Boks call up big guns
12 Aug 2008
Percy Montgomery and Fourie du Preez will start against the All Blacks on Saturday.
They replace Ricky Januarie and Conrad Jantjes in the starting line-up, with the other changes coming at lock, where Andries Bekker starts in place of the injured Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger in for Luke Watson at openside flank and Danie Rossouw and Frans Steyn coming onto the wood.
Montgomery will earn his 100th Test cap at Newlands in a back three that won the World Cup and one that started when they broke a 10-year losing streak at Dunedin earlier in the tournament.
“It’s a special moment for me, particularly because it’s at Newlands where I spent a big part of my career and against the All Blacks. You couldn’t have asked for a better script,” he told keo.co.za. Montgomery will share his special occasion with Juan Smith, who makes his 50th appearance for the Springboks.
Du Preez was somewhat of a surprise inclusion given how loyal coach Peter De Villiers has been to Ricky Januarie. However, there can be no question that Du Preez offers a more complete option, particularly from a tactical-kicking perspective.
De Villiers said it was a hard decision to drop Januarie but pointed towards fatigue as a decisive factor.
“We can’t live in the past. We have to move on,” De Villiers said in response to the question of whether Januarie’s performance against the All Blacks in Dunedin wasn’t enough to warrant a start.
“If you look at Ricky’s workload this year in the Super 14 and in the Test matches, you’ll realise that a lot has been asked of him. The legs were definitely starting to get a bit heavier and it was time to make the change.
“I’ve always promised players that I’ll be honest with them in all areas and while it was a hard call to make, I feel it was the right one given the type of game we want to play. It’s great to be in a position to say to two players who have done nothing wrong, ‘Look sorry but you’re not going to start’. It’s a blessing.”
Du Preez and Montgomery’s inclusion hints that their play may be characterised by territorial dominance gained through tactical kicking. De Villiers refused to confirm the game plan, saying: “I might as well invite the All Blacks to our training sessions if I told you that.
“Ricky and Conrad don’t have bad kicking games at all,” he asserted. “But Fourie is very good off the boot and Percy offers us a left-footed option which is valuable. We know how we want to play against New Zealand and those players offer us the strengths we need to play the game we want to.”
Asked whether their inclusion was partly designed to take some kicking pressure off Butch James, De Villiers said: “I aim to have 15 perfect players who are able to execute a wide range of skills. They will read the situation and play accordingly. But it’s always soothing to know you have two players who can do that job and that frees Butch to shift the ball.”
Captain Victor Matfield said he expected a physical contest. “We’ll give each other as good as we get. It won’t be a lot different to traditional Springbok/All Blacks Tests.”
In Dunedin the All Blacks dominated possession 58% to 42%, while they spent 66% of the game in South Africa’s territory. Despite this, the Springboks scored two tries to their one and crafted the better scoring opportunities. This also speaks volumes about the defensive work done by the visitors, who began to slip tackles late in the match (a total of 22 to New Zealand’s 6) but scrambled desperately in search of redemption. They made 205 tackles in total – massive by Test standards.
Asked if they expected to defend as much as that this weekend Matfield was non-committal.
“If you look at the stats from games over the last two years you’ll see that often the team that has less possession won the game. Maybe there’s a trend developing there,” he said.
“But decision making will be key. We put a premium on keeping possession but it’s important that we read the situation and make sharp decisions and execute accurately. Using the ball in the right manner is extremely important against the All Blacks.”
Springboks – 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Adi Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Andries Bekker, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Brian Mujati, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Frans Steyn, 22 Conrad Jantjes
By Ryan Vrede, in Cape Town
731 Comments
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12 Aug 2008, 16:15 pm
#577 grant10:
“PD Villiers continues to surprise and delight me!”
Fully agree with that one, mate. It is exciting to have him around!
Having said that I would have started with Rosseau instead of Bekker and bring Bekker on for the second half. I am also a bit worried about the loose trio combination that comprises of 3 big ball carriers (bashers) who do not offer much counter to McCaw on the ground or in the playmaking (linking) department. We also had this problem against Australia in Perth and came up short. Luckily we have LW on the bench who will probably be on early in the second half .
This team should win.
12 Aug 2008, 16:16 pm
#591 NY_Agent: Well you know what they say: The only difference between *** you pay for and *** you don’t pay for is that *** you don’t pay for is a hell of a lot more expensive.
12 Aug 2008, 16:17 pm
#596 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5: mustve been an hallucination.
you see, i was walking along and tripped, screaming as i did so, and swallowed a funny looking mushroom. the smurfs just got off it in time.
12 Aug 2008, 16:17 pm
586 iori Yagami: nothing wrong with white gals, everthing wrong with their freinds with their advises……”clean him out girl, get the best lawyer in the country”…….poor Gibbs he is probably paying the Expensive QC as well…..hope he did’t give pot…..now he really need a puff….
12 Aug 2008, 16:17 pm
Cheers mense! Lekker dag verder.
12 Aug 2008, 16:18 pm
#595 iori Yagami:
Cullerts chicks are far easier on the wallet. A walk around the Waterfront – window shopping only of course, a Kentucky zinger, a frozen yoghurt and you’re getting lucky in the backseat of your taxi in an empty Green Point parking lot.
White chicks want sit down dinners, roses, handbags and fancy apartments.
Nee wat, wit meisies is te duur.
12 Aug 2008, 16:19 pm
#603 rangerman: Infected Mushroom.
12 Aug 2008, 16:19 pm
ok, i am out too.
enjoy the fine day wherever you are.
may everyones dreams come true (which is hard because teniel and herschelle find themselves with different dreams).
12 Aug 2008, 16:19 pm
#604 NY_Agent: Ja that true. White girls are freaks though! lol
12 Aug 2008, 16:21 pm
#606 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5: Ja that true dude. and a leka papsak instead of uncle jack or mr.morgan.
12 Aug 2008, 16:21 pm
#607 sondebok: i think so.
but i felt fine. infectious you could say (my laughter, thats it!).
12 Aug 2008, 16:21 pm
#606 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5: That’s pretty ****** specific, wouldn’t you say?
12 Aug 2008, 16:21 pm
#22 Tacitus: no,no takkie……we won the s14.
and then Frans gave it to you ous, so he would not have to put up with you on KEO
12 Aug 2008, 16:22 pm
Cheers Rangy, always entertaining
12 Aug 2008, 16:23 pm
If one would make a video with all the ball that Luke fetched/turned over , I guarantee it would not be longer than 2min
12 Aug 2008, 16:23 pm
#612 katman: I think he has the experience from dating a coloured girl.
12 Aug 2008, 16:24 pm
i think i’ll take Tacitus’ s advise…..”make love to a beautiful lady only in strange places………” at least there are no come backsbn there………
12 Aug 2008, 16:24 pm
#611 rangerman:
Cheers mate!
You sound about as tired as what I am…
12 Aug 2008, 16:25 pm
#587 rangerman:
The bright lights on the mountain? Dude, were you perhaps smoking some giggle-twig?
12 Aug 2008, 16:25 pm
#612 katman:
Just like Johnny Depp, I know what a cullert women wants. They call me Don Juan DeGamat
12 Aug 2008, 16:26 pm
#134 Tacitus: love is in the air, everywhere I look around.
12 Aug 2008, 16:27 pm
#619 WP Till I Die:
Reckon he must have seen those lights after leaving a student “joint” in Obs somewhere
12 Aug 2008, 16:28 pm
#606 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5:
Speak for yourself.
12 Aug 2008, 16:28 pm
#606 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5:
I agree.
12 Aug 2008, 16:29 pm
#620 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5:
Listen. My moer is stooting.
Shut up.
12 Aug 2008, 16:30 pm
Should it not read KFC zinger and a frozen yoghurt?
12 Aug 2008, 16:31 pm
#620 Saffa_Guy: PdV’s Boks By 5:
I thought you were just Dom Gam van Makro.
12 Aug 2008, 16:31 pm
lol……which ones shag better………
12 Aug 2008, 16:31 pm
#624 WP Till I Die:
When I read that I was wondering what your views are.
Thought you also had strong views on the topic.
12 Aug 2008, 16:32 pm
“When I pull a piece out nigga’s like peace out” Ludacris- Breathe in Breathe out- College Dropout- Kanye West
12 Aug 2008, 16:32 pm
#626 Sheriff:
Listen, as can be seen from the above, i get by on my charms not on my grammer and spelling
12 Aug 2008, 16:32 pm
#628 NY_Agent: Coloureds obviously dude hahaha
12 Aug 2008, 16:32 pm
#577 grant10: Yes agree with you there. A good balance between experience and youth. Just would have had Big Joe there. Thought he would be. I suppose we will need Watson for just incase anything happens to Burger. I think Burger will play the full 80 min if he is fully over his injury. Also maybe would have started with Danie. Spies too hope he has a good game this Saturday. Has not been the same player he was last year. Otherwise it looks like a good team.
12 Aug 2008, 16:34 pm
#627 WP Till I Die:
He, he, he, absolute classic
12 Aug 2008, 16:34 pm
#628 NY_Agent:
Cullerts.
12 Aug 2008, 16:34 pm
#629 Sheriff:
He agrees that coloured women are easily pleased by a Kentucky zinger and a frozen yoghurt and some cheap backseat f&%^k.
12 Aug 2008, 16:34 pm
I is Elvis, mos!
12 Aug 2008, 16:35 pm
#629 Sheriff:
I have very strong views
Nothing like a Bonteheuwel Bokkie
12 Aug 2008, 16:35 pm
#632 iori Yagami: i hear the loss/lack of front teeth make the BJ really smooth…….
12 Aug 2008, 16:37 pm
#638 WP Till I Die:
Or a Lentegeur Liefie
12 Aug 2008, 16:37 pm
#639 NY_Agent:
Nou pra’ jy mo’
12 Aug 2008, 16:37 pm
531 Dawn: yes good call – Luke would have done well in the ladies under 52kg weightlifting “clean and jerk”. Am not so sure about the clean, but surely the jerk.
Highly pissed off that nobody’s getting medal. Ryk is 31 and too old now – also the swimming SA coach sounds like an ******* not liking any of the SA swimmers training and studying in the US. Maybe LJ (another boytjie from bloem like neethling and basson) can spring a surprise either individual or with the 4X400m.
Don’t we have anyone in the obscure sports, like the clay pigeon shooting or hand airgun or some such. Dammit, we have 4 years to plan and find talent.
12 Aug 2008, 16:37 pm
#639 NY_Agent:
This is true!
12 Aug 2008, 16:39 pm
#636 Dawn:
Frozen yoghurt nogal hahaha.
Nee man Saffa guy…
12 Aug 2008, 16:42 pm
#644 Sheriff:
Interest rates and inflation are a killer my friend. Gotta save a few ronds and cents for those bleckie share offers that seem to be all the rage at mo. I’ve got big dreams you – wanna be rich in 10 years time.
12 Aug 2008, 16:42 pm
#642 dirt-tracker:
I have a suspicion Luke is ten times the man you are
12 Aug 2008, 16:42 pm
this a good balanced bok side with a good mental health i think we can win this tri nations
12 Aug 2008, 16:42 pm
you = you know
12 Aug 2008, 16:44 pm
Anywayz, enuff of my sh*t talk for the day.
You ladies and gents enjoy the evening.
12 Aug 2008, 16:46 pm
#644 Sheriff:
Ja nogal!
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