Jacobs, Kirchner to face France
Adi Jacobs starts at inside centre against France while Zane Kirchner has been handed the fullback berth.
It was an open secret that Jacobs would fill the midfield void left by Jean de Villiers, but Kirchner’s inclusion was less certain, with Ruan Pienaar having played in the position in two Tests against Australia in the Tri-Nations, and coach Peter de Villiers intimating that he was being groomed to play there on the year-end tour, given Frans Steyn’s imminent departure for French club Racing Metro.
Elsewhere, Heinrich Brüssow and Schalk Burger should form a formidable flank combination, while the dynamic Ryan Kankowski gets a rare start in light of Pierre Spies’ injury.
The starting line-up boasts a total of 588 Test caps between them, while the bench boys add 180 to that figure. In a Test as close as Friday’s clash in Toulouse is expected to be, experience could well be the difference between victory and defeat.
The Springbok selectors have opted for a 5-2 bench split, with the bench the trio of, props Wian du Preez and CJ van der Linde, and hooker Adriaan Strauss will provide complete front row cover, while Pienaar’s utility value means he can fill in at 9, 10 or 15 and Wynand Olivier likely to get a run in the final quarter at centre, although he has played wing at Test level in the past.
‘The core of the match did duty during the Tri-Nations campaign and will provide us with stability going into this tough opening Test,’ De Villiers said.
‘There are a lot of experienced players in the starting 15 as well as on the bench which will be important to our continuity as well as to ensuring that we maintain our structures and play the way we want to.
‘I have full confidence in the new players who will be starting on Friday, they have shown their qualities before and we have to make sure we get the best out of them. The three newcomers are all good players in their own right. CJ is very experienced while both Adriaan and Wian have been part of the squad previously.’
Springboks - 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Adi Jacobs, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 John Smit, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Wian du Preez, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Andries Bekker, 20 Danie Rossouw, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Wynand Olivier.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
#594 grant10: Night Grant….remember a pint of water before your head hits the pillow, think of the drumming with a headache!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
#595 Robzim: Seal riding!!
They would be impressed!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
#597 carol:
I didn’t have time to eat I was too busy getting grief from all the Poms I’d been tee’ing up for a thumping the entire week…
I do have a lot of love for the curries in this place though. I never stray too far from our local Balti Hut.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
there going to be cockerell feathers flying all over the show, cos the boks are going to get stuck into them. dont matter what they do, i tink Bokke going to clean their coupe.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
#601 carol:
It is a Southern Elephant seal (Mirounga leoline I think) – they can be dangerous but the one in HtB harbour is docile and tame.
Carol, I am just kidding, although there is really such a seal and a guy who claims to be a seal handler. You cannot ride on it, only touch it and get your photo taken with it.
These are wild animals and I think it is pathetic that the authorities are turning a blind eye on what is happening in that harbour.
Humans should never interfere with wild animals.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
so if we read it right
D G only one with almost a 1/1 ratio
J F 1/2
Fleck 1/3
Joubert 1/3
Jdv 1/3
Jacobs 1/4
Barry 1/10
Now I wonder who provided most assists
Also how many did F. Steyn get and how many did W. Olivier get?
November 10th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
#602 Yetirat: Must have been quite distressing!!
Where are you in Britain?
#604 Robzim: I know the dolphin handling centres are rather under scurutiny in the States!
Why do dying people often want to swim with dolphins? Interesting……!!
November 10th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
I’m outta here – Thanks for your company guys, I will tell you if John Smit replies to my ‘Tweet’.
(Bet you can hardly wait Skop)?
November 10th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
#607 carol:
Cheers Carol,
Tell him he must stick to a rugby-brook.
Lycra is too revealing.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Bravo een Bravo een, kom in?
November 10th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Robzim , I would touch a dolphin and even a seal at a push. But the only great white I would touch is a dead one.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
#605 skopskiet:
Gerber played in the amateur era – defences were not as organised and it was easier to score tries.
In the modern era 1/1 is unheard of.
He was probably still the best attacking centre we ever had.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
#606 carol:
I am trapped in the arsehole of England…..Northampton.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
#610 Slappes:
Howzit man, Yip those Sharkeys are dangerous – you must be careful.
I had a chat to Grant about it a bit earlier tonight
November 10th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
can say something that if we take care of this French team then we’ve achieved something. Perhaps almost on par with taking Nz in Nz or better, because these guys are riding high at the moment. Probably best team in Europe and right up with Nz, Sa, Aus in the class stakes. I reckon this era of French rugby is getting close to epitome of their ability. They took Nz in Nz earlier this year just like us.
We beat France on Friday I’ll be pretty surprised, and then every Pdv doubter can take his hat off to him. Because then not only will Pdv have done more than any coach before in a clean sheet Eoyt 2008. Tri nations win 5 from 6 in 2009. Br Lions tour win. No.1 Irb ranking. Wins in Nz 2008 and 2009 – but also he would have beaten France away which hasn’t been done since Mallet in 1997. Paint it any way you like but if we beat France on Friday in Toulouse then Pdv would have qualified himself as a coach that knows how to win.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Robzim, yeah but Grant apparently becomes a seal after too much sherry.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
So here is my take on the team selection and things that we will have to keep a look out for – There will be the battle up front that is going to be fundamental in the outcome of the match. I have seen that a hard battle upfront certainly have an effect on the way a team dominates and controls the match. France have one of the biggest front five combinations in world rugby at the moment. We must see if South Africa can stand up to the task that have been set by these players.
And More
November 10th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
PdV already done himself proud, but Bokke going to stuff em regardless imo.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
on the udda hand, if we slip up and lose which under circumstances is very highly possible and even perhaps could be construed as probable the way this showdown is panning out. No matter how well we play. If we lose Friday, the butcher knives will be out in search of a slagting, boy oh boy, can bet your last raking dollar on it.
No place to hide Friday night, knife edge stuff, one slip and its ballas off, guillotine at the ready.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
#545 Robzim:
atually os is on twitter too…
November 10th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Skop, agree. Our pack better pitch up cause thats what the french always target. Watch the french defence lines, theyre always offside.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
#611 Robzim:
Habanas strike rate not too shabby then: 35 tries in 54.
About 1/1.5
I know he’s a wing, but still.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Gunther, OS twittering? Nooit.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
i can see it now, the frogs are going to come out dam busters and the bokke are going to bust them, beast going to blow a hole thru them and cause the first bit of panic at african strength, then burger going to iron out some unsuspectuing chabal or bigboy centre like they never knew existed, then it might get nasty when their cockerells start to flair – in which case bakkies, bismarck, rossouw and cj will end the nights activities with murder on the dancefloor, the bokke remix.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Jong its gonna be one moerse oorlog Friday night. Who’s the ref he better carry a set of cuffs on his belt and a six shooter in his holster besides his whistle in his mouth, he’s gonna need them.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
there going to be shouts of:
‘merde’ and ‘putain’!
their might even be a few:
’sacre bleus’ and ‘zut alors’
but alors it will rain french tears in toulouse.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Pakslae gaan die paddas opv_k ! Daniesorous just loves those heavy fields.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
maybe Barnesey?
November 10th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
#593 Hondo:
I think you may be confused. Meisiekind and JF are not the same person.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Os twittering god verdompt wtf this world coming to, may as well get ready for Armageddon or Mayan premanition 2012 earth shift on its axis, we about to hit the wall.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Skop,
yeah the worlds gonna end. Os computer picked up a virus and he scrubbed the hard drive with dettol.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Nooit if Os is twittering then I give up. Hands up, No Mas, get me the fok outa here. Asb!
November 11th, 2009 at 12:18 am
#603 cab: Cab I don’t think that we will win this one. Just don’t. Bench is good, but Adi is going to have a helluva time handling a 105 kg angry kid with a point to prove. Then our bench looks light. Although Ryan could play wing with ease and Bekker plays in the backline a lot too.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:20 am
#614 skopskiet: aye.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:22 am
#618 skopskiet: I dunno. 3N & B&IL seems enough success in one year?
But if Adi plays badly or outclassed that will be used against PdV.
November 11th, 2009 at 7:29 am
#397 carol: Hi Carol have never been to Corsica or Sicily, its on my list of places to go to, we are hoping to go in June next year. We whant to go via UK – being dying to see England Ireland and Scotland, but when we came the last time, all we saw was Heathrow a short tour of London and Harrods, before we noticed my sister had chicken pox and we had to flee before we got quarantined in London paying with pounds which we couldn’t afford. Never forgiven her to this day!
November 11th, 2009 at 7:31 am
#539 skopskiet: you’re not going to believe this skoppie, but unless it’s an impersonator, caveman is in fact on twitter
November 11th, 2009 at 7:41 am
#393 WakaNathan: Wakanathan, if you have been to Villa Simius, we may even have bumped into each other
My aunt owns a holiday home at Capo Boy, which is just before Villa Simius, so we go to Villa Simius for entertainment and Gelato 
November 11th, 2009 at 7:44 am
#637 Sharksgirl: Sorry Wakanathan was also meant to add, I haven’t been to Alghero since I was a teenager, but I have heard from my cousins that it is now the in-place in Sardinia!
November 11th, 2009 at 7:53 am
#605 skopskiet:
Skops.
WO 0/24
F Styen: 5/36
But that might not be fair toward Fran, he mostly played at FB or wing, not at centre
Gerber is phenomenal, because his test flyhalf was not renown for passing the ball, but Jaques Fourie comes the nearest in recent decades to Gerber.
November 11th, 2009 at 8:01 am
#632 SodaJoe:
Adi will do the Adi: fake tackles,
I’ll be surprised if the Frogs will not target him, Kirshner and the damn slow Pietersen with a behind the back kicks
The bench is great, question is how far the Boks’ starting XV will get behind before the bench takes over?
November 11th, 2009 at 8:02 am
#491 Transformation: I do not Twitter, not that advanced
The Gary Gold thing was shown to me by a friend. There I have admited it!
November 11th, 2009 at 8:24 am
I think Adi will do just fine. He is not quite in JdV’s league but I think most of the worries over his defence are unfounded. If the Boks get good quick turnover ball he could be just the man with his eye for the gap. I agree he should be ahead of WO at this stage as WO has been consistent but seems to lack that X factor that an international centre should have. The real battle will be up front. Whoever dominates there will take it. My biggest concern in the forwards bench. If PdV keeps JS on for the whole game, moving him to hooker later on, as he seems to enjoy, will Strauss be a wasted sub?
November 11th, 2009 at 9:03 am
#614 skopskiet: Amen
November 11th, 2009 at 9:34 am
#432 Staal: Ja you’re right. It was actually the game where the Bulls had to beat the Stormers by some big margin – 32 points I think? – it Newlands in order to make the Super 14 play-offs. And they did it by 33 points.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
#637 Sharksgirl:
ah yes, its a fine spot. And I might say that the gelati there are buonissimo. But not as good as the almond-milk granita in Sicily = perfecto !
November 11th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
CAB – I applaud your optimism but i think the Boks won’t beat the Frogs this Friday. We have seen the second stringers in action and thus far they haven’t shone. When the Boks are unsettled from their usual 22 they always never play well. However i still think it is good to get the fringe players involved now, sooner rather than later.
I hope Adi gets replaced ASAP with Olivier then we may have a chance. Also the fullback doesn’t promote confidence at all, i would prefer Jantjies there and he is not very good either.
The Frenchie backline is big and fast, i just can’t see this Bok backline being able to keep up.