Although the Springbok side will only be announced on Wednesday, indications are that the composition is the squad is largely decided, bar maybe a tough choice at lock and finalisation of the replacement bench.
A niggling injury to Andries Bekker’s back, a spider bite on Keegan Daniel’s arm… and a tactical decision or two are the only considerations before finalising team selections.
It seems that the team should be announced as follows:
15. Zane Kirchner
14. Bryan Habana
13. Jean de Villiers (Captain)
12. Francois Steyn
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Morné Steyn
9. Francois Hougaard
8. Willem Albers
7. Jacques Potgieter
6. Marcell Coetzee
5. Andries Bekker (Juandré Kruger)
4 Eben Etsebeth
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Bismarck du Plessis
1. Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira
Replacements:
16. Adriaan Strauss
17. Pat Celliers or Dean Greyling
18. Juandré Kruger (Flip van der Merwe)
19. Keegan Daniel or Siya Kolisi
20. Ruan Pienaar
21. Elton Jantjies
22. Patrick Lambie
The last 3 Replacements could however look different should Heyneke Meyer decide to go for a 5 / 2 split between forwards and backs, due to Argentina’s reknowned ability in the forward confrontational battle, in which case we could expect an additional prop or looseforward drafted in, and Elton Jantjies possibly losing out on selection, seeing as both Ruan Pienaar and Patrick Lambie could substitute at almost any backline position.
Now people, I know this might not be the Springbok team you might have opted for, specially in positions 9, 10 and 15, but some leeway has to be given considering the weather, the opposition and those who have played in the Bok side earlier this year as well as last year… as well as considering the current injury situation in South Africa as well as those previously injured and still having to regain some playing form.
Al least show some decent form and support this side, if chosen, and stand behind your side!
It seems that Andries Bekker’s lower back injury is still acting up, and the Springboks are already applying special training measures and precautions to alleviate that injury flaring up again, as well as managing Andries Bekker’s back with an eye on extending his playing career.
Keegan Daniel was apparently bitten by a spider on the arm and he has suffered some stiffness in the arm as a result, but should still be fine for the weekend, however his chances of therefore covering on the bench as looseforward replacement much surely have decreased.
Persoonlik dink ek Heyneke moet ‘n 5 / 2 split op die bank kies en sodoende die voorspelerpak laai met ‘n ekstra reserwe, veral gesien in die lig van hoe veelsydig SA se agterlyn en agterlynreserwes is.
Hougie – Skrummie en vleuel
Morné – losskakel en binnesenter in geval van nood
Mvovo – vleuel en in ‘n noodgeval buitesenter
Frans Steyn, alles in die agterlyn behalwe scrummie
Jean de Villiers – Buitesenter, binnesenter, vleuel
Bryan Habana – beide vleuels, en noodgedwonge buitesenter
Zane Kirchner – Heelagter, buitesenter en noodgedwonge as vleuel
Ruan Pienaar – scrummie, losskakel, heelagter en vleuel
Patrick Lambie – Heelagter, losskakel, binnesenter
Ons moet die Argentyne in die lynstane vermorsel, die afbreekpunte beheer, ten minste ‘n gelyke bedeling in die skrums kry… en ons dissipline moet moer goed wees, dink die skopvoete gaan baie belangrik wees Saterdag.
Ons moet bal-in-hand besitrugby speel, ons spel op die Argentyne afdruk… en nie onnodig balbesit wegskop nie.
Ons het verlede Saterdag in die gure weer gesien hoe het onnodig skop, en swak skopwerk die WP gekelder het, net soos ons gesien het teen Engeland waartoe die Bokke in staat is wanneer hulle besitrugby speel.
Most people are writing Argentina off already, but they are one of those sides that has a habit of causing upsets. If the Boks play to their potential, they should win relatively easily, but if they go into this match overconfident they may come short.
I will be most interested to see how Spies performs, he has not been very impressive lately. He seems OK if the forwards are dominating, but if not, he seems to vanish, you never see him anywhere, and Argentina traditionally has a powerful pack of forwards. Does anyone know if this the Argentina ‘First Team’? Most of their top players play in Europe, and sometimes the clubs wont release them even out of season because of injury worries.
@ cat66:
Yes, good question Katte, is this their ‘first’ team, anybody?
2 @ cat66:
A week or so ago we had the FULL Argies squad on as an Article.
ALL their European players are here… strong squad.
Have a look here, for their squad: http://www.rugby-talk.com/2012/08/the-rugby-championship-pumas-beef-up-with-all-their-european-stars-for-bokke-clashes
@ grootblousmile:
When are they going to announce the Bok Team?
Though doubt it will be a surprise who will be starting.
grootblousmile wrote:
Sorry I missed that, wasnt a member at the time 🙂 Good to know though, I hate it when you get the second or third string sides
I go with your team you think gbs, but if Keegan’s spider bite is not that serious and he is over it by today I think we will have Keegan on the bench. Covers all flank positions if need be. Was one of our outstanding loosies this year. Victor Matfield said so himself. Another is if Pienaar arrived last week instead of this week think he may have started ahead of Hougie.
Anyhow whoever is selected for the 22 will get 100% behind our boys.
Go Bokke.
It will be Cilliers on the bench, have no doubt about that. He covers both sides of the scrum.
What can you do?
With no other fit 8 really playing well, we are stuck with Britney.
With no other 9 really playing well, we are stuck with Hougie.
With no other fit 10 really playing well, we are stuck with Steyn.
With no other 15 really playing well, we are stuck with Sideshow Bob.
Would HM even have picked Brussouw if he was fit?
Lambie, well he doesn’t play 10 for the Sharks, and was kak at 15.
The Puma’s are very strong upfront, so can HM afford to play both Bekker and Britney?
I think that it will be a close match, which the Boks will win.
Don’t rate Greyling to be honest. Sharks got the better of the Bulls scrum, but Lions were a handful. It will most certainly be Cilliers on the bench. If not I will be hugely surprised.
Also, hoe ready is Bekker really? His back seems to be finished.
I would not play the world’s tallest inside center. He is a liability, and currently a walking sick note. I would rather play Kruger in his place. I would force Bekker to rest for the rest of the year, and work on his back.
12 @ Loosehead:
Yip, his back seems to be totally done… from all the centre play… hehehe
News just in… which should make a lot of people happy…
Pierre Spies is OUT OF THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP with a finger injury.
Do I hear the whoop-whoops?
Will put a seperate Article up, regarding this one.
Puma wrote:
if it is a violin spider it could hamper him a long time.
ASK ME
every time you bump the healed wound it inflames again.
If it is under control and healed they must cut out the poison sack, so you have a biggish wound to heal.
Maybe new methods and better medical care would help him, he is after all a National asset with better care available.
I was hoping that we could start the Rugby championship with less injuries. I am hugely concerned about Morne Steyn, he seems low on confidence and under pressure from everywhere to perform.
The truth is Meyer needs to try different options at 10, as Morne has not been playing well, but as someone said earlier, Goosen is injured, Lambie hasn’t had much time at 10 due to his injury riddled season and Plumtree opting for continuity with Mcleod and Michalack, Grant has shown he doesn’t really have the nous to change a game and Elton being the only back up but still questionable.
JP pietersen is a huge loss and although Mvovo is a strong attacking runner his positional play concerns me.
I am hoping Francois Hougaard gets more freedom to play his own style, even if he can just use his natural talent to do the odd thing here and there. His kicking game isn’t his strength and erratic at times.
I doubt Kolisi will start as the pack is quite inexperienced, so Keegan Daniel will most likely get the nod.
Even though this pack may not have that much experience bar the front row and Bekker, it is a hugely mobile pack, the y can all run with ball in hand and most of them have great offloading skills. Not sure whether Coetzee and Daniel are true line out options, so our line outs may be basic and to Etzebeth and Bekker/Kruger mainly.
Overall Meyer still hasn’t had the opportunity to show whether he is planning to evolve the game plan and which players will be in the team to take us into the future (due to injuries). I wonder what his plan is with Lambie.
Coenie Oosthuizen, Coetzee, Juandre Kruger have been welcome additions to the forwards. The backs I still don’t know who else Meyer considers, we will have to wait and see.
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