Tank Lanning
Very much as expected … Heyneke Meyer has picked Zane Kirchner at fullback ahead of Patrick Lambie, and the uncapped Marcell Coetzee and Eben Etzebeth to start against England on Saturday.
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis (v/c), 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Bench: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Pat Lambie, 22 Wynand Olivier.
It’s a very strong side based on a conservative and physical approach that Meyer favours … This will be no basketball match on Saturday … More like an arm wrestle with the odd head butt!
Zane Kirchner, while being a good Super Rugby player, has not been able to take the step up to international level, so I would have had Patrick Lambie at the back. He is the complete package. Kirchner has probably been selected for his defence but I do not remember Lambie missing too many tackles …
Alberts is a perfect bench man, as he adds a massive impact in the second half, but we are short on quality 7’s at the moment. Coetzee has been outstanding for the Sharks, so one cannot fault that selection. Still would have had Brussow there, though.
Eben Etzebeth is the future, and his start on Saturday is well deserved. I might have started Van der Merwe , utilising his experience for what will no doubt be a testing and physical opening 20 minutes. I also think Etzebeth will have more of an impact than Van der Merwe. But no real issue there …
Adriaan Strauss has been superb this year, but Ralepelle has been the heir apparent for a very long time, and again played well in the Super15. I think he deserves a spot on the bench. The lilly white bench will also be raising a few questions at some stage …
Coenie Oosthuizen is a specialist loosehead, Kruger is a specialist tighthead. It is much more difficult to play tighthead, and Jannie is the potential weakness in the starting front row. I would sleep better as a coach with a tighthead on the bench.
Pienaar can cover flyhalf and fullback (as could Steyn), Pietersen and Habana could cover centre, so having either Mvovo or Basson (or both) on the bench in place of Olivier, who is another who has not been able to take the step up to international rugby, might have made more sense – both tactically and politically …
A coach can only select 22 players … He will never please everyone. I have had my say, but I will back this Bok side on Saturday, and reserve final judgement for after the perfomance against the Poms …
Are you on your way to Argentina with me?
So is the Bok side identical to the side you selected in the Energade Bok Barometer on SuperSport? Courtesy of Energade, I am hosting the winners on a trip to see the Boks play in Argentina next year. The winners being the guys or girls who correctly predict the Bok side that Heyneke Meyer picks each week this year. Head to http://www.supersport.com/rugby/bokbarometer to enter …
The 22 I thought Meyer would pick:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Bench: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Jacques Potgieter, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Patrick Lambie, 22 Bjorn Basson
Just the two wrong then … Potgieter ahead of Daniel, and Basson instead of Olivier … But for the competition you only need to select the starting XV, so I have earned my stripes as a tour leader in week 1 🙂
And the 22 I would have selected:
15 Patrick Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Bench: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Eben Etzebeth, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Lwazi Mvovo, 22 Bjorn Basson
I pick the exact team as HM…
I will be going on that tour…!!!!
Sideshow Bob at fullback and Meisiekind on the bench… what a disappointment!!
I am gutted, picked the team, but had pietersen and habana the other way around. School boy error on my part !
Just a correction Tank, Coenie was tighthead his entire school career, only started playing loosehead under Naka, who still sees him as long-term tighthead, also played tighthead for 4 or 5 games last year for Cheetahs when WP Nel was injured, so not too bad an option on the bench.
Thanks Charl. I know he played tighthead at school, but thought he looked particularly at sea when tried there in the CC by Os …
With the exception of CJ van der Linde, I think the only other player (very junior) that can scrum both sides is Oliver Kebble. Did you see how he one man demolished the tired irish scrum?
He is playing tighthead for the Baby Boks tonight … Will watch closely. Bloody difficult to play both sides … Italy unlikely to challenge up front though …
HM said in the beginning that he wants to win the test series! So make yourself ready for a hard up front and not to much at the back play!! No one test will be won or lost by more that 10 points!!
I cannot believe that a coach or the majority of rugby supporters cannot see that Pierre Spies does nothing in a game.Go and look at the last 5 games.Apart from the lucky try on Saturday, which any one else could have scored, he has not had one run, only tackles when somebody runs into him, gets tackled by the smallest opponent,never wins a loose ball.The Bulls were carrying him ( the last 2 games 14 men couldn’t play against 15). If Meyer has to pick him on his form 4 years ago , let him sit on the bench , and when we are far ahead bring him on. To start with him is madness!!!!!!
Ok , to start with Pierre Spies is a mistake!!!!! as he does not contribute to the team. Watch the last 5 games and decide yourself.
to start with spies? he shouldnt even be in the sqaud. we dont have depth due to injuries, but he is really not worth a place. Hasnt been for a few years now.
Agree with all of you on Spies, and perhaps Daniel does deserve a run at 8. But with Alberts only just back from injury, Coetzee laying his 1st test, I can understand Meyer going with Spies. Has not been good in a Bok (or Blue/Pink) jersey for a while now though …
I suppose the reality is that we have the luxury of what ever team we choose does not get judged, where as HM’s will be open for scrutiny by millions. We must akso remember that he has always said that he is only dealing with the 3 tests v England at this stage. Still can’t get my head around Kirchner at 15(Murphy’s law he will probably have a blinder) and Olivier on the bench. Not sure about Alberts as a loosie anymore. IMO Jacques Potgieter would have started if he had had game time recently. He is so typical of what HM looks for in a 7. Tank, I think he has gone for Strauss because of his scrumming and line out throwing even though Strauss’s tackling stats is the poorest amongst the hookers in SA – CR can have his moments of skew throws. I maybe way off the mark, but I think one is already noticing HM’s player management skills coming out. By making Bismark Du Plessis Vice-C, he has also given a player who can have on field disciplinary problems a position of responsibility. I know Bismark was also desperate to be captain of the Boks.