou daar is, is die lappies waarmee hulle hulle tokse afvee… hehehe
So does that mean we have to endure another 80 minutes of “Stampkar” rugby? 🙂
Actually, the way the Bulls have been playing they can really mix it up. I expect a pakslae for Italy.
4 @ Lion4ever:
With Jean de Villiers and to some extent JJ Engelbrecht in the centres, we can definately expect some stampkar rugby, but then again both seem to get accross the advantage line well, as does Jan Serfontein in midfield.
What we can expect is some lineout drives and the maul to and over the tryline… Heyneke Meyer also believes in playing in the right areas of the pitch before all out attack takes place, so I expect Morné Steyn to play his natural Bulls pattern, and with Habana and Bjorn Basson to chase some good uppies… they are probably the 2 best proponents of the high ball chase in the world.
Our lineout should be excellent, and I expect, no I demand good breakdown control and dominance over Italy at all the breakdown battles.
It might take some minutes to gel and the Italians will be fired up in the first 20 or so minutes… but we need to nail them well in this game!
I want a 25 point or more win… and we have the forwards and backline to do it… or even do much more than that!
Alberts should only be paid a match fee. A contract is wasted on him as he is FOREVER injured.
6 @ Loosehead:
Yip, he should get an Andre Prtorius Yo-Yo contract…. pay for every minute you play!
A pay-as-you-go contract…. just make a carbon copy of a Vodacom or MTN pay-as-you-go contract…. hehehe…
GO BOKKE!
Well Shark players have been so unlucky this season with injuries. Arno will do well though, however, still would have liked to have seen Lappies get a start here. Has been our very best blindside flank this year and deserved to be ahead of Arno and Coetzee. Anyhow I rate Arno and somehow like every other Bok Supporter wish he was playing 8 with Lappies at 7 with Flo on at 6.
Not a huge game to worry about against Italy. We should beat them and beat them very well. Should be more like a training run for us here. Will be much the same against a depleted Scotland, should beat them easy. Only against Samoa should we get a better challenge. They were missing many players against the Lions.
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