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 9:39 pm
#542 carol:
On fire, I wish – in fact I think I might still suffer from hypothermia.
Yip, full Lycra with short white socks and cycling shoes with cleats.
btw Amanda is very disappointed to hear that the French hooker Dimitri Szarzewski is only on the bench. To her he is just about what Percy is to you.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
#549 carol: Most okes dont like cocaine….get me an oke that dont like a ….and i will get you a very strange oke!!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Got a do on tomorrow nite with a firm of attorneys…and we doing like a drumming session??
Some place in the city…snacks…booze and drumming!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
tell John if they don’t win Friday they should just carry on twittering and don’t bother coming back to sunny SA just keep on twittering instead.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
If Pienaar’s going to be a fixture on the Bok bench from now, I think a 5-2 bench split is the way to go for the Boks from now. He will play at scrumhalf for the SHarks at the S14 right? Now Danie and Bekker can both be on the bench, while a loosehead and tighthead can also be there!
Adi Jacobs and Fourie at centre need to outrun the French centres, to cancel the possibilities of being dominated. But I back Jaque Fourie to keep Yann David on the backfoot.
Ecstatic over CJ, Wian and Adriaan being on the bench. Will C be a Bok option next year? Because I doubt Gurthro and Heinke will be in the mix anytime soon. And I wish we’d get a fullback with an X-factor! Kirchner is solid, but he won’t frighten other teams. Looking forward to Louis Ludik making a claim for the Bok number 15 jersey next year!
But I think if the Boks are in their usual peak condition, they will outlast the French, whom I predict will tire as the match progresses. The key will be to get early points against them and the odd drop goal from Morne, because they are an emotional bunch, the French.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
#553 skopskiet:
smittie will surprise you friday night.
the bok front row have had fuggal guidance from any expert – just tried to find their own way.
de villiers’ short sharp session will help hugely.
now, pdv, get a permanent scrumming coach – please.
the elv’s are gone.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
551,
Then I’m very normal
November 10th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
#554 Mbhubesi: ja…cool post…hope CJ comes back asap…
November 10th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
#556 Die_Valk: LOL…good on you mate!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
#555 charo: Yes…i hope so…and you right there….we simply have to have a scrum expert on hand….should of appointed 1 at start of season already….
Os…Proudfoot or even the Frenchie….well worth it ..
November 10th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
#553 skopskiet: hi skopskiet, i know that jake is in france already on irb duties & other winning ways consulting work. He should be tweeting some information about the weather conditions in toulouse to john, victor and fourie and maybe a game plan seeing that kanko has been included in the team.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
#550 Robzim: I may have to check Demitri out!!
Are cleats on cycling shoes a good or bad thing btw?
Have you been boating again today, hence the hypothermia!!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
#551 grant10: You make me laugh!!
Anyway enjoy the drumming…sounds very tribal!! Don’t get too carried away!!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
damn…i posted on wrong thread now…bloody sherry…
Repost…Rob…skop…tassies reckons we do a get together for the Irish or italian test….what say you gents….?
November 10th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
#562 carol: I will do a U2 impersonation….make Bono proud!!
Will be a jorl i reckon.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Shaun Sowerby reckons he would have given Bok cap back …in order to have qualified for France….see superrugby arcticle those interested
November 10th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
#564 grant10: Do the drum bit from ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’!!
John has not replied to my ‘tweet’, I may resign from Twitter!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
SA A beat england by 4 wickets in 20 20 match tonight.
Gonna be a tough series!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
#561 carol:
Cleats are essential but it makes you walk funny unless you are Italian or called Lance.
I do not like these Aussie jokes
#563 grant10:
It will be cool, just let me know.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
#566 carol: My thoughts exactly!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
#568 Robzim: Will do….Tassies enjoys the Hout Bay Yacht club…but bloody far for you!
May need to find a spot in the middlre…firemans arms always cool….but plenty of time…
Croke park….82000 Irish….big screen…a few Guiness…my sort of day!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
ok Grant can try do a Italy or Ireland test get together.
Yes Charo I think getting P. De Villiers prop in was a bit of a master stroke to get some kop into the front row technique so I’m expecting some rigting in our front 5 Friday. However I’m also expecting our back row to get some surprises from messrs Dusetoir, Harinorduquy and Picamoles with Bonnaire and Chabal coming off the bench.
Its going to be a mammoth war, and if we want to come away victorious then we can’t give an inch the first half hour because if they get away early will be tough coming back. We have to take the game from the front on the front foot and never let off the gas otherwise if they sniff any blood or weakness will be tickets from there.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
#571 skopskiet: cool
November 10th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
#570 grant10:
HTB yacht club or any other place is fine, no problem.
As long as they also sell normal beer – I struggle with the black stuff
I wonder where is that crazy dude called Slappes.
Fawk – he caught you badly the one night with Sharkey
November 10th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
i remember the 97 test…Boks came out blazing….Frogs folded….
Frogs atre talking a big game…i reckon throw the kitchen sink in first few exchanges…they blinhk…we win…
If we sit back ….ooohhh hell!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Harinorduquy and Chabal and Nallet esp are looking for a war of note. We think Bakkies and Schalk are the enforcers, well watch out for those 3 plus the rest. Bismark better keep his cool, there going to be some major cockerel feathers flying about the place. Some big centers to contend with and a big kicking full back. Yup anybody that thought Nz in Nz is the real McCoy well I reckon this could be bigger.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
#573 Robzim: Cool….will chat with Tassies…ja..Slappes a bad oke…SL wanted to moer me for a week!! LOL
HBYC is very cool…cheap club prices and all sorts of booze….didnt sell Windhoek though but tassies the main man there so i am sure he will make a plan for me!!
And they got a cool big screen!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
#568 Robzim: Thought you would appreciate those!
Now I understand the cleat issue, thanks!
Hout Bay sounds best, can I come?
November 10th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
#574 grant10:
With the Frogs you never know – it just depends what mood they are in on the day.
If they are on, no one can beat them (ask the AB’s)
If the are off, even Scotland or Samoa stands a chance.
I try not to worry too much about it.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
#496 gunther:
no, but ‘twitter starts with a twit’ could be.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
#574 grant10: When did the Boks last win in France btw?
November 10th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
We bear Frogs and Irish away must go down as most succesful year in history of rugby….better than 95 and 2007…no doubts…
Statue of PDV in bronze in front of Loftus…Bloem…Tank and Newlands…
November 10th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
#580 carol: 1997
November 10th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
#539 skopskiet:
In 1.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
#582 grant10: Yikes!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
#578 Robzim: ja…who knows who pitches with those okes….gut says a bridge too far…
November 10th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
#575 skopskiet:
Fair play to Skoppie for predicting the Bok loss against the Tigers.
I drove all the way to Leicester in the bloody rain to watch us get hammered in every department! What a sorry lot they were..
November 10th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
#581 grant10: bear is beat!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
#581 grant10:
Yip, a statue would just be fine.
There must also be a facility where you can plug in headphones to listen to recordings of his “pearls of wisdom” while you admire the statue.
Especially at Loftus…
November 10th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
yeah that 97 test with Pieter Roussouw having a blinder was almost the zenith point of that Mallet champion team. Frenchies didn’t know what hit them. And their crowd really appreciated the class they were shown that night. This time however I don’t see the Tricoloures capitulating like this, can be sure they’ll be up for a fight from the beginning, but if we catch them early and put some doubt in their minds we can take them. If they get wind in their sails it will be a long evening for sure. All depends on opening exchanges, how our front row handles tight and our back row handle the break downs will set the stage, plus our mid field defense holding their big charging centers or Kirchner dealing with the bombs.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
#586 Yetirat: LOL…bummer !
November 10th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
#588 Robzim: LOL
November 10th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
#580 carol:
last Millenium.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
#513 nama1:
tries/Tests
JF 27/50
DG: 19/24
‘The Legend’ Fleck :10/31
M Joubert: 9/30
Barry: 3/32
Jacobs: 7/28
JdV: 18/58
Fourie came on as a sub on 14 times out of 50, where Gerber never experienced that, in terms of try per Test minutes he is the closest to Gerber!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Boks mustnt blink….cant go back an inch in the scrum….if we get a shove on those frogs will start doubting…gotta make them doubt …
Okay chaps and ladies….things to do…see you all….
CJ is back…this okes a happy camper…albeit a bit pi ssed!!
Cheers
outta here
November 10th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
#577 carol:
You are more than welcome.
Hout Bay is a cool place – they even have their own republic.
There is also a guy in the harbour that allows you to ride on his tame giant seal.
For a small fee he even takes photo’s.
Your friends in England will be so impressed – “Carol on a wild African seal”
It is genuine – there is really such a guy – they call him Bertie the seal man
November 10th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
#594 grant10:
Cheers Grant, I might also have a light headache tomorrow.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
#586 Yetirat: Hope you got a good curry after!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
#592 WakaNathan: That sounds really bad!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
#590 grant10:
It was most distressing.