We are just a few days away now from the much anticipated first test between the Springboks and the Lions. Bok coach, PDV has named hist starting XV for the game and there are not many surprises. The one notable change is forced due to the injury of Burger which sees Brussow come in for him on the flank. Guru had earlier on predicted his starting XV and he had suggested that Danie Rossouw would come in for Burger.
The team in full is: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Adi Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit (c), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Gurthro Steenkamp, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Danie Rossouw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Jaque Fourie, 22 Morne Steyn.
We now await the Lions to name their XV.
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6 comments
Guru says:
Jun 17, 2009
There comes a time when one is more than happy to have their predictions proven wrong and this is one of them for me. I must take my hat off to Peter De Villiers (PDV) for swallowing his pride and including Brussouw in the starting line up. I am glad he has silenced many of his critics. More importantly, he has given the boks the added advantage of having a specialist flanker. With Jaque Fourie and Morne Steyn on the bench I would say this is the best 22 man squad that PDV could have selected from the available players. I am 100% happy with this team.
Ron says:
Jun 17, 2009
I must say it is an okay team but as always I will have a few question marks. First one being that Brussouw may crack under the pressure pf playing on the big stage. Test rugby is different from Super 14 and mid week tour games. Secondly, Frans at the back and after just speaking to Guru he is also skeptical about Frans at the back. Thirdly, I am still not sure about Smit as a prop, we have to wait and see who the Lions put him up against in Saturday. Fourthly, Ruan at 10 and as the goal kicker. He may be playing at his home ground but will he be able to handle the goal kicking pressure coupled with the fact that he has to run the game from the flyhalf position. The guy has not had much rugby this past Super 14 so that may count against him.
BP says:
Jun 17, 2009
while i agree this has to be the strongest 21 players available to the boks, i think burger will be there when fit, i still have my doubts about the backs lack of recent match fitness, most missing the better part of the last half of the s14.
ruan at 10, while he may be the best player to be in that position for SA, its a big ask for his first game back after a lengthy lay off. it’d have been better to start with morne especially with fourie at scrum half.
i still dont know what rickie januarie is doing there when he cant even start for the stormers/province side???
Guru says:
Jun 17, 2009
True BP, the moment you mentioned the best 21 players I figured you would be excluding Ricky. I have to agree with you there. However, while he may not be the 2nd best scrummy in the country he certainly is not the worst either. He has always seemed to thrive on the big stage amd seems to have better games for the boks than his province. Ron is also correct, I am uneasy about Frans at the back and i will be nervous for him come Saturday. But i think if he can field the first few kicks and send one or two 60metre punts back into Lions territory, he should be fine.
Manny says:
Jun 17, 2009
No surprises at all from this team. The only deviation from what was largely expected is Brussouw for Burger. I am sure Ian McGeechan was pretty happy to see this starting XV as its the team the Lions coaching staff would’ve been preparing for over the last few months.
PDV dodged a bullet with the injury to Schalk but having said that we will have to see how Brussouw handles the pressure.
I agree with everything Ron said, still questions about 3, 10 and 15.
Nothing has changed. This Bok team still has obvious weaknesses.
Smit, Ruan, JdV,Adi and Frans beware; Sheridan, Williams, Heaslip, Jones, Roberts and BOD are coming for you!
2-1 to the Lions.
BP says:
Jun 18, 2009
at least im not the only one who thinks the fitness is of some concern in the backline
http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Rugby/LionsinSA/954/4d2227652967441facb6542fa3ceecfa/18-06-2009%2009-06/Boks_match_fitness_in_doubt