Patrick Lambie
Cobus Reinach
Rugby World Cup winners JP Pietersen and Schalk Burger will start Saturday’s second Test in the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour against England at Twickenham as the Springbok match-23 is retained from last weekend.
The five changes to the team are straight swaps between the starting line-up and the bench. Along with Pietersen and Burger, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has handed starts to hooker Adriaan Strauss and the halfback pair of Cobus Reinach and Pat Lambie.
Cornal Hendricks, Handré Pollard, Francois Hougaard, Teboho Mohoje and Bismarck du Plessis will start on the bench.
“We’ve accepted our performance against Ireland last weekend was not up to scratch and everyone in the touring squad has put up their hands and dug deep this week,” said Meyer. “We’ve really worked hard at fixing the mistakes we made and the challenge is now to put that into action on Saturday.”
Meyer said the changes were not a knee-jerk reaction following the result in Dublin, but rather in line with rotational changes that he had in mind before the start of the tour.
Strauss, Lambie and Pietersen all started in the Springboks’ last Test at Twickenham, two years ago, while Saturday’s match will be Reinach’s first in the starting team.
“Pat started at Twickenham for us two years ago and did very well,” said Meyer. “He’s playing well at the moment and I wanted to give him the opportunity to start. Pat is tactically very astute and even though he’s still pretty young, he’s got a lot of experience.
“Adriaan, Schalk and JP have all started a number of Tests this year and they will slot in easily – we decided beforehand that we wanted to start all of these players in one of the first two Tests on tour.
“It’s a big occasion for Cobus but he would not have been here if we didn’t believe he could deliver the goods, and he’ll be next to his provincial team-mate in Pat.
“As usual, we’re also expecting our replacements to raise the intensity when they’re sent on and Bismarck, who had a very good game in Dublin especially in the set-pieces, ‘Oupa’, Francois, Cornal and Handré will provide important cover off the bench.”
Springbok team:
15 Willie le Roux (22 caps, 35 points)
14 JP Pietersen (57 caps, 90 points)
13 Jan Serfontein (17 caps, 5 points)
12 Jean de Villiers (Captain – 103 caps, 135 points)
11 Bryan Habana (104 caps, 280 points)
10 Pat Lambie (37 caps, 81 points)
9 Cobus Reinach (3 caps, 0 points)
8 Duane Vermeulen (26 caps, 10 points)
7 Schalk Burger (74 caps, 65 points)
6 Marcell Coetzee (23 caps, 30 points)
5 Victor Matfield (Vice-captain – 118 caps, 35 points)
4 Eben Etzebeth (30 caps, 0 points)
3 Jannie du Plessis (61 caps, 5 points)
2 Adriaan Strauss (41 caps, 25 points)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (62 caps, 10 points)
Replacements:
16 Bismarck du Plessis (67 caps, 45 points)
17 Trevor Nyakane (10 caps, 5 points)
18 Coenie Oosthuizen (18 caps, 10 points)
19 Bakkies Botha (84 caps, 35 points)
20 Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (4 caps, 0 points)
21 Francois Hougaard (33 caps, 25 points)
22 Handré Pollard (7 caps, 61 points)
23 Cornal Hendricks (10 caps, 25 points)
Date: Saturday 15 November
Venue: Twickenham, London
Kick-Off: 16:30 SA Time (14:30 BST & GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Jérôme Garcès (France), Nick Briant (New Zealand)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Stats and facts:
- The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 778 Test caps (343 in the backline and 435 in the forwards), while there are a further 233 caps worth of experience on the bench.
- South Africa and England have played each other 36 times since 1906, with the Springboks winning 22 Tests, losing 12 and two were drawn. The Springboks have scored 749 points and 69 tries and conceded 564 points and 39 tries for an average score of 21-16.
- South Africa and England last met on 24 November 2012 at Twickenham in London. The Springboks won by 16-15 thanks to a try by Willem Alberts and 11 points from the boot of Patrick Lambie (one conversion and three penalty goals). England kicked five penalties, three by Owen Farrell and two by Toby Flood.
- Jean de Villiers will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok centre, with 88 Tests in this position and will captain South Africa for the 32nd time, placing him third behind John Smit (83) and Gary Teichmann (36).
- Victor Matfield will extend his record as the most capped Springbok in history (118 Tests). He will also extend his record of 118 Tests as a lock and will also extend his record as the oldest Springbok ever at 37 years 181 days.
- Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 103 Tests in this position. If he scores a try, he will extend his record of 56 Test tries for South Africa.
- If he goes on and scores a try Bismarck du Plessis will extend his record of nine Test tries for South Africa as a hooker.
- Schalk Burger will extend his record as the most capped Springbok flanker in history (72 caps). If he scores a try, he will become the sole record-holder for most Test tries as a flanker (11), a record he currently shares with Juan Smith.
- Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks, Duane Vermeulen, Jannie du Plessis and Bismarck du Plessis have played in all 10 Tests for the Springboks in 2014. Bryan Habana and Tendai Mtawarira have both missed only one Test in 2014.
- Schalk Burger (Jnr) and Cobus Reinach are sons of Springboks. Schalk Burger (Snr) played six Tests for South Africa (1984-1986) and Jaco Reinach four Tests for South Africa in 1986. They played together in all four Tests against the New Zealand Cavaliers in 1986.
- It will be the fourth time in history that a Springbok team will have three centurions in the starting line-up. The three previous times were against Australia and New Zealand in the Rugby Championship and against Ireland last week.
- It will be Heyneke Meyer’s 35th Test in charge of the Springboks since he took over in 2012. Of the previous 34 Tests South Africa have won 24, lost eight and drew twice.
- The referee is Steve Walsh of Australia. It will be his 18th Test involving South Africa. This is a new record for a referee in Tests involving SA, breaking the record of himself and Alain Rolland. Of the previous 17 Tests the Springboks have won 13, lost one and three were drawn. His last Test involving South Africa was in August this year against Argentina in Salta in the Rugby Championship – a game that the Springboks won 33-31.
Springbok Test match records at Twickenham:
- Most points – 21 by Jannie de Beer (6p, 1d) against Australia on 30 October, 1999.
- Most tries – two by Chester Williams against England on 18 November, 1995.
- Most conversions – three by Ruan Pienaar against England on 22 November, 2008.
- Most penalty goals – six by Jannie de Beer against Australia on 30 October, 1999.
- Most drop goals – four by Andre Pretorius against England on 25 November, 2006.
- The Springboks have played 18 times at Twickenham, winning ten and losing eight. They have scored 283 points and 27 tries and conceded 296 points and 26 tries for an average score of 16-17.
Quite to be expected… and still a strong side.
Players lucky to retain their spots are Jan serfontein and Eben Etzebeth… considering their form last Saturday.
Haha you and I were posting a similar article at the same time.
More in line with a team I would have chosen. But with Jano Vermaak and anyone else rather than Jannie Dup (although he had an ok game last weekend)
My Cobus photo is better 😀
3 @ Stormersboy:
Sorry man,
Had to delete your article, as mine contained a heap more info… and the pics are in Bok colours…
I am afraid we will see more of the same from the Bokke, unless they have learnt from last week. Will Reinach be able to provide the go forward that Hougie couldn’t? And will Dandruff Boy be able to control the game more effectively than Handre? And will Walshie blow the game fairly?
grootblousmile wrote:
Bully.
6 @ Stormersboy:
@ grootblousmile:
😆 😆 😆 😆
@ Stormersboy:
Hush now.
You are only a junior prefect.
Kind you now that Nirtie actually has to work for a living for the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall you might be in for a promotion.
😆
9 @ gunther:
Would you like to become a junior, junior, junior prefect or a class captain?
Hehehe
gunther wrote:
True. I mustn’t get ahead of myself.
Nortie v1 vs Nortie v2 is a perfect illustration of the productivity of workers in the Public v Private sector 😀 😀
Maybe they don’t have free Wifi.
Lion4ever wrote:
wait a sec did you expect “more of the same” between the irish and all black tests?
@ grootblousmile:
You mean inside the tent pissing out?
😆
Stormersboy wrote:
Exactly no more Gravy Bakkie.
😆
Changing 5 players is all fine and dandy, but the Bokke would also have to change some other stuff…
1. Where they point their attacks (against Ireland they were running hard at the point between the centres with Bokke one-off forwards). This time round the Bokke forwards would have to move a channel closer, I feel… to allow the Bokke backline some space to also attack.
2. Protect the Bok scrumhalf much better, so he is under much less pressure.
3. Make less forced and unforced errors.
4. In general the backline attacks need to be better and Bokke need to be less predictable, with more variation on attack.
5. All the players need to step up their attitude and intensity, specially players like Etzebeth (who’s been way off form).
6. Defences were leaky against Ireland and the Bokke let in some soft tries.
7. Dicipline overall needs to be better.
8. Running sideways too much, by players like Willie le Roux, must be reduced… someone needs to straighten things up… that’s also why I advocate shifting forwards attacks closer to the breakdowns, to have space to straighten, draw opposing players, pass, draw, pass… and so creating space out wide, in stead of being cramped for space out wide time after time.
13 @ gunther:
Interesting way of putting it… inside the tent, pissing out…
Speaking of Gravy Bakkies maybe start him and bring Elizabeth off the bench.
@ grootblousmile:
Sorry I stole it from LBJ.
He was talking about Jay Edgar Hoover.
Norties American equivalent.
😆
17 @ gunther:
LBJ??
Long Bong Jerks?
Lyndon Baines Johnson?
That’s him.
😆
Gay Edgar Hoover?
@ Stormersboy:
Only to his friends
😆
@ MacroBok:
Nope, but I expected a far better showing in terms of decision making etc. I was expecting them to be rusty after 5 weeks off, but not that rusty.
@ gunther:
😀 at least he wasnt a “commie” like everyone else
On the Boks, we would have had a totally different game if we could just hold onto the ball more, and not turnover possession more.
We looked like the U14C team at the first training session of the season.
I am surprised at 5 players being axed – would’ve thought 1, maybe 2 changes, would suffice.
HM is playing yo-yo with the #10’s; not allowing any of them to settle – he seems as fickle as a “15-year old hottie” re who to pick as his Bok pivot.
Having dropped Hougaard from the starting XV, I’m surprised to see Hougaard on the bench. The Twickenham cauldron is not the place to go search for & re-establish one’s Test match confidence. HM should either have backed Hougaard as his preferred #9 (bargaining that such faith & loyalty would revive the player’s confidence), or have dropped him right out of the XXIII.
In making the changes HM has on balance added to the XV’s collective experience, which is not a bad thing vs England.
I’m concerned the Bokke might miss Bismarck’s contribution at the breakdowns.
Wish we had proper #3 backup on the bench, especially against England.
I guess, most saffas are (like me) apprehensive about Saturday.
**
Anyway, best of luck, Bokke!
Will be rooting for you as always.
Losing against the Poms is not allowed, mon.
@ Stormersboy:
Indeed.
Unless we tighten up on that it will be worse against the Sweaty Poms.
The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short- tempered lot. They not only expect one to know one’s gate parking location, but also how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.
Speedbird 206: “Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway.” Ground: “Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven.”
The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.
Ground: “Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?” Speedbird 206: “Stand by, Ground, I’m looking up our gate location now.” Ground (arrogantly): “Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?”
Speedbird 206 (coolly): “Yes, twice in 1944 — but it was dark and I didn’t land.”
gunther wrote:
Legend!
😀
@ gunther:
@ Stormersboy:
Julle moet lekker skinder 😆
No matter how grotesque my existence might seem to you, you want me on that wall……you need me on that wall
😉
This is the same team that most publications were already touting yesterday…..there are not many secrets when it comes to Bok rugby
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