Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussow will return to the Springbok starting line-up for the first time in 21 months, following the announcement of the team to meet Australia in a Tri-Nations Test at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
The pair missed the entire 2010 season because of injury but were among 13 changes Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was able to make to the starting line-up that lost 40-7 to New Zealand in Wellington on July 30.
The starting XV is the most experienced in the history of Springbok rugby with a combined total of 810 caps, comfortably surpassing the previous record of 750 caps among the team that met Australia in Bloemfontein last season.
Captain John Smit and looseforward Danie Rossouw are the only survivors in the starting XV from Wellington; another three players in Morne Steyn, Jean Deysel and Gerhard Mostert have been retained among the replacements.
The selection also marks the return for the first time in a year of another four players – JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Butch James and Gurthro Steenkamp – who all missed the end-of-year tour because of injury.
John Smit and Danie Rossouw – who also missed the tour – made their return in the previous two rounds of the Tri-Nations Series.
“We still have a number of leading players unavailable through injury but this is the strongest squad we have been able to choose from since 2009,” said Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.
“It’s great to have Fourie and Heinrich back as they were two of the leading players in world rugby when they last played in 2009, and they contributed a lot to Springbok success that season. This is the first step back for them, but we’re looking to them to have the same impact in due course.”
Du Preez missed the 2010 international seasonal because of a shoulder operation while Brussow was ruled out by a knee ligament injury.
Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Willem Alberts and uncapped Duane Vermeulen remain in rehabilitation while Andries Bekker has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup because of an ankle tendon injury.
“This team has vast experience and a strong leadership core, but that counts for nothing at kick off on Saturday,” said De Villiers.
“This Australian team are no respecter of reputations – we saw that last year in Bloemfontein – and we know just how dangerous they can be.
“They will be highly motivated and hurting after their last result and they have a good recent record against us. They will know we have just come together and they’ll be looking to exploit that.”
Saturday’s test match will be the 73rd Test between South Africa and Australia of which 41 have been won by the Springboks. Australia have won four of the last five.
South Africa:
15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Beast Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthro Steenkamp, 18 Gerhard Mostert, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Gio Aplon.
Moer naby aan die span wat ek gedink het, gekies sou word.
Net Pierre Spies en Gurthro is in terwyl ek nie gedink het hulle sal al reg genoeg en fiks genoeg wees nie.
Nouja, die grofgeskut het arriveer, hoop nou net ons gebruik die regte tipe kruit (game plan) en mik blerrie reguit!
One feels that with the exception of maybe 2 players or so, this is the strongest squad the Bokke could possibly field…
Who might make it stronger?
Bismarck in place of John Smit, Juan Smith in place of Danie Rossouw, maybe Willem Alberts in place of Spies and Schalla on the bench.
Even if we struggle to gel in the first twenty, I would want a win, nothing less.
Hoert julle RT-hiere!
Ek besig om so stadigaan te pak, gaan hierdie week terug SA toe.
Maar ek wil darem net vinnig se dis n bef#kte span hierdie, ou PdeV weet wat hy doen……
Dieselfde agterlyn wat die wereldbeker gewen het in 2007!So,ons het die ervaring.
Ek voorsien Brussow, Danie Rossouw en Bismarck gaan die brekers wees.
As ons nie kern beserings optel nie, kan ons weer die WB wen, onthou Schalla is ook nog daar.
Enigste twyfelagtige keuse is Mostert, maar verder is die bench op sy kop.Ek soek net Minnie en Josh Strauss daar, manne wat die All Blacks kan seermaak…..
4@ Pietman:
Sultan… ek hou ook van Josh Strauss!
… maar ek weet hoekom hou jy van hom…. hy lyk elke dag meer en meer na ‘n Arabier…. hehehehe
Wanneer vlieg jy? En land jy eers op OR Tambo, voor jy Kaap toe gaan?
Josh was saam met my laaitie op primere skool De Kuilen, dink hy is later Bellville HS toe, hy was op skooldae al n derduiwel en ook op Maties. Daai Strausse is almal sterk jong, Calvinia-bloed sekerlik!
Ek vlieg Woensdag, maar gaan sommer reguit eers Kaap toe, n paar goete om vinnig te doen, en dan skiet ek Velddrif toe vir n paar dae op Port Owen by my broer. Sal jou laat weet.
Maar ek nog besig hier met finale dinge by die huis, aircons en so aan.Kom 9 September terug.
Wat rugby betref, ek dink ons is in met n kans, manne moet net daai donners ‘first time’ tekkel, verdediging is hopeloos tans, ons moet AB en Ozzie- manne op die agtervoet bykom’ platduik en terugdryf….en binne hulle 25-gebied boer, simpel soos dit.
Praat netnou verder, gou haredeware toe. Tjorts.
Spies?????????????????????????? OMG what has he done to deserve a starting place?
Otherwise a strong team.
And Bryce Lawrence blowing the whistle……………….we are in kak!
Hello all.
Habana..eish..not sure about this bloke anymore. Been making way to much mistakes ect in the last years tri-nations.Would have loved to see Juan Smit in this squad. Guthro normally good, but haven’t been playing much this year.
My hope is that whilst the B-Bokke were overseas, the basis was laid with the Senior Bokke for a very tight defensive framework, including preventing Habana from shooting up out of line in defensive positions.
Hopefully game plan structures were also repeatedly practised and very, very careful detail was given to minute analysis of the All Blacks and Wallabies.
Hopefully they also realised just how vulnerable the Bokke were and still are at ground ball or breakdown situations, and that plans have been manufactured to dominate breakdowns.
Hopefully I’m not hoping in vain….. hehehe
So, what is our game plan?
The first 20 minutes while everyone is shaking off their rust, we need to make no mistakes, no handling errors, secure kick offs, and keep defensive organisation in tact. Retain as much possession as possible and don’t kick to the back three. Establish intensity and dominance at the break down.
Then once we are settled, play for territory, but make sure when kicking for the side line the ball is out and there is no quick throw ins and counter attacks from deep.
Play territory and retain possesion, mixing it up a little. When we go to ground we must make sure the ball carrier doesn’t get isolated, and aim to ruck over the fallen ball carrier to ensure clean and uncontested ball.
and that’s about the gest of my opinion.
@ fender:
Get a Sangoma to bewitch the Aussies.
Thanks Biltong, that sounds about right to me…particularly the first 20.
Loosehead, honestly…..
@ fender:
Well what would you suggest?
@ Loosehead:
Put something in their food, to give Cooper the Delhi dance.
12: W.E.N.
W: Waagmoed
E: haal hulle Eiers uit, een vir een.
N: No more mr and mrs (Frans ‘Meisiekind2’ Steyn) Nice Guy.
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