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 1:48 pm
#96 boktoinfinityandbeyond: Even better.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Adi will get eaten on Saturday unfortunately. He’s been shocking all season, unlike last season, and has shown no form whatsoever to merit his selection in the team.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
#62 Big Hit:
That would not be consistent with me ranking SA & France as the best 2 teams in the World at the moment, BH (see #17). And if I was slave to the World Rankings, then I would just hide behind that, no ?
With France I factor in their inconsistency but weight their performance against the Top 5 teams.
Thats just me tho. Unfortunately you have historical prejudices, blind pessimism in 1 eye and that bottle-thick cataract impairing the vision in the other to contend with before issuing your own Rankings.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
#99 katman:
lol, oh well at least its your mom and not your mother-in law.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
#98 Puma: #100 Sharksgirl: Thanks.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Positives about this team
J Smit ,Beast and Bissy will know the comfort zone is gone….seriously powerful and gifted front row sitting on the bench,waiting to pounce for teat starting spots….
Kanko will know this is his opportunity….extremely gifted and if he mixes it well in this physical game he would have ‘arrived’ well and truly!
I always felt Adi would make a more natural 12 than 13…he is a clever player….more adept at putting players into gaps as being a deadly finisher.
Schalk Burger too knows he needs to raise his game and will also see this tour as a redemption opportunity. With Juan Smith and Deysel ….Potgieter breathing down his neck he will throw the kitchen sink.
Ruan Pienaar provides versatile cover…i just hope he regains confidence…..because seriously if it was a 4….3 …split and F Hougaard was in as 9 cover i would have gone with Earl Rose….who is certainly in a better frame of mind and better form at 10 and 15 than Ruan.
No real loose forward cover but Danie can do his tight looesforward role if push comes to shove.
Kirchner is a superb player…having JPP and Habana around him i am confident he will shine.
Really is great to ghave the 2 x cheetahs and CJ back….
November 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
i think KO is at 21h15 sa time or have i got the crossing over time…uh…crossed.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
#86 rangerman: Howzit Ranger, Your last paragraph…….
Had a good laugh there. You are so right mate.
About Adi he is playing out of position so a bit worried about him. Also has not had a good season this year. The French inside centre is a monster. Weighs 105kg.
Not at all worried about our scrum. We have enough good replacements on the bench. A whole front row on the bench
So some should be really happy with that.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I havent seen Adi put a player into a gap in years. But i’m waiting in anticipation to see this so called “play making ability” that frankly is non existent
November 10th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Is the kick off time not 22h00 our time? Think it is.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
#107 rangerman: Ranger kick off is 21.45pm. Very late not sure why the play their rugby so late in France. Probably for tv who knows.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
#91 WP_: I know the definition of a quota. Do you know the definition of irony … mate?
I was trying to point out that the whole quota thing is a joke. When a black player that you don’t rate gets selected then he’s immediately a quota. If an undeserving white player gets selected … well, that’s just one of those things.
PdV has shown time and again that, while his ideas are sometimes pretty strange, his choices seem to be motivated by rugby much much more than politics. One of his goals is transformation, but as far as I could see he’s never compromised the strength of the test team to score political points.
The funniest thing is when, some people complain about a white player being picked ahead of a more deserving black player (e.g. when Zane was left out earlier in the year) and then 10 minutes they then complain about quotas when a black player gets selected ahead of a white one.
Forget about quotas … please
November 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
only god can help us with jacobs at 12, hopefully steyn will throw skip passes to fourie and schalk cover his channel in d!! seeing the true peter de villiers !!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
#106 grant10: earl rose is in better form at 10 and 15 than ruan?
based on what grant? 1 game?
seriously mate, i think that statement reeks of white guilt but i may be wrong i suppose.
hows things hanging in camps bay btw?
November 10th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
#106 grant10:
nah i reckon old waka is right about the centre positioning, they should swap with adi being better at putting away the outside backs and fourie punching holes with his straight-running. Adi will need to step up on defense, they cant get over the adv line, which is eactly what they are going to be trying to do since they saw how successful jamie roberts was at it for the BIL – BUT they have not factored scalla into account – that 105kg frenchie centre going to be hit in the tackle like never before.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
#110 WP_: hehehe. Howzit WP. Not sure anymore. We all got the starting time here about 15min out. Think you right. Probably the 9.45pm allows for 15min of chat rugby first before the game. So kick off will probably be 10.pm.
Probably to allow for the French who eat dinner late
who knows why it is so late.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
siener
Mate, the point is, quota’s were created and enforced by some idiot politicians to do just that, put more black players in the team. Targets were set and everything.
So certain black players who normally wouldnt make the team if it was picked on merit are generally thought of as quota players.
While I agree that there are plenty of white players that should not be in the current squad they just arent quota’s just poor picks by the coach.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
#115 cab: That is what I have probably said many times here Cabbie. Think we a little weak there with Adi starting at inside centre. With that monster of a French player 105km of him at inside centre. They going to target us there. Have no doubt. Burger will have to cover there too.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
#108 Puma:
there are so many reasons to be happy this week. i mean, we are playing the french! this is not an everyday game like aus and nz have sadly become.
this is contrasting styles, devil may care french flair and passion.
i am a happy man.
our glorious captain will hopefully lead us to ANOTHER great victory in 2009. he sure is a great man that JS, he can do anything he puts his mind to
November 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
#114 rangerman: I am in Clifton …All cool here…kak weather though…
Ruan looks like he needs to spend some time on the beach here in Clifton…chill a bit….get a huge 9 tattooed on his forehead so the coaches stop throwing the oke the wrong jersey!!
White guilt….i am a Saffa boet….only you okes talk in terms of race…i refuse…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Our biggest problem would be if brussouw gets injured in the first few min, then we gona get eaten at the breakdown by Dessutoir, no real cover for him on the bench and Schalks been practicing whole week at 7, so lets hope brussouw plays whole game. That and Adi stopping that monster 21 yr old
November 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Jacobs has BMT… watch him bring it on in buckets…
Think he maybe felt a little demotivated knowing JdV was first choice 12…
Now that JdV’s gone… Adi will find his mojo and step up big time…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
This is a good Bok team based on the players that are “available” for selection..got a bit lucky with CJ maybe.
At the end of the day all these guys know how to play rugby and have done so successfully. Adi can tackle…Kanko can hit rucks and malls…Zane was the form fullback (bar Oom Stefan) from SA in S14 and CC – i think he has a future if he doesnt get a big head! The only problem is when the subs get introduced as we all know the Boks only play for 60min and if we aren’y winning by then we aren’t gonna win! Our subs dont have the required impact and the players that dont get subbed dont seem to be able to last the full 80min..is it a fitness/conditioning thing?
So provided the front row pulls finger like they can the Boks should have the upper hand for the first 60min..after that I hope the French are tired cos we usually are!!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
#118 Puma:
thing about Jacobs is he can actually reall open defenses up on attack, but he tends to slide on tackles, which is not good for 12. olivier and fourie put their man back in the tackle, but if adi can work some magic at 12, who knows.
I trust the maestro here, it feels like one of his masterstrokes.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
#115 cab: LOL…Schalk will be frothing at the mouth…i expect a big one from him….
Just avoid the ill discipline…i reckon first 15 minutes gonna be war
November 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
#117 WP_:
SARU don’t have quotas or even “targets”. They haven’t had them for years now.
But for people like you it will ALWAYS be:
Black player I don’t like get’s selected = quota
White player I don’t like get’s selected = poor pick
Do you see the problem?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
#106 grant10: Grant we did win everything this year with our starting front row. Lions Series and beat ABs 3 times Oz twice. Have some faith.
We also have a front row on the bench. Hope that keeps you happy now
It will be our centre channel they going to target. Adi no 12 he is a 13 and really how is he going to bring down a 105kg player? Burger going to have to do double play there and Kanko
November 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
#102 WP_: I hope he gets murdered so De Villiers can stop with this **** now.
I honestly hope he gets murdered because its the only time the coaches seem to sit up and take any notice.
I would have included Jean Deysel and Danie and dropped Becker (not that Becker wasnt any good on Friday, but we have a beefier lock option in the form of Danie. Its fairly debatable but either way I reckon one lock for cover is more than enough.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
#126 siener: and where does a poor quota pick fit in
November 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Adi gona score a intercept try
jus watc
November 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
#120 grant10:
answer the question then grant, how do you base rose’s form as better than ruans?
are you seriously suggesting putting earl on the bench in place of a 34 cap veteran against the french…in france?
this cannot be man, surely?
p.s. maybe schalk can take ruan to the beach by your place?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
perhaps on defence J Fourie will stand at 12…..but i have faith in Adi….
Sharks and WP players will be well rested…as are the majority of the bench players….
Its the Bulls contingent that may be a bit moeg…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
#124 cab: Adi better at 13 Cabbie. Just worried about Adi’s form. Has not been in good form for a long time now. Then France have that huge centre. Huge worry there. I would have started with WO really for this game.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
#9 ruffle: Why always bring colour into it???
Get the chip off your shoulder!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
#132 grant10: How much rest did the Bulls get after the CC? I have no idea. I hope they all got at least a week off.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
#128 Slumtown:
Roussow is a lemon. Accept it, move on. PdV knows that Matfield/Bakkies may not last til 2011 as a combo. Thats why its imperative to dedicate to the development of someone who can step in, hence Bekker.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
#116 Puma:
actually its is so they can get their after work drinkies in they usually have dinner after the game…to eat supper in france early is regarded as a form of retardation…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
#127 Puma: Ja….i am happy that we have Wiaan and Cj on the bench…A Strauss also a good scrummaging hooker….
It will be an acid test for the bok front row….and i look forward to see them handling well….
But i am relieved to know that the backup is there if required….
November 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
#129 Slumtown:
The point I’m trying to make is so simple, yet some people seem to have such a hard time grasping it
November 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
#133 Puma:
not sure i agree with adi being out of form, adi made some magnificent linebreaks in the CC, i probably would have gone for olivier too, i,e, the more conservative option especially with the new fullback kirchner who looked a bit flakey against the BIL, but adi is best on attack, however he needs to nail his man in the tackle on defense.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
#127 Puma:
Im pleased to hearing you preaching to ‘have some faith’ there, Puma. It seemed you had lost it entirely on about the 30min mark at Leicester this week…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
#124 cab: well then we may see mossie and adi lining up differently on attack and defense cab?
not a bad option.
i like adi’s kicking game at 12 i must say as he has even played 10 for the sharks.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
#128 Slumtown: I too would have had Deysel on the bench. Danie can cover 8 and 4. Bekker really not a back up to Bakkies. He comes on for Bakkies after 60min and then our scrum goes back too. Would rather have had Deysel on the bench.
What happens if Burger gets injured? Deysel is a perfect 7 to replace Burger and fetches well too. With him and Brussow they would never get our ball.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Hi all
Just my quick thoughts.
Nice side !!! I like the fact that we have a massive bench. Finally div using Ruaan for his worth – covering 5 backline positions !!
I like 5 monsterous forwards on the bench.
I would bring on Du preez and CJ with 20 to play and move smit to hooker. Watch those frogs croak in the scrum then
BOKKE BOKKE BOKKE !!!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
#131 rangerman: Earl played some fine rubby last couple of CC matches against Sharks and WP…he and Ruan both ‘confidence’ players and Ruan seems to be low on juice at the moment.
I rate Run very highly …as you know….just concerned at his head space.
Ja….Schalk and my beach…dont go there!LOL
November 10th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
#109 WP_: So you haven’t watch any rugby for a long time?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
If Wian du Preez takes to the field on Friday, Grey College will join Paul Roos Gim in second place as the school with the most capped Springboks – 33 – and one behind leaders Bishops with 34.
Paul Roos however have Francois Hougaardt as a prospect!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Jacobs is a good player, but I would rather switch them and play Fourie at 12. The type of rugby we play means we need a big strong guy at 12, and Jacobs runs good support lines. Use Fourie to break through the tackle and offload to a supporting Jacobs.
Kirchner didn’t impress me in his other bok games, but then, he always played in a weakend team with no experience at the wings.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
There is only one real problem i see in this side and that is Adi playing ahead of WO.
I like Adi’s attacking ability and his prowess off the bench in the last 20 mins but against that french centre pairing, watch out.
All this talk of Kanko maybe being too soft for international rugby is completely unfounded. The only thing that is to his disavantage and might affect his play is the fact that he has had soo little game time since the S14.
The fact that they are playing in the NH means squat. They are playing in mild and temperate Toulouse, which has a balmy year round average temperature of 20C and lower average rainfall than Durban. So all this talk of them playing in the freezing mud is hogwash.
Basically, barring a complete weather anomaly, it’ll be like playing on a slightly cooler Durban winter evening.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
#126
Stop being a chop. There were those rules and regulations in the past therefore their legacy still remains.
Stop being an idiot and face the reality, a white player cannot be a quota because this does just not make sense in terms of the past. Use your brain! A white player can be a quota in soccer on the other hand.
Ok enough now, I’m not going to continue this conversation with you. Enough now.