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 2:17 pm
#135 Puma: Just a week i think Puma…may be tough on Bakkies, VM in particular.
But Frogs are being big mouthed so i am sure Bulls will lift it!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
#29 Puma: Nor is Deysel a replacement lock!! Deysel 191 cm, is surely to short to cover at lock!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
#141 WakaNathan: Never had faith with that team from the time I saw who was in it Waka. They left our best at home. Not good that. I am a believer of ALWAYS playing your best. Try out the development players in some other games not when they are supposed to be called Boks. Never. Should have organized them games with some NH clubs on their own at some other stage or let them play the likes of Namibia and Portugal that sort of thing not as our best Dirt Trackers. They never were.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
i have been so busy that i havent had time to post in ages, but i must say i was dissapointed with our developement teams performance last week.
that said, i think we all have a far clearer picture of where our 3rd tier of players are at and that is a good thing imo.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
#128 Slumtown: Are you really wanting one of Sa’s players to be murdered on the field just so that you can prove a point? Why not also wish that SA loose continuously so that PdV can be fired.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
#136 WakaNathan: I´m not arguing – he has his days… but he provided SA with a seriosuly good try saving tackle in the World Cup and has scored a fair amount of hard tries since … so to call him a lemon is a bit harsh, but yep he underperforms sometimes.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
#152 Cheetah 4 Eva: I know he is not a lock. Talking about if Burger gets injured then we would have a great replacement with Deysel. Tough as they come.
Danie can cover 4 and 8.
Bekker is no 4.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
#147 Hier kom groot k..: College, college, college !!!!!!
Moenie worry nie – Grey sal in 3 jaar ver voor loop met manne soos Steggman, Oosthuizen, Ebersohn wat nog gaan Bok speel.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
#154 rangerman: Should always have taken our 2nd best. Felt for the players that played great rugby this year and should have been rewarded to play in that Dirt Tracker side. Just to sit at home and watch on tv. Ag, felt so mad about that. Wasted opportunity there really to see what our 2nd best could do. I have no doubt they would have won that game.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
#144 Cheetha Champs: i like your enthusiasm and applaud the positive sentiment.
in fact, it is a damn fine bok side.
#145 grant10: i am speechless that you would replace ruan with rose though?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
#123 My50cents:
My 2c for your 50…
Joe Pieterson was by far rthe most consistent fullback through the CC… also adds a very dynamic attacking option joining the line… very unlucky not to be picked…
#128 Slumtown:
WTF dude…?? little OTT there… Did Adi date your daughter or something…?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Hier kom ‘n ding , ek dink ons gaan hard aarde toe kom. Hoop maar vir die beste.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
#143 Puma: Agreed, thats why I reckoned Danie instead of Becker (something Whakantan cant understand… he can cover lock, flank and eighthman. I suppose Becker could too but Danie has experience there and has more strength for the scrums.
Deysel would be essential if we lose Burger or Brussouw to injury… well time will tell how it goes.
Good looking team except for Adi starting, as a sub I wouldnt have had any issues with him but if he costs us points on Fri I´m gonna spit friggin snakes. PDV and his infinite wisdom.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Reckon Jacobs has more of a passing game than Meisiekind… Would be lovely to see a bit more of Mossie in the game…
Lost count how many times JF was open and ghosted through a gap the size of the Groot Karoo, only to have JdV smothered ball and all…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
#151 grant10: Not a lot of rest that. They will be feeling tired. Boks leave tonight. At least it is almost on our time zone going North. Only a hour different but the weather!!!! Not good up there after leaving hot sunny weather here and hard fields.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
#145 grant10: Couldnt agree more. He is definitely more of a liabilty at the moment, but hey who knows. Earl has been playing well I have to admit.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Why is everybody going on about this “monster” french center. Most centers are around 100 to 105 kg these days.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
This Fench Team is not going to be easy to beat, especially at home.
I must say I’m a little bit worried about this game. On top of this the Springboks are not used to playing games late on Friday nights, it’s going to feel very strange for them. Then there’s going to be the bitter cold and very partisan crowds to contend with.
Good luck boys you are going to need it!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
#120 grant10: I don’t know about that man, wouldn’t you get a bit upset if he went to the beach? Even a rumour of poor old Schalkie getting a few rays had you jumping.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
#91 WP_: riaan viljoen shouldn’t be there, he is a groot quota! Ruan probably had 4 average games this season & the rest were ****, he has a big quota on his forehead, we won’t speak of earl, juan de jongh, A johnson deserve to be there! Hargreaves = quota!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
#163 Slumtown: Agree would have had Adi on the bench and WO to start. Especially that M. Steyn and FdP are Bulls players they would slot in very well there.
Danie a better replacement for Bakkies. Bekker more a 5. Danie can play 8 too. Not so sure about Bekker there. Huge pity Deysel never made the bench. Very strong oke and that is what we will need if Burger gets injured.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Grant get off the pills son!
Rose ahead of Ruan?
Dont let one performance fool you! Earl has shown nothing in his last 4 years of playing pro rugby that he can be anything like consistent. I reckon he’ll have a shocker next time out.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
does anybody knw how much jaque fourie weighs? he could be about 100kg no?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
#149 John Galt: thank you for the info regarding weather in toulouse.
just shows how the NH “heavy track” that “kanko is too light for” is utter bs.
he played damn well against wales in wales in 2007.
#159 Puma: but what would we have learnt puma? the lack of prep time was for me a bit more of a concern as those lads didnt have the time to gel and show what they could really do.
but losses by midweek teams are not unheard of and in fact were fairly common when real tours were taking place. add professionalism in and you would expect rich clubs to be even stronger.
i think the disrespect shown to NH rugby by many saffas is a real problem and only enhances the perception of us as arrogant south africans.
i say well done leicester. those chaps will tell their grandkids about that game.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
#160 rangerman: Why??
They very similar in many respects when Ruan is forced to play 10 or 15?
I know Earl is a bit erratic…seems Ruan much the same….I can see what PDV sees in Earl….regretfully Earl needs to get more consistent.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
#168 iceman: Very late start but so was the world cup final. It started at 9pm. The start here is 10pm. Not sure why the heck they play their rugby so late?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
#155 John1976: Yep I wnat to see someone who is a weak link go and if that means loosing a game then so be it. I´d prefer it if we won but it seems its the only way anything sinks into numbskull De Villier´s head. Look at what happened after Leicester. Now all of a sudden we have players who should have been there in the first place. Doesnt want to pick an obviously better Morne Stey until Pienaar gets injured and keeps yakking on about how Pienaar is the number 1 till he cant avoid the facts anymore. Wont pick an obviously excellent Brussouw till Burger gets injured and now where´s Burger at? 7! So yeah Adi should have stayed at 13 or warmed the bench if he wants to persist with him and the only way he will realise that is to get it RAMMED down his wiry throat.
Enjoy watching the horror on Friday mate. Remember. Mark my words.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
#46 David: Good grief Frans Steyn won the test in NZ single handed with those kicks. Even the ABs agreed ….. I do concur with you re Kanko, he hasnt delivered for a very long time and if he cant cook here then we need to look at Alberts or Vermulen as cover.
With VM and Kanko playing Bakkies and Shalk will have to hit the rucks even harder.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
#170
I agree transie. Guthro also = quota
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
#38 groenie:
Jacobs is at 12 because he is more creative than Jaque.
He has probably not been at his best this year but he hasn’t had a bad game for the Boks.
During the B&I Lions series he was average and probably missed a tackle or two but he is the one player in the backline who can create space for those around him.
Besides, Wynand Olivier is useless and doesn’t pass.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
It’s a good bench and the side will be strengthened when Jacobs comes off for Olivier – but not playing Steyn at FB is an atrocious stupidity which will cost us this Test; in fact it is amoral not to play the this priceless talent we have: those three penalties from 55m won us the Test in NZ and the Tri-Nations; under his first up-an-under Steyn caught it single-handedly forced the Kiwi forwards 6 yards backwards: he is that strong. I am so angry about this travesty I can hardly speak.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
#150 WP_: That’s OK … I don’t want to continue the conversation either. You clearly don’t have the mental capacity to understand the point I’m trying to make. You’re probably some quota for the mentally handicapped that keo has.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Jacobs will be just fine. He’s more suited to 12 then 13 anyway. Only change I’d make is Deysel for Roussouw on bench. If Burger or Kanko or Brussow gets injured then the breakdown becomes French territory totally.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
#170 Transformation: deep breath, calm down transie.
you bleddy quota blogger.
personally, i think JdV, awesome as he is, is one of the most selfish centres i have ever watched.
i cant actually count the number of times he has squandered opportunities to put other players away, and gone himself, wasting try scoring moves at will.
waka mentioned JF as the culprit for why our wings dont get put away more often but i would lay that squarely on JdV rather.
lets see if adi at 12 gives the wings more opportunity.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
#169 Big Hit: LOL….Ja…beach is fine….just not when your team playing 6 km s down the road!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
#172 WP_:
I have been reading your comments of late and have come to the conclusion that you are a bit…how can I put it?? VERKRAMPED!!
There I said it!!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
#174 rangerman: Ranger if we took our best 2nd side we would have learned more or be more prepared for WC. We never know who will be injured or retire next year.
Some of those players probably will never play again. Think it ruined their careers that. NH clubs especially Tigers are very good rugby sides they have plenty internationals in their sides. I would like to have seen. Vermeulen, A. Strauss, W.du Preez, WP. Nel, Vermeulen, Mapoe, Alberts and Deysel to start there. J. Pietersen too. We missed the boat there.
The development players should get games maybe organize games for them against some clubs over there. More often but not with our touring Boks our Dirt Trackers have to be our very 2nd best side. That is the way it was when I grew up and should still be like that.
Yip, Well done to the Tigers. They beat the World Champions. That is what they are saying but they never. That hurts and that is the reason we should never just throw our Bok name away like that. Play the best always.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
#158 Cheetha Champs: when did you matriculate ? when the occasion demands !
November 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
#175 grant10: mate, if you have to ask, then i am not going to explain it to you.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
#172 WP_: LOL….Ruan not exactly MR CONSISTENCY either??
November 10th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
#187 Puma: Sorry put Vermeulens name twice there.
Adams too is 30 now. Would have taken Vermaak or Kockott.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
#161 ufo: Joe Pieterson can run with the ball and kick a bit…tackling is a very different story…just ask Lionel Mapoe!
The Bok team id like to see..with overseas players included:
15- Zane Kirchner (
14- Bryan Habana (Mapoe should be given a chance tho)
13 – Jacque Fourie (Juan De Jong needs good game time tho)
12 – Frans Steyn/JDV (Steyn u ask..just think what Mauger did to the Boks over the years.
11- JP Pieterson/F Hougaard (Both these guys need game time)
10 – Mr Steyn (JL Potgieter should have a chance cos everyone else has)
9 – F Du Preez (Pienaar must compete for a place here)
8 – P Spies (A Johnson should get more time tho)
7- J Smith/Kanko to fight it out (Deysel needs a chance)
6- Brussouw (Stegman needs a chance as well)
5 – Matfield (Bekker/Hargreaves need more time as both looked decent on fri)
4 – oom Bakkies (Sykes needs a chance as does Danie Rossouw)
3- J Smit needs to front up (
2- Bismark (Maku looked okay but Libenberg needs a chance,never rated Strauss)
1 – Heinke needs game time (Beast needs a rest)
As with all selections there will be some unlucky players…ag shame
November 10th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
#183 skopskiet: Ons sal sien Meneer Skoppie. Agree on Deysel. Its going to be a cracker of a game.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
#182 siener: LOL…Thats a classic…the funny things that come out on this blog is priceless…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
#187 Puma: seriously puma, i think it is a good exercise to blood up and coming guys.
when else can you do it against international quality sides and not have your job on the line?
jake did it in the tri nations and that pissed me off far more!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
#181 J.B. Cowper: Amen. Me too.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
#177 Slumtown: Will a good performance (MOTM) by Adi have any impact on your current stance? If the centres combine effectively and create the chances for the outside backs will you give Adi and JF the accolades that he deserve? Furthermore will you want them to continue their partnership against Italy and Ireland if it they performed the way I have outlined above.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Decent squad….pity my crown prince not there….
Maybe against Italy…
November 10th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
siener
Do us all a favour and shut up. You are not the brightest around by a long shot and you only embarrass yourself when you type something.
Clearly you brain struggles to function so rather save yourself the trouble and go lie down.
You have no point to what you are saying and you clearly cannot grasp rudimentary concepts.
So rather hush little kid.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Wynand doesnt exactly set the world alight at 12…….I agree with jacobs starting ahead of Wynand……… i would pick bosman ahead of him if it was up to me………..I also think chilli boy first need to prove himself at provincial level before he gets selected for the boks……… Just listening to ths kak this guy on kyk net is talking, ashley was the only positive in the leicester game along with earl, how dare he critisize johnson.