The Springbok rugby run-on side to face England on Saturday at 16:30 SA Time (14:30 GMT) is unchanged from last weekend, with Pat Cilliers on the bench in place of CJ van der Linde and Elton Jantjies replacing Morné Steyn.
CJ van der Linde, who did not have a stellar game against Scotland and for that matter against Ireland, was injured during Monday’s practice and the decision was taken to send him home to South Africa.
Elton Jantjies has not had any game time on tour yet and it was to be expected that he would either start or be on the bench for the England Test, in light of the fact that it would be his only chance to showcase what he’s got in comparison to Patrick Lambie who has not set the world alight in the first two Tests of the tour. Elton Jantjies will be able to stake his place off the bench and the hope is that he is given sufficient game time, to be measured, under the same circumstances as Patrick Lambie.
The side is as follows:
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (Captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
Ok just deleted my article Rudi, as i see here you have started one
the changes to the bench were long over due
One can argue that there still could be a change or 2? but this is a very good side.
Lets hope Lambie who obviously the coach feels is his 10 and has done enough to convince the coach of the fact, of course things could change once jOHAN GOOSEN returns next year.
Now i know i will be reminded that i have been hard on HM for his style of play, what some are not realising is that they expect us to accept Hmand to give him time to get the team to the level of play he wants to?? then afford the players that are not used to this way of play the same time, as clearly that is what the coach is doing.
And is HM sticking to his guns or what?? it matters not what anyone says 😆
Very happy for Elton and who knows what HM is planning?? will he sub Pat in the match or move him to 12 and bring on Elton with lets say 20 to go??
To be honest the team is pratically exactly as expected as we know HM is not for multiple changes, once he has a team in his mind he pretty much sticks to it
Pat coming onto the bench is either the fact that CJ is dropped or injured as was reported earlier in the week.
Jantjies is a mystery though, as there were no reports as to Morne maybe having an injury, so will be interesting if JAntjes does take the field or what HM’s plans are re him
Our Rudi loves to stick the knife into Lambie, but his own FAvoured Coach does not agree with him, 😆
I read an article earlier in the week where Meyer was quoted to saying that PAt was very good in that first half, and not having possesion in the 2nd due to forwards and penalties etc?? no flyhalf can play without the ball,
Guess Coach HM deserves credit for that.
Pleased to see Juan starting again. Good settled team, also finally the coach does not need his INSURANCE player on the bench…. 🙂 🙂 That tells me he has confidence in Pat otherwise no way would Pat be starting without Morne there. WE know by now how Meyer thinks. The thing is Elton should have been on the bench against Ireland and Scotland getting 20min game time. Should have had some game time to be fair on him. Pleased he is there instead of Morne… 🙂 Elton and Pat bring a similar game and it makes SENSE to have Elton there and not Morne.
Just really hope that JPP is 100% over this injury want our Shark player back injury free. Still would have liked to have seen Jaco get game time at the back. Though against England this is not the time to try that out from the start, should have against Scotland. If we in a big lead I am absolutely certain we will see him come on later. Elton will come on at some time as he has been promised to get game time. Should all be good and here is to our forwards playing for a full 80min this time, that way our backs just might have more ball to play with.
Go Boks!
@ Puma:
Pooms i agree, Hm is sticking to his squad and only changes that will come next year are the Innjured ones like BIsmark, Fransie etc,
This is why i am not unhappy with Hougaard at 11 and he is not bad and we know once Habana returns he will start at 11
I know most of us want KIrchner out but we have to admit he has been stable if not flashy, and also there are certain expectaions of non white players that have to be adhered to,
@ Puma:
Bro dont write off Morne though?? form will return to him and who knows, he was once a very good player.
So Rudi you say it was expected that Elton start against England? WHAT??? 😯 You think Meyer just going to throw him in cold like that in a huge game? Dream on it was never going to happen. Making up fibs here as you go. What Meyer should have done was have Elton on the bench in the Ireland game and Scotland game and given him 20min in each game. Then I might have agreed he may have given him a start here but no way would Meyer do that unless he had game time. Now can you see no insurance man on the bench
THAT tells anyone with a brain he has confidence in Pat. 😛 Surely you can see that? Meyer is very conservative. Anyhow really pleased to see Elton on the bench. Should have been all this tour. 
9 @ Sharks_forever:
I wont right him off but let us be honest we have now 3 world class flyhalves they YOUNG and those are the flyhalves that should get a start now. We have to move forward and play our young players. We don’t use them the years go by and we will never know what we had. Morne has had his time in the sun, he will again for the Bulls at the Boks I think it is gone now.
11 @ Puma:
right = wright
@ Puma:
That we do, and just to rub it in we still have grandpaw Butch to fall back onto 😆 😆 😆
@ Puma:
Write is the correct one boet 😆
Btw, the tweets are flying in re midweek games when teams tour like they used to in the ols days
8 @ Sharks_forever:
Zane is solid, though Boks for future need more than solid.
14 @ Sharks_forever:
Good I don’t use twitter so never see what is read there. I said it here how many times about us bringing back mid-week games to give all players a chance to have a game? It should be again.
13 @ Sharks_forever:
Watched Butch in the quarter of wc 2007 against Figi last night. He was brilliant in that wc. Really pleased we have him at Sharks next year.
@ Puma:
I agree but remember Taute has not played FB for a while, HM needs that safety factor at the back, So i understand the KIrchner at 15 and I understand Hougaard at 11, Like Lambie Hougaard has also struggled with the HM style of play as he like lambie is a play maker, GUess we gotta be patient,
@ Puma:
😆 Pooms yeah for sure boet, PAt Cillier just tweeted me, he and Lambie and Eben going to the live Gunners match tonight.
Our game plan would have to be different to have this team, just looking at players on this tour. Imagine this backline:
15 Taute
14 JPP
13 Mapoe
12 Juan
11 Rhule
10 Pat
9 Hougaard
One can dream! We would need to play a different gameplan with a backline like that. If we did, imagine with the great forwards we have and that backline we could be the best in the world. Those players are there right there. Not used though. They would be wasted though with this gameplan. Need to play total rugby.
19 @ Sharks_forever:
Should be a good game that. Good to see the players going out and enjoying themselves over there.
18 @ Sharks_forever:
Yip Hougaard has been messed up with this gameplan as well. Another that should have been allowed to play his natural game. Still get annoyed with Ruan being a bit slow. Then as soon as he gets the ball out it goes to a forward, just about everytime or JdV who is also used to crashball it up. Can’t wait for Super Rugby to be honest.
@ Puma:
Yup,
Not a bad backline you have there boet, however Rhule not a very good defender, attack yes he is excellent, I wouls still play Mvovo ahead of him for now, I know these are shortcommings of Rhule has mentioned and are working on, like he does not kick well 😆
@ Puma:
Think back to the England tours here earlier in the year. Hougaard was scrummy and slow and not reading the game well??? Ruan came on as sub and was giving far quicker service and made a big difference when he came on,
I meantion this as we blame Ruan?? how much of it though is part of the game plan?? just like hougaard and Lambies games are being affected?? I might be wrong?? I hope they play a faster game this weekend and allow for flow amongst the backs.
Eish Pooms if it was not for us two bloggers here?? the site would die 😆
How can the no 10 control the game if he never gets phase ball. It should be the no 10 who calls the plays, very much the quarterback in gridiron.
@ Lion4ever:
Agreed Mate, this is why i have been anti all the Lambie hating, specially in the case where the player is being made to play a style outside his comfort zone,
But lets see how HM changes things, he does surprise us every now and then, maybe he slowly will bring in more attacking as the squad gels
10 @ Puma:
You don’t read very well either, I see.
I say in the Article that: “Elton Jantjies HAS NOT HAD ANY GAME TIME ON TOUR YET and it was to be expected that he would EITHER start OR BE ON THE BENCH for the England Test”
… and that is EXACTLY what has now happened… he is on the bench indeed.
Fark, only reading what you WANT TO SEE, it seems.
@ grootblousmile:
Be nice now?? if his knees can go so can his eyesight 😆
What would be funny is the Boks suddenly playing a more attacking style the weekend?? I have no Doubt England expects the same old kick and chase with forward power and are preparing for that.
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