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
Bullscot wrote:
He has closed some mouths in his time
Beating the AB’s on his own and that kick against the Lions
11 @ Bullscot: Hi Bully. Yup, don’t get me started on the call centre cr4p. In fact, I’ve just received one from someone obviously in India with only the faintest grasp of the English language. Gotta love them!!! I don’t watch the Call Centre either, I walked into the living room when I heard a South African accent from the kitchen – my daughter was watching it. He just sounded as dumb as the rest of the folk at that call centre. No, my point really was that you see S Africans in all walks of life over here now, not just rugby
32 @ Just For Kicks:
they are such a nuisance these cold callers. It is true that South Africans from all careers move on as you say not just rugby but then again all over the world people from all the countries are and have been for ages moving about for various reasons, its just part of what human’s do only thing that may be different is each individual’s reason. Didn’t want to butt in on that thread but thought you would be ideally placed to help macro see things in perspective as it is still fresh for you and you did it the hard, at least for me all those years ago I was coming from a job to a job, just not me don’t have the nerve/know how to start up on own so really admire you guys who do.
Ahh ok that’s got you off the hook here I was sitting with a picture of you being glued to the telly when Call Centre was on
31 @ nortierd:
Must go and try and get a few more zzzzs here.
Yip I am a big Morne fan don’t need convincing. Anyway you a bugger this is about the Boks team against Scotland and then you post about Fouche and get us to diverge
nortierd wrote:
He is a bloody agent like Malema said. I am now talking about zander. Double agent?? Who is he working for?
Well already put a video up with Tyrone Holmes talking here: http://www.rugby-talk.com/2014/06/june-internationals-springboks-weary-of-scotland-back-3/comment-page-1/#comment-345071 so for good measure before I go here is another one this time it’s Peter Murchie and Tim Swinson talking about the tour, both speaking highly of SA, looks like brilliant weather they were training in:
Not a bad Bok team considering who is available.
What has happened to the much vaunted Bull’s recruitment programme? Maybe the superfluous players are getting a bit peeved at not playing and need to move elsewhere. Didn’t really read too much about Willemse’s departure, but I can’t say I am surprised.
Middag almal
Zane in the squad…… hmmmm the less said about that the better.
Apart from that, it will be interesting to see how this team does – we might not have it all our own way. Scotland has had 3 successful “warmups” to this game so they are settled and itching to pull one over us after having a sniff of victory in Nelspruit last year. The Welsh also showed them how to beat us by bringing the heat early – so they will be fired up!
I like the look for that loose trio, but would have preferred Ratel instead of Marcel with Marcel on the bench.
Hope Oupa gets on the field – he’s been great for the Blikore this year.
As for Pollard, a very exciting choice. As much as Morne’ has racked up the records, it cannot be denied that we are crying out for a 10 that can create doubt in the minds of the defense.
Morne has never done that, and our backline has been crying out for a proper general who doesn’t only kick or pass, but also has the skill and speed to take gaps.
Creating space for the players around him – that is actually one of a flyhalf’s core functions which Morne just does not possess.
So even as a Stormer, I really, really, REALLY hope Pollard comes good.
It is a matter of national importance
Sorry for the novel but I only get time to chirp my chirp once in a while so have to make hay while the sun shines…..
Jeez guys, the boss leaves early so i can play around on the interwebs, and there’s noone around to jol with…..
All by my seheheeeeeeelf. Don’t wanna be…. all by my seheheeeeelf….. 😥
Fokkit I’m off to the Brass Bell for a pint.
Die baas se %@#$!
😆
Blokkies wrote:
He he
Howzit Blokkies
I don’t think we have anything to worry about against these Scots.
Not complacency or anything, but they are by far not the best of Scottish teams ever to grace our shores.
Struggled to beat Canada and the Pampas XV
@ nortierd:
Sadly in international rugby there are only 4 teams that that one can really take serious.
As a result the outcome of matches between any one of the big 4 teams and any the rest is basically a foregone conclusion …
To make matters worse one of the top 4 is also a lot better than the other 3 in the group but let’s not even go there.
@ robzim:42
For sure, 99% of test in rugby is a foregone conclusion, only the margin of the win is difficult to predict.
Would like to know what HM told Boshoff.
Tuff Gong wrote:
“You’re awesome, almost as awesome as our greatest game ever against Wales on Saturday, but you’re not awesome enough yet”
My word, Messi is something else.
Absolutely brilliant.
Now he is what one can call awesome
Messi is truly the best. And he does not bite (Suarez) or strut around like a rock star ( Renaldo).
@ nortierd:
Even if they had 3 goalkeepers I doubt whether they would have stopped that ball.
45 @ nortierd:
lol nortie you know thats not what he meant.
robzim wrote:
Agree, that’s what I also like about him, he even eats Lays in public and poses for fotos
😀
Truly a class act
MacroBok wrote:
nortierd wrote:
If they pay me what they pay him I will eat anything ( never mind Lays) in public.
But I won’t wear a Blue Bull jersey 🙂
Argentina v Nigeria
Goal fest
The Latin American atmosphere in this world cup is on another level.
Finally the ostrich see’s the light and picks Coenie at loosehead. There may still be hope for HM yet!
Loosehead wrote:
Yes, happy with Coenie at 1, but Oregan Pine Hoskin will make sure that either Beast or useless Guthro get that spot. Sorry Coenie but you will end up on the bench.
Bullscot wrote:
Look as much flack as the blue bulls contracting gets, JLP was one of the best buys in the last two years for me, he was never going to play the world on fire, he was never going to dominate a game like Morne and Liefling, but he gave the Bulls CRUCIAL much needed stability in the team (he is kicking his goals and his tactical game, while not ground breaking has been sufficient). JLP is not Springbok quality, but the fact that they extended his contract makes him a very good buy.
Bullscot wrote:
The Cheetahs are losing Hennie Daniler at the end of this season, it is overall good for SA rugby that blommetjies could move there to help fill a gap, he deserves a shot, he is a very good player and because at the Bulls he wont get much chances with whatshisface50/50chanceofagoodgame at full back (can’t remember his name now).
Anyway, exciting team, I am just disappointed, vermeulen is forced to play another game, would still like to see how Schalk Burger goes at No8.
vermeulen has been excellent, but Keiran Read has really evolved the role of the No.8, but I feel Schalk is the one that could challenge Read with his all round game in the form he has shown for the strompers.
58 @ MacroBok:
Vissie… Vissie the Fullback
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