Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was happy with his team’s first training session in Cardiff today ahead of the clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
The Boks had a field session in the afternoon after their arrival from Johannesburg via London earlier in the day.
De Villiers said he had been impressed with the way in which the guys had “switched on” for the session.
“It was fantastic,” he said. “There was great enthusiasm and I was impressed by the way in which the guys gelled when you consider that this is a new team.”
The Boks are in Cardiff without many of their first choice players, most of whom were involved in last weekend’s Vodacom Super 14 final between the Bulls and the Stormers.
“This is a good team and there is a lot of experience but we still have to ensure that we get the most out of the three days we have to prepare. This kind of start is very encouraging and bodes well for the weekend,” De Villiers said.
Three players – Andries Bekker (foot), Juan de Jongh (thigh) and Dewald Potgieter (ribs) – are still nursing injuries but De Villiers is confident that they will recover in time for the Test.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday afternoon, the Bok coach said that although the Test came at an unusual time in the season it remained an opportunity for him to look at players as part of his broader preparations for Rugby World Cup in 2011.
“There are guys here who have the opportunity to prove themselves and become contenders for places in the squad going forward. It is also an opportuinity for me to look at some overseas-based players who we believe could still offer us something in the future,” he said.
The Bok coach said playing Wales was a great honour for his team on what was to be a special occasion for the home side. He played down Welsh media suggestions that the Boks were “ripe for the picking”.
“You will never know the answer to that question. We come here as a full blooded Springbok side and we expect to perform. It is not in us to field weakened sides and although there are some big names missing this remains a competitive team and our aim is to be successful,” De Villiers said.
Hendrik Cronjé
Bloemfontein – South Africa have enough world class props to soon be considered among the world’s leading scrumming nations again.
That is the view of Os du Randt, who will link up with the Springboks as scrum coach in Cape Town on Monday.
Du Randt’s Bok contract will run until the end of 2010, but may well be extended until after the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
The former Bok prop, who won the World Cup in 1995 and 2007, says the scrumming of BJ Botha and John Smit makes him excited about the challenge ahead.
“The new scrumming laws really suit BJ. We also saw how big an improvement there was in the Sharks’ scrumming when John moved back to hooker and Bismarck du Plessis was injured. It’s clear that John has learned a lot,” said Du Randt.
Smith, Botha and the experienced CJ van der Linde will form the Bok front row against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
Du Randt will link up with the Bok coaching staff on Monday ahead of next week’s Test against France at Newlands.
Du Randt, 37, said that he had never anticipated getting involved in coaching so soon after he had retired as a player.
His last Test was the 2007 World Cup final against England, after which he helped the Cheetahs become a scrumming power in the 2008 Currie Cup.
“I’ve really been enjoying it since getting involved with the Cheetahs. The Boks are obviously the ultimate to me and it’s a big honour.”
Du Randt played 80 Tests and is planning on making a difference.
“I want leave a legacy. I want to help establish structures so that things will go well with our tight five for the next 10-15 years.”
Guys, am I the only ouk worried that we might have 15 (or 22) good players, but no team come Saturday?
fender @ 2
no you’re not
i think most guys understand the fact that this is a 2nd team
and
dont expect too much i think (especially after last year’s disastarous EOY tour!)
2 – Fender, There are some brilliant players in that selection but not enough time to gel as a team.
Wales will get their second win over SA… 🙁
I would have rested Bekker, Potties and De Jongh. Actually would have rested all the Stormer and Bulls players. Really crazy for them to fly there to play this game that means nothing. We need those players fit and ready for the big tests coming up. Well some will make the bench but you never know if there is injuries to the first choice players.
They fly straight back for the France game in Cape Town. Crazy should have not taken any of the players that played in the final of the S14. They need a rest.
5 – Blouste, It was a stupid fixture for the Boks. Saru is just greedy to have accepted this game. Our players need a rest after making the S14 final.
@ Puma:
I agree.
Why would you want to play any nation if you are clearly at a disadvantage.
At least give yourself a fair chance to win, history will only show the result and no other data…
As I see it after this match PdV will return to his policy of not selecting overseas based players
Peter also said last night that the team for France is not picked yet, these players can now use this opportunity to play them self into that team. Blahblahbla…
The players who run out for the Springboks on Saturday may not be automatic first choice players, but every one of them has an opportunity to play themselves into contention for next weekend’s test against France at Newlands.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers said via a live satellite link from Cardiff on Kyknet’s Rugby programme SuperRugby that he had not decided exactly on the starting line-up for next weekend’s game, but that it would be the Boks’ strongest line-up.
“I told these players that they must remember that I haven’t announced the team to face France next week and for a good reason — I haven’t seen them play as a unit yet,” De Villiers told SuperRugby presenter Kobus Wiese.
“If this team stands up for itself and proves to us all how good they are, then there is pressure on the other team at home for their positions.”
De Villiers is expected to bring a number of frontline players back next week when the Boks face the French in the one-off test at Newlands.
The Bok coach added that it was important to get the international season off to a good start, especially with next year’s World Cup in New Zealand in mind.
“It is extremely important to start well otherwise we place a lot more pressure on ourselves ahead of the World Cup,” he explained, “We’re in the same pool as Wales and if we don’t do well on Saturday, we give them a lot of confidence ahead of next year. We become just another team for them.
“We will give them a psychological advantage and we cannot allow that. We’ve read in the papers here that they believe South Africa are ripe for the picking. They’re comparing us with some fruit from a Welsh fruit farm but they need to know that when you pick fruit, it isn’t just apples and pears; there are prickly pears as well. We want to be a prickly pear for them this Saturday.”
De Villiers said he had told his players that they have a massive responsibility on their shoulders in this game.
“I told them that they need to see this as just another game, but the big difference is that they have the responsibility of their country on their shoulders. They need to go out and enjoy it. But while this is true, they were also told that it is a great thing to represent your country out there, and that the team’s goal trumps any individual goals that players may have.”
De Villiers said the team was excited at the prospect of seeing this squad perform on the big stage, especially with an eye towards the World Cup.
8 – Blouste, For sure. If we get a klap here we will only see that Wales beat the Boks not our 2nd team.
There are some seriously great players selected but not enough game time together and also some very, very tired bodies after the S14 final.
Should not have selected any Stormer or Bulls players. They should have been rested.
Die game was NOOOOOIT ‘n goeie idiee nie. Dit was net ‘n geleentheid vir SARU om ‘n paar vinnige Rande te maak. Almal moes van laas jaar se Currie Neker finaal al af geweet het dat die Bulls dalk die Super 14 finaal kan maak. En dat OF die Sharks, OF die Stormers dalk die semi en of finaal van die S14 gaan maak.
So ja, hoekom hierdie game ooit geskeduleer is, weet ek nie. Al wat ek weet is dat dit NIE in die beste guns van SA rugby is nie. Div moes dalk ‘n span uit die ander 3 SA spanne gekies het… maar met spelers soos Lionel Mapoe, Nokwe en Brussouw beseer, sou die Cheetahs nie veel kon bydra nie. Dalk Juan Smit en… Meyer Bosman, Hennie Deniller en so paar stutte en ‘n hakker. Dis Lions sou HOPELIK NIEMAND bygedra het nie. So dit sou basies die Sharks en die expats, Joe van Niekerk, jen div, BJ, CJ, dalk Skeete, Steyn en Marius Joubert gewees het. maar is dit nou rerig ‘n Bok span?
As ons die game wil wen, moes Div noodgedwonge van die spelers wat in die finaal was gekies het. Maar dan wil ons seker volgende naweek teen Frankryk ook wen, so wie rus hy dan hier en wie vat hy saam?
As ons die game verloor (en daar is ‘n baie goeie kans dat ons kan) is dit nie die afrigter se span keuse nie, dis nie die spelers wat gespeel het of enige ander faktor se skuld nie, maar dis eenvoudig die geldgurigheid van SARU. F8k Hulle!
Askuss, “Currie Beker”
Hoeveel van hierdie span wat teen Wallis speel, gaan die 22-tal haal teen die Franse, d.w.s. ons Bok A-span ?
bdb @ 15
praat van volgende week
..
ek het kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaartjies!! 😆
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
16: verkeerskaartjies, jy weer te vinnig gery onder invloed ?
bdb @ 17
nieeeeeeeeeee, djy ve’staan alweerie (blerrie bloubul)
ek het kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaartjies.
vi
nuweland.
virrie
toets.
tienie
franse!!
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
18: toets ? klastoets in Frans ? Nie geweet jy leer die Franse taal nie ? Bonne chance à vous !
bdb @ 19
ag jou ***** ook man!!
sien? ek gaan my frans sommer fokken maklik slaag!! 😀
16 @ Ashley:
Help vet mooi nokkol jy het kaartjies…
Kon jy al iemand se arm draai om jou te vervoer tot by Nuweland? 😉
blouste @ 21
alles ytgesort
al klaar ñ driver gekry wattie drinkie
soedat
die res van ons kan DRINK!!
@ Ashley:
Nou jaaaaaaaaa, wat bly oor…
Geniet dit !!! 😆
blouste @ 23
nee, ek weet wat oorbly
…
JYTIE ñ KAARTJIE NIE
EN
EK HET!! 😆
24 – Ash, Lucky you boeta enjoy the Boks at Newlands. We will have to watch on tv. 🙁 Enjoy it. Hope we can beat France this time.
@ Ashley:
Wat laat jou so dink ? 😕
Just reading rugby365 see Butch might be pulled out of the Bok squad to play Wales. Not cause of Bath though so not sure why the big fuss. Hope it gets sorted out. Butch should never have signed for such a long time for Bath.
@ Puma:
Saw that too….
This is exactly why policies to play overseas players for the Boks should not be dropped !!!
blouste @ 26
wel as jy het
beter ons ñ dop saamdrink!!
…
nou nie asof ek baie drink
of
heeltyd van drank praat nie, nê? 😀
28 – Blouste, For sure. We need to keep our players here. Not sure why Butch can not play. Seems crazy. Bath is not playing this weekend. Our players if they go overseas need to make sure they put certain rules in their contracts.
Just rather we try and keep our talent in this country.
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