Keegan Daniel’s inclusion into the Springbok team at No 8 was one of five changes to the Bok side which last played against England at the end of June.
Daniel comes in for the injured Pierre Spies, and coach Heyneke Meyer said the young player would provide the team with “that X-factor”.
Sport24
“Pierre is one of the senior players and when you lose an experienced player like him it’s a big setback,” Meyer said at the team announcement here on Wednesday.
“But I’m glad for Keegan because it’s a big opportunity for him and I’d like to see him taking it with both hands.
“It is a step up for Keegan, but he has really been playing well. I am really looking forward to seeing what he can do at this level. He’s got an X-factor about him.
“It will be a hard, physical game on Saturday and we are looking to Keegan to bring that (X-factor) that can make a difference.
“He’s got to run from the back, as the No 8 covers from the back, so it’s going to be a big challenge. He was good against a physical team like the Chiefs and also against the top defensive team, the Stormers.”
Spies’s absence brings to six the number Bok loose forwards on the injury list, and Meyer said he had to carefully ponder the selection options for Saturday’s showdown.
“I did consider moving Willem Alberts to No 8 so that Jacques Potgieter could come in on the blindside flank. Such a move would have given us more ball carriers.
“But Marcell Coetzee is not a specialist openside flanker and he carries the ball a lot, so I think we are covered when it comes to big ball carriers.”
Meyer also had to make a brave call at lock. That resulted in dropping the capable Juandré Kruger, who ran the Bok lineouts against England. Andries Bekker will take over that role on Saturday.
“I had a difficult decision at lock and dropping Juandré wasn’t easy,” said Meyer.
“He is a good player and he did not let us down against England, so he is a bit unlucky. However, Andries is an extremely talented player and this game is at his home ground – Newlands – so that swayed it.
“I went with Flip van der Merwe as the cover on the bench because he’s been outstanding when he’s come [on] as a replacement in the Bulls’ matches. Also if something happened to Andries, Flip is very capable of making the lineout calls.
“There has always been a question-mark over (the fitness of) Eben (Etzebeth) and I would have opted for a 5-2 split on the bench, but with JP (Pietersen) out I could not do so.”
Two of the reserves, prop Pat Cilliers and Bulls three-quarter JJ Engelbrecht, are the new caps in the squad. Meyer said he kept an eye on their progress and felt the time was right to blood them at international level.
“It has been a while in coming, but they have both earned their places with good performances,” said Meyer.
“Pat hasn’t been playing a lot of rugby, but I am looking forward to seeing what he can do against a great pack like the Pumas have.
“We can never have enough experience and players can only gain experience by playing.”
@ Puma:
Hey Oerwoudkat, howzit?
Who pi$$ed in your cereal bowl this morning, hehehehe! You also sound a bit moerig….
Btw, please change your nic for the next two weeks, we don’t want to be playing against 16 Pumas!
31 @ Pietman:
Yip, I think Oompie Puma must become “The Artist formerly known as Puma”
or “Oompie”
or “Oerwoudkat”
or “Springbok”
Hahaha
31 @ Pietman:
Howzit Piet,
Ja you know me I make those typos even ‘wide awake’ … 🙂
Strange to change my nic after using it for many years. But think I may just put this Puma is a Bok/Shark next to it.. haha. Well something like that.
32 @ grootblousmile:
With a Shark at the front would be cool…. 
@ Puma:
Good idea, PumaShark!
34 @ Puma:
Go Ahead, change it… you have our blessing!
Now where’s Puma now… hey, Tip-Ex won’t work….. hahaha
@ grootblousmile:
Puma and I are in the same IT league, I wouldn’t even know where to start changing my nic.
31 @ Pietman:
You know how I came to using ‘Puma’ as my nic. It was after the 2007 world cup and the Argies there played out their socks. I had read keo for quite sometime then, but never blogged there, actually never blogged anywhere. Well thought if I registered there and blogged there would use ‘Puma’ as my nic, as I turely enjoyed watching the Argies beat France in the opening game. Felt because they played so well in that wc would just give them credit and use their name. I don’t support them though and it is strange having this nic I know, as I am a passionate Shark and Bok supporter. So for the next two weeks will add something to my
‘Puma’ nic here. Just can’t change my nic totally after using it for so many years. Would feel strange…….hahaha.
36 @ grootblousmile:
Will do but not totally.
38 @ Pietman:
It’s easy….
See the “Logged in as (your name). Logout” thing just above the typing box where you do your comment, just below Leave a Reply… Click on your name there and it will take you into your profile…. you change things there, save it…. done
38 @ Pietman:
hahahahaha. You can say that again Piet…….. 🙂
If I mess up gbs will have to sort it out…. LOL.
40 @ Puma:
“Oompie Rickety Knees” would do too… we’ll all now exactly who it is… hehehe
Okay think I have done it. See if it comes up.
44 @ PumaSharkBok:
Yip, done… but where’s your sense of adventure…. eish!
Seems more suitable for us playing the Argies this week.
45 @ grootblousmile:
Thought that was adventurous! hehehe. 😛
Maybe we should ALL change our Nicks… and add “Springbok Jan” at the end..
I will become grootblousmile Springbok Jan”
Remember the ‘Jan’ Thread on Voldy where we all changed our nicks? I was grootblouJan
Hahaha
48 @ grootblousmile:
bwaaahaaaaaa. Remember that time everyone went ‘Jan’ at the end of their names….hehe. Was funny, though I could not change mine for some reason so could not join in.
We could all change ours that the ending is the same. Think of something else to do with our Boks. Would be fun for this RC.
Im not sure of Ill warm to the habit to be honest.
??
50 @ Stormersboy Springbok Jan:
Thanks…. I’ll put up an Article in which we ask EVERYBODY to do the same… when back from Pretoria
Jeeez, we caused kak on Voldy that day when ALL of us changed our nicks with the Jan thing…. was massively funny though!
50 @ Stormersboy Springbok Jan:
Okay if you done it I will go and change mine. Now hope not to mess it up.
Testing. See if I have change it okay.
Bwaahaaaa. Looks strange that nic… hahahaha.
@ PumaSharkBok:
Nice fella. Look forward to seeing it 🙂
Congrats on your Sharkies by the way. Looking forward to the game!
@ Stormersboy Springbok Jan:
Yep, looks a bit like new number plates on an old Cortina, I must say, hehehehe!
@ PumaSpringbokJan:
Hahaha you’ve been Puma for so long it must feel strange!
@ Piet-Bok-Man:
We had a Cortina as kids (didn’t everyone at some stage?) and when my brother turned 18 my dad handed it over to him, and one of the first things he did when he got his first paycheck was put on a set of Mags.
The Appies at his work always wanted to buy it.
We used to call it the Green Mamba.
57 @ StormersboySpringbokJan:
I know. Seems really strange to see something added to my nic……….hahaha.
Only doing it for the RC then back to my normal nic. Will be fun though. This is the time I really enjoy when we all support the same team. Love it when the Boks play. Can’t wait.
So us having the same nic at the back of our ‘own’ nics seems cool…………haha.
55 @ StormersboySpringbokJan:
Thanks mate. My Sharks played some terrific rugby at the end. Just came short at the very end. Still throughly enjoyed their game style in the last few games. So wish the Boks could play a similar game plan. Not all of the time as it wont work everytime just would like us to play a good attacking game sometimes.
Also congrats to your stormers for topping the whole log. They get a good fh and sh next year they could win it.
Anyhow now like I said we all one again supporting the same team. Good luck to our Boks. Really looking forward to Saturday.
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