Handré Pollard
Junior Springbok captain Handré Pollard is one of five uncapped players who have been named in the Springboks’ match-23 for Saturday’s final encounter of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Scotland in Port Elizabeth.
In total, the Springbok starting team shows six changes from the side which beat Wales by 31-30 in Nelspruit last weekend.
The four uncapped players on a new-look bench are Marcel van der Merwe (prop), Stephan Lewies (lock), Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (loose forward) and Marnitz Boshoff (flyhalf). Also on the bench are Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Francois Hougaard and Zane Kirchner, none of whom have played any Test rugby yet this season.
Two players, Pollard and Marcell Coetzee, have not yet featured for the Springboks this year, while four of these are replacements who have been promoted to the starting team, namely Lwazi Mvovo, Schalk Burger, Lood de Jager and Coenie Oosthuizen.
Tendai Mtawarira (neck), Flip van der Merwe (knee) Willem Alberts (concussion) and Johan Goosen (knee) were not considered for selection this week. Goosen has been released from the squad and has returned to Bloemfontein to continue his final phase rehabilitation at the Toyota Cheetahs.
“We had to make a number of changes to the team and while team selection is never easy, especially this week when we had to make a few hard decisions, it’s been great to see the excitement under the players for this final Test of the series,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“Our plans had always been to try a few new combinations this week against Scotland and I’m looking forward to see the guys grab their opportunities.”
Meyer said Pollard had always been part of his plans for the Castle Lager Incoming Series, but that his selection as SA Under-20 captain meant he could only join the squad this week.
“Handré is a very talented player and has a big opportunity this week, but he’ll have Fourie du Preez’s experience next to him, while he’s played a lot with Jan Serfontein before. It’s great to have the current and a former World Junior Player of the Year in the same backline.”
“The other new faces in the starting line-up have been part of our squad for some time and they all deserve a run.”
On the composition of the bench, Meyer commented: “Adriaan, Trevor, Francois and Zane know what it’s about while the other guys will bring energy and enthusiasm with them.”
“All of them deserve this chance. ‘Oupa’ still played Varsity and Vodacom Cup rugby earlier this season before he got an opportunity to play Vodacom Super Rugby for the Cheetahs because of injuries. He took his chance and now he’s on the cusp of making his Test debut,” said Meyer.
“Marnitz and Marcel have shone for their franchises this year and patiently waited in the last couple of weeks, always working hard and putting in everything at our training sessions. Stephan only joined us on Monday, but he made an impression already at our training camp in Durban last month and slotted in without any problems this week.”
“Marcel, Stephan, ‘Oupa’ and Marnitz all made their Vodacom Super Rugby debuts earlier this year following injuries to other players and it’s great to see so many younger players come through the ranks.”
The Springboks will face a confident Scotland side on Saturday after they’ve beaten the USA, Canada and Argentina on tour in the last three weeks.
“They are always a tough opponent, like we saw last year in Nelspruit, but our aim is to build on the two victories over Wales in the last fortnight,” said Meyer.
Meanwhile, Van der Merwe has joined a long list of injured players who will not play again this season after he was ruled out for six months following examination by specialists in Pretoria. He injured his posterior cruciate ligaments.
Mtawarira, who has a bulging disc in his neck and consulted with a specialist in Durban earlier this week, will be monitored for the next two weeks before a decision on his return to the field will be made.
The following players missed out on the entire or part of the Castle Lager Incoming Series because of injury: Jean de Villiers (knee), Damian de Allende (knee) Eben Etzebeth (foot), Jaque Fourie (ankle), Pat Lambie (bicep), Frans Malherbe (concussion), Scarra Ntubeni (foot), Pieter-Steph du Toit (knee), Franco van der Merwe (ankle), Arno Botha (knee), Pierre Spies (bicep), Louis Schreuder (hand), Gio Aplon (elbow), Juan de Jongh (pneumonia), Mtawarira, Van der Merwe, Alberts and Goosen.
Seven players based in France and England have been released to their clubs and were not available for selection this week. they are They are Gurthrö Steenkamp, Schalk Brits, Bakkies Botha, Francois Louw, Morné Steyn, Wynand Olivier and Bryan Habana.
Springbok team:
15 Willie le Roux – (14 caps, 30 Test points)
14 Cornal Hendricks – (2 caps, 10 Test points)
13 JP Pietersen – (53 caps, 80 Test points)
12 Jan Serfontein – (11 caps, 5 Test points)
11 Lwazi Mvovo – (8 caps, 5 Test points)
10 Handré Pollard – (uncapped)
9 Fourie du Preez (Vice-captain – 69 caps, 75 Test points)
8 Duane Vermeulen – (18 caps, 10 Test points)
7 Schalk Burger – (70 caps, 65 Test points)
6 Marcell Coetzee – (15 caps, 5 Test points)
5 Victor Matfield (Captain – 112 caps, 35 Test points)
4 Lood de Jager – (2 caps, 0 Test points)
3 Jannie du Plessis – (53 caps, 5 Test points)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (Vice-captain – 59 caps, 45 Test points)
1 Coenie Oosthuizen – (16 caps, 10 Test points)
Replacements:
16 Adriaan Strauss – (33 caps, 25 Test points)
17 Trevor Nyakane – (3 caps, 5 Test points)
18 Marcel van der Merwe – (uncapped)
19 Stephan Lewies – (uncapped)
20 Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje – (uncapped)
21 Francois Hougaard – (27 caps, 20 Test points)
22 Marnitz Boshoff – (uncapped)
23 Zane Kirchner – (28 caps, 25 Test points)
Stats and facts:
- The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 502 Test caps (157 in the backline and 345 in the forwards), while there are a further 91 caps worth of experience on the bench.
- South Africa and Scotland have played each other 24 times since 1906, with the Springboks winning 19 Tests and losing five. The Springboks have scored 597 points and 75 tries and conceded 264 points and 27 tries for an average score of 25-11.
- South Africa and Scotland last met on 17 November 2013 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. The Springboks won 28-0, scoring four tries in the process.
- Victor Matfield will extend his record of 112 Tests for the Springboks as well as his record of 112 Tests as a lock for the Springboks.
- If he scores a try, Bismarck du Plessis will extend his record of nine Test tries for South Africa as a hooker. Bismarck and his brother Jannie will also be playing together in their 34th Test, which is a Springbok record for brothers.
- Schalk Burger will extend his record as the most capped Springbok flank, with 68 Tests in this position. He also shares the record with Juan Smith for the most Test tries as a flank (11).
- Handré Pollard will become Springbok No. 857.
- Coenie Oosthuizen will be starting at loose-head prop for the first time in a Test. Last year he played tight-head against France in his only other start.
- The whole front-row of Coenie Oosthuizen, Bismarck du Plessis and Jannie du Plessis comes from one school – Grey College in Bloemfontein. Adriaan Strauss (reserve hooker) as well as Marcel van der Merwe (reserve prop) are also old Grey pupils.
- The referee is Glen Jackson of New Zealand. This will be his first Test involving South Africa. The former Chiefs and Saracens flyhalf started refereeing in 2010.
Springbok Test match records at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium:
- Most points – 18 (5p, 1dg) by Morné Steyn on 20 August, 2011 against New Zealand.
- Most tries – one by JP Pietersen on 23 June, 2012 against England.
- Most conversions – none.
- Most penalty goals – five by Morne Steyn on 20 August, 2011 against New Zealand.
- Most drop goals – one by Morne Steyn on 20 August, 2011 against New Zealand
I am satisfied, with who is left in the squad and the 9 overseas and injured players, that this is a solid squad.
Glad Coenie is at Loosehead prop, the loosies are more than expected.
Pollard at No 10… well it could be a masterstoke or a serious measure of his ability to step up.
The inclusion of Mvovo at left wing is dead on, as far as I’m concerned.
On the bench, a lot of inexperience (4)… but it was to be expected.
All in all a nice mix of experience and newbies!
It is also a good move away from using too many overseas players, even if on a temporary basis.
I am super glad Ruan Pienaar is NOT in the squad.
You mentioned having Sithole on the bench in previous article, also thought he would be involved in match squad but I thought starting at centre with Pietersen completely out to get a rest and give Sithole a go. However, having said that one thing I really like is to see coaches who have continuity at centre so actually cannot really fault the choice. A lot of backline play starts with the halfbacks but to me the critical axis of the backline is at centre both on defence and attack and your centres need to play together a lot to get to know each others games inside out to really execute defensive and attacking moves properly.
3 @ Bullscot:
Yeah, I’ve been of the opinion that JP Pietersen’s form this whole season has been less than stellar and I really thought S’Bura Sithole did well for the Sharks at No 13 during Super Rugby.
Big chap, solid defence, good hands (something JP Pietersen is not famed for), enough speed to burn.
So, I would also have opted for S’Bura Sithole at No 13.
Am guessing Scotland team will be announced towards lunchtime tomorrow. Each coach generally has their own pattern when they announce their team, Scott Johnson used to announce his super early (a dream for us folk trying to do the articles) while Vern Cotter seems to be announcing his a bit later.
4 @ grootblousmile:
Ja I have not seen Sithole play so have no opinion on how good he is but going on what you have said and the general opinion out there this season he sounds like a good player and if he is good enough for Mr Meyer to have him in his squad then he is good enough for me.
I think its a great time to ‘blood’ Pollard, and see if he’s ready to make the step-up. Couldn’t have an easier match against a rat-tag Scottish side. Should be a very good practice session for him and all the boys.
I suppose the Bulls supporters won’t be shedding a tear with this news.
Louis Fouché is the latest Bulls player to leave Loftus after signing a one-year deal with the Ricoh Black Rams.
Following hot on the heels of the departure of Paul Willemse to Grenoble and kicking coach Vlok Cilliers to Western Province, Fouché’s decision has raised a few eyebrows at the recent exodus of talent from Pretoria.
Having started the season as the Bulls’ first-choice flyhalf, the 24-year old has fallen out of favour following the form of first, Jacques-Louis Potgieter and later, Handré Pollard.
Fouché will now turn to Japan in a bid to revive his stuttering career, but the relatively short length of his contract will enable him to return for the 2015 Super Rugby season.
He is not the first South African to make an appearance for the Rams, with Wynand Olivier and Hottie Louw having turned out for them in the past.
Also good to see the DuP brothers playing, and that at least HM is following Jakes lead – Jake knows more than everyone else, and if he doesn’t think that they need rest, then so be it. Well done HM!!!
Was initially thinking that was a really big centre pairing for the Boks compared to the one who may run out for Scotland but it seems that the Scotland centres are bigger than they look, de Luca at 93kg and Horne at 92kg, compared to Pietersen apparently 96kg and Serfontein 98kg, so this physical mismatch is not a much as I thought it would be, although even so would class de Luca and Horne as playmaking and look for the gap type of players rather than crash ball centres.
8 @ nortierd: So sad that you don’t have to play for your place any more – “you don’t pick me, no matter how out of form I am, I’m on the next plane to France or Japan”
8 @ nortierd:
I have no complaints… Louis Fouché is superfluous to requirements at the Bulls… a simple equasion
8 @ nortierd:
Thanks for the news nortierd, so is he leaving ala Willemse because he feels he is a bit lower down in the Bok pecking order, only kidding can read 😀
8 @ nortierd:
Although what I was thinking with Pollard starting for the Boks now will Potgieter who has recently extended his Bulls contract for quite a while now also be thinking like Willemse was supposedly thinking regarding pecking order and also look for pastures elsewhere, maybe his time away made Potgieter realise that he just felt more comfortable back at Loftus so hopefully it will stay that away.
10 @ Bullscot:
… just hope Vern Cotter who picked the bigger Lamont and Taylor as his first centre pairing in the match against US will play to Horne and de Luca’s strengths so Scotland can get ball out to dangerous wings and we see a good game, rather than trying to use them as crashball players, think there was some mention that he tended to try do the latter with them against Argentina but don’t know for sure as didn’t see that one.
@ Bullscot:
JLP will at least be on the bench, if pollard and jlp are back and fit, Louis Fouche will not take part in bulls rugby at all in the currie cup, so he is going to japan and will be back to play for a spot in the 2015 super rugby series.
16 @ MacroBok:
Hi macro was thinking more about the Bok situation, doesn’t seem like JLP is in the frame anymore, if he didn’t make it know with all the injuries and Pollard parachuted ahead of him then can’t see him getting a chance there in future, although suppose we should never say never. At least it is good to have him at the Bulls for the time Pollard could be away on Bok duty.
@ MacroBok:
@ nortierd:
Talking of Bulls/Blue Bull players moving about I must have missed it somehow but now seen an article from early this month claiming that Luther Obi could be on his way to Loftus from the Leopards, and also that Clayton Blommetjies is away to the Cheetahs and Schalk van Heerden to the Lions, I suppose they have not really been given much game time at the top by Blue Bulls so all the best to Blommetjies and van Heerden.
I actually feel sorry for Fouche, he paid his dues while sitting on the bench to Morne for many years, then just when he was supposed to get his opportunity he got injured.
Since his return, he had a couple of poor games and has been overtaken by Pollard.
JLP being brought in was actually just a slap in his face.
I’m not saying he is the best 10 for the Bulls, just that I don’t think his plans panned out that he would have taken over from Morne, because he was in line, similar to Morne waiting for Hougaard to finish.
@ Bullscot:18
I enjoyed Blommetjies in last years Vodacom Cup.
Pity he is so small and lig in die broek, attacking wise he is quite exciting, defensively he is not up to it
19 @ nortierd:
Louis Fouché has a mule boot, but no vision, no distribution game, no attacking flair and not sufficient ability to read and dominate a game.
He was always just a stop-gap player, no more.
18 @ Bullscot: You just made me laugh now; Clayton Blommetjies’ name came up on one of Voldy’s thread once & some joker said: “that name sounds like a pornstar”!!!
11 @ Just For Kicks:
Howzit JFK, how you all doing? Was going to comment to you yesterday but by time read your comment saw you were gone again. You were saying something about the Call Centre program, oh man don’t believe you watch that, the guy running the place is some character but really I know we all need to make a living but cannot stand the way things have evolved and one gets invaded by these call centre’s cold callers to me its an invasion of one’s privacy and from the number of calls I keep getting on my mobile harrasement. If I want to get something or get something done I will go out and look for it, can’t be doing with folk trying to sell things this way most of the time don’t know if they are legitimate. But back to the Call Centre on the TV did watch it once or twice and although its not the best it does somehow draw you in to keep watching to see what will happen next – just something about trainsmash TV
HM’s ‘vision’:
“The other new faces in the starting line-up have been part of our squad for some time and they all deserve a run”
It will be HM’s 32 new Boks caps, he has used 61 different players since 2012!
Fantastic!
😆
grootblousmile wrote:
Many have said the same about Morne.
What about Frans Steyn?
That summary could have been scripted for him as well
20 @ nortierd:
Do you think that competition is his level or could he do well higher up? They have a history of playing exciting rugby in Bloemfontein so hopefully he will do well there, ahhh Blommetjies going to Blommetjiesfontein just thought of that now, yeah yeah really cheesy but am half asleep here
@ grootblousmile:
12
And there is Tony Jantjies to fall back on just in case?
🙄
25 @ nortierd:
Considering the huge number of records that have Morne Steyn’s name to them he is SOME stop gap player then
@ Bullscot:
Not sure Bully, remember, he played in a Tukkies team that flouted the laws of the competition and was in essence a Bulls Vodacom/CC side and they were much stronger than the other students, so he might have looked better
Bullscot wrote:
I said that many have said the same thing.
Even now, if you read Rugby365 or Sharksworld, they have a heart attack every time Morne is selected, because they still feel that, other than kicking, he brings nothing to the party.
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