South Africa Announce team for 1st test

[shazbooger]

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8100972.stm

South Africa: Francois Steyn; JP Pietersen, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez; Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, John Smit, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Heinrich Brussow, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies.

Replacements: Gurthro Steenkamp, Deon Carstens, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Ricky Januarie, Jaque Fourie, Morne Steyn.

 

[munross]

Pretty much the team that I expected to see, Heinrich Brussow get the start that he rightfully deserves and I hope to see Morne Steyn getting at least 20mins of game time.

 

[Aeros]

Jacobs... Someone go shoot this coach

 

[Steve-o]

Not a bad team at all, in fact, a very impressive team. I'm happy.

Ideally I would have Steenkamp ahead of Beast and Jacque Fourie ahead of Jacobs. Luckily both are on the bench so if the **** hits the fan we can call on them.

THANK GOD Brussow is starting! Master stroke by P Divvy there.

 

[Aeros]

I'm worried about our scrums, and Jacobs at 13... Really worried.

I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep this week, at all.

 

[SaintsFan_Schweinsteiger_Webby]

Pretty menacing looking team all in all. Lions need to come out firing and maybe hope for a bit of disjointed play from the Boks having not played as recently. Numbers 4-10 is a pretty scary spine to the side even without Burger. Perhaps even moreso the way Brussow played against the Lions earlier in the tour.

 

[Boggle]

:lol:

I'm just glad he didn't go with JP Pietersen at fullback.
Great team actually, also would like Jacque ahead of Jacobs, but Jacobs is an ace player in his own right, and although the Jean / Jacque combination is probably the best center pairing in the world in my opinion, it's been absolutely ages since they've gotten game time together, and Jacobs has shown that he plays well with De villiers.

I guess starting Pienaar at 10 was to be expected as Morney hasn't even played for the boks yet, but I think he might get a start in one of the three tests, depending on how things go.

 

[g6mcg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 16 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Not a bad team at all, in fact, a very impressive team. I'm happy.

Ideally I would have Steenkamp ahead of Beast and Jacque Fourie ahead of Jacobs. Luckily both are on the bench so if the **** hits the fan we can call on them.

THANK GOD Brussow is starting! Master stroke by P Divvy there.[/b]

Well I think I could have worked that one out, and I don't think many would describe me as a tactical genius.

 

[g6mcg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Aeros @ Jun 16 2009, 05:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'm worried about our scrums, and Jacobs at 13... Really worried.

I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep this week, at all.[/b]

Oh don't worry, we've discovered the "raging fieldmouse". Brilliant in the loose, Spies watch out - King Vic scores at least twice a game (oh my dirty mind), but he has no concept of the scrum. Or rather, he thinks his purpose is to give away penalties, thus losing the game, but as he's so brilliant, who cares?

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (g6mcg @ Jun 17 2009, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 16 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THANK GOD Brussow is starting! Master stroke by P Divvy there.[/b]

Well I think I could have worked that one out, and I don't think many would describe me as a tactical genius.
[/b][/quote]
We'll see what the ref has to say about that. Will be crucial at the breakdown.

Don't know anything about Bekker on the bench - any insights?

 

[Vambo]

Is that the best they can come up with? Lions by 50

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Vambo @ Jun 17 2009, 08:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Is that the best they can come up with? Lions by 50 [/b]

Maul and breakdown is everything.

Both backlines full of huff and puff, cancel each other.

Will be tense and interesting.

 

[Steve-o]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shtove @ Jun 16 2009, 10:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (g6mcg @ Jun 17 2009, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 16 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THANK GOD Brussow is starting! Master stroke by P Divvy there.[/b]

Well I think I could have worked that one out, and I don't think many would describe me as a tactical genius.
[/b][/quote]
We'll see what the ref has to say about that. Will be crucial at the breakdown.

Don't know anything about Bekker on the bench - any insights?
[/b][/quote]

After getting his cap last year he became the tallest Springbok ever, and tallest international lock in rugby currently, at 208 cm and weighting in at 120kg (SARugby.com stats).
GREAT in the lineout (as you can imagine) and very industrious around the park for a big man. Was one of the Stormers best players this season.
A legend in the making IMO.

 

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 16 2009, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shtove @ Jun 16 2009, 10:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (g6mcg @ Jun 17 2009, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 16 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THANK GOD Brussow is starting! Master stroke by P Divvy there.[/b]

Well I think I could have worked that one out, and I don't think many would describe me as a tactical genius.
[/b][/quote]
We'll see what the ref has to say about that. Will be crucial at the breakdown.

Don't know anything about Bekker on the bench - any insights?
[/b][/quote]

After getting his cap last year he became the tallest Springbok ever, and tallest international lock in rugby currently, at 208 cm and weighting in at 120kg (SARugby.com stats).
GREAT in the lineout (as you can imagine) and very industrious around the park for a big man. Was one of the Stormers best players this season.
A legend in the making IMO.
[/b][/quote]

http://img.ssz.co.za/AndriesBekkerS09pro.jpg

His Profile

HE is a very mobile player for a big man and has fairly good hands

 

[shtove]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Intercept King JdV @ Jun 17 2009, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Jun 16 2009, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shtove @ Jun 16 2009, 10:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't know anything about Bekker on the bench - any insights?[/b]

After getting his cap last year he became the tallest Springbok ever, and tallest international lock in rugby currently, at 208 cm and weighting in at 120kg (SARugby.com stats).
GREAT in the lineout (as you can imagine) and very industrious around the park for a big man. Was one of the Stormers best players this season.
A legend in the making IMO.
[/b][/quote]

http://img.ssz.co.za/AndriesBekkerS09pro.jpg

His Profile

HE is a very mobile player for a big man and has fairly good hands
[/b][/quote]
Thx.

His hair adds two inches.

 

[Aeros]

Hehe, can anyone tell me if the referee we have for Saturday is any good? Looking at some of what we've had in the series so far... Mr. Forwardpass for example...

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Bekker is a legend, amazing in the loose, has been one of the Stormers best players for a few seasons.

Im pretty happy with this team as well, no weaknesses really. I would have liked to have seen Nokwe but Pietersen has played very well this year, strong bench to. The only worry is the Boks havent played since the England massacre last November.

 

[KZNSharksFan]

I watched Jaque Fourie live against the Chiefs and I swear the Lions would have lost by 30 more than they did if he wasnt playing. He was amazing on and off the ball, the lines he ran, how he shut down the chiefs backline with the perfect timing of his rush defence. I rate him far higher than Jacobs. I hate politics in sport but at least Jacobs is a good player. That backline would be amazing if Fourie was in it too though.

 

[Jer1cho]

So, first Brussouw is excluded from the entire squad, and now he finds himself starting at 6... Just shows what a massive performance can do, coupled with media hype. Good on him. Let's hope he keeps that form that made him so lethal in the Super14!

Only thing i would change, is Fourie instead of Jacobs. Also, i would prefer Steenkamp ahead of Beast.

Why is Kanko not even on the bench? Does he still have that back injury?

 

[Bull]

Have to agree with everyone regarding Jacobs, his defence is suspect. JP Nel gave him a hard time in the last league game of the S14 and he's playing against the best outside centre in the world. If I were the Lions I would have Jamie Roberts take up a few crash balls on Jacobs. Regarding the front row, John Smit is not a prop yes he started rugby by playing there but that was a long time ago. This is the exact same front row that got shoved backwards by the Waratahs and they aren't renowned for their scrummaging.

Really glad that Brussouw got called up, every team needs a player that plays towards the ball. Let's be honest Ricky Januarie is only there because of his skin color, he isn't even in the starting XV of the Stormers and he's fat!

In any case the Boks need to play in the faces of the Lions and not back down then there's no way they'll lose.