SABC just reported : "Up to 10 changes ! "
Quote:F THEIR final training session of the week was anything to go by, the Springbok side to face Australia in the return match of the Mandela Challenge Plate could feature as many as seven changes to the team that lost comprehensively in Sydney last weekend.
Springbok coach Jake White ran a variety of combinations at the St John’s College rugby fields on Friday, but he kept coming back to an ensemble featuring four changes among the backs (one positional), and three changes in the pack.
The backline had André Pretorius at flyhalf, Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie as the new centre pairing, and Breyton Paulse at right wing.
Changes in the pack had Gurthro Steenkamp at loose-head prop and CJ van der Linde on the right side of the scrum, with Joe van Niekerk slotting into Danie Rossouw’s position at blindside flank.
Asked at an earlier press conference if there would be radical changes to the starting line-up, White said: “There won’t be too many, we’ve got to strike a balance between consistency in
selection and giving other players an opportunity.”
But the Ellis Park match on Saturday represents White’s last chance to experiment with his line-up before the Springboks get to the business-end of their season, the Tri-Nations opener against the Wallabies in Pretoria on July 30.
White said he saw the final Mandela Challenge Cup game as an opportunity to see what other players had to offer. “From a combinations point of view it’s not going to be a trial, we know what we’ve got. We want to see whether we can do better.”
The rugby public will be looking for an improved performance from a possible new-look team after the Boks looked bereft of ideas during their 30-12 defeat by the Wallabies.
White said he was disappointed the team had not met with his expectations. “I thought the team we put on the field would do a lot better than we did, I think we let ourselves down.”
He said the plan had been to kick for field position before launching attacks off the line-outs, but the Wallabies had been smart in kicking the ball down the middle of the field instead of out.
The defensive frailties, which saw an incredible 44 tackles missed, were to blame on both individuals and the system.
“There were times when we slipped into the wrong running lines, but defence is an attitude thing. What can you say when guys miss that many tackles?”
The Bok coach was particularly disheartened at how easily the players slipped into bad habits like forcing 50/50 passes and unnecessary kicks. “It just shows that when the pressure is on you go back to your habits.”
White said the Boks would be concentrating on the areas in which they were poor in Sydney, like holding on to the ball, keeping their structure and being patient with ball in hand.
Possible Starting XV
Percy Montgomery; Breyton Paulse; Jaque Fourie; Jean de
Villiers; Bryan Habana; André
Pretorius; Enrico Januarie; Jacques Cronjé; Joe van Niekerk; Schalk Burger; Victor Matfield; Bakkies Botha; CJ van der Linde; John Smit (captain); Gurthro Steenkamp.
From Tiaan Strauss :
Quote:Former Springboks and Wallabies flank Tiaan Strauss has labelled the performance of the South Africans in the first Nelson Mandela Challenge match as "soft", and called on them to be more aggressive in Saturday's decider in Johannesburg.
Strauss was shocked by the poor effort of the Springboks in Sydney.
"The main thing was their defence was so soft, I mean really soft," he said. "They've been known as a very good defensive team, and I thought they'd really bustle them in defence so I was very surprised."
Pre-match pep talk
Strauss delivered a pre-match pep talk to the team and wryly admitted his presentation did not seem to have hit the mark.
Asked what his words would be this week if offered another chance to address his countrymen, Strauss was much more specific, leaning towards tactical advice.
"They have to move off their line and tackle the [Wallabies] behind the advantage line," Strauss said.
"They waited for them last week, and you can't wait for guys like [Lote] Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor, you can't let those blokes run at you.
"You're a sitting duck if you let those guys run at you, so you have to make your first-up tackles."
Strauss was aware of the allegations of foul play that emerged from the Springboks' efforts in the first Test, and said the aggression they showed should be channelled into hard defence rather than anything sinister.
"I don't know about the dirty play, but [they need] controlled aggression," he said. "And I think they will be a lot more aggressive in their defence, and I think they'll try and rattle the Wallabies with it."
Mandela Plate
But despite home advantage, Strauss did not believe the Springboks had the personnel to retain the Mandela Plate and highlighted the main area in which he felt the Wallabies would prove superior.
"I just think their skill level is so much better," he said. "The [Springboks'] forwards did really well but it came down to the backs, and the Wallabies' backs were just far better ... better at running angles and just about everything."
"I'm worried about that, especially in the centres where [South Africa] have been very one-dimensional.
"The two centres [De Wet Barry and Marius Joubert] didn't play that well during the regular Super 12 and they haven't really improved."
Starting team
Strauss should be pleased that when the Springboks name their side this week for the Test on Saturday, up to 10 changes are tipped from the starting team and both centres are likely to be replaced.
The physical Jaque Fourie is expected to be drafted into the midfield with the versatile Jean de Villiers coming in from the wing to join him, opening up a place for Breyton Paulse out wide.
Flyhalf Andre Pretorius may also return, while a completely new back row might be installed to produce greater competition at the tackle contest.
I like Jaques Fourie and Andre Pretorius back in the side but I am not so sure about Breyton man,only if he has a good game then he is ok,but if he has a shocker then it really is a shocker,he doesn't tackle.
The forwards should do well with the way Big Joe is playing and I am glad Schalk is getting a break, in fact the whole team should do well on the Highfeld and I am sure of a win this weekend and next in the Tri-Nations
Yip XN as a stoere Wie Pie onnersteuner I can not see the warrant to play BP ?
We have much better (and faster) wings than him these days.
The newspapers are playing the political game (again)
If they can just replace Smith I will be a happy man
Quote:Nelson Mandela, who turned 87 this week, could get the perfect birthday present from the Springboks on Saturday, regardless of the outcome of their match against Australia.
The South African starting team could include six players of colour when they take the Australians on in the second Mandela Challenge Test at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
The Springboks lost the first Test in Sydney 30-12 and wholesale changes are expected when Jake White names his team on Wednesday.
Prop CJ van der Linde, who was expected to start, suffered a recurrence of a head injury incurred on Sunday, and he is likely to be replaced by Eddie Andrews.
That, along with the inclusion of Breyton Paulse on the wing, Solly Tyibilika on the flank, and Gurthro Steenkamp at prop, added to Bryan Habana and Enrico Januarie from the last Test, could pave the way for a team made up of more than a third of players of colour.
This will be a major coup for South African rugby transformation and if the team win well, then the infusion of colour could be a relatively permanent fixture.
White meanwhile refused to be drawn into a war of words following the Sydney Morning Herald's proclamation that the Boks were a "dirty" side.
"I do not want to get sucked into that, but it is amazing that Tiaan Strauss said that we were a soft side and needed to be more aggressive," said White.
The way the team ran in the most of the Tuesday afternoon exercises it would seem that a cluster of changes will be made to the team that were outplayed by the Australians two weeks ago.
Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers are expected to run out as a new centre pairing while Andre Pretorious should team up with Lions team-mate Enrico Januarie in the half-back pairing.
Up front the absence of Os Durandt and Van der Linde will see an all new front-row while Joe van Niekerk, Tyibilika and Juan Smith should form a potent and pacy loose trio.
Change was needed, but on this scale it looks like panic. But politics is having less of an effect on the side as a number of good black players are coming through and can therefore be used as less of an excuse. Reality, I believe, is that we won the tri-nations last year while the Aussies and NZ were rebuilding, they have gone on to improve and we have stood still as the super 12 showed. I only hope that White can turn it around.
Well it had to be done sooner or later and I do not have a problem with one of the "black" players ok: except Eddie Andrews ... then again Lawrence Sepaka is on reserve.
I love the new centre pair ! ok:
Quote:Springbok coach Jake White announced a record nine players of colour in his 22-man team to face Australia in the second match of the Nelson Mandela Challenge at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Wings Breyton Paulse and Bryan Habana are joined by scrumhalf Enrico Januarie, flank Solly Tyibilika, props Eddie Andrews and Gurthro Steenkamp in the starting lineup, while Hanyani Shimange, Lawrence Sephaka and Wayne Julies complete the compliment on the reserves bench.
Also confirmed was the brand-new centre pairing of Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie.
Joe van Niekerk
Stormers star Joe van Niekerk earns a recall to the starting lineup at the expense of Bulls number eight Jacques Cronje, who drops out of the side completely.
Lions flyhalf Andre Pretorius has been handed the responsibility of igniting the static Bok backline, with Japan-based Jaco van der Westhuyzen being relegated to the bench.
Only three players - fullback Percy Montgomery and locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha - hold on to their places from the team that were thrashed 12-30 by the Wallabies in Sydney close to a fortnight ago.
Schalk Burger, who was named IRB World Player of the Year last year, also finds himself on the bench and is expected to be used by White as an impact player later on in the match.
The full Springbok team:
15. Percy Montgomery, 14. Breyton Paulse, 13. Jaque Fourie, 12. Jean de Villiers, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Andre Pretorius, 9. Enrico Januarie, 8. Joe van Niekerk, 7. Juan Smith, 6. Solly Tyibilika, 5. Victor Matfield, 4. Bakkies Botha, 3. Eddie Andrews, 2. John Smit ©, 1. Gurthro Steenkamp
Replacements:
16. Hanyani Shimange, 17. Lawrence Sephaka, 18. Albert van den Berg, 19. Schalk Burger, 20. Fourie du Preez, 21. Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 22. Wayne Julies
Mcamp I dont think at all that there is panic within the camp as to the changes they have made,I think it is allquite tactical and that Jake is just checking his options and seeing how the guy's perform.I think it will be good for us, obviously, to win this test but if we don't I dont think White is too peturbed,he is waiting for the Tri-Nations and that is when you will see a full in-strength downright hard mofo's playing proper rugby and winning !!
IMHO of course
AN howzit man,ja bru I have thought about that point you mention... Smith he is good though and he knows what Jake White wants I think as a captain he is doing a good job,it sometimes can be difficult being captain and playing well on a losing side ( last test match for eg. )
Who would you have instead ?
Xhosa Nostra Wrote:Mcamp I dont think at all that there is panic within the camp as to the changes they have made,I think it is allquite tactical and that Jake is just checking his options and seeing how the guy's perform.I think it will be good for us, obviously, to win this test but if we don't I dont think White is too peturbed,he is waiting for the Tri-Nations and that is when you will see a full in-strength downright hard mofo's playing proper rugby and winning !!
IMHO of course
I hear you, but the Kiwis were simply devastating against the Lions, and the Aussies likewise against us. I am also apalled at the way our teams performed in the super 12, where I think we had the worst record to date.
But I would be happy to be proved wrong,
mcamp999 Wrote:But I would be happy to be proved wrong,
Ja,me and you both boet