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 3:26 pm
#206 WP_:
With regards to your comment about white players being quotas in the Bafana side… white players were NOT excluded from selection during Apartheid!
There were many white players who played for the top teams as well as the national side.
Hell we even had more white coaches to coach the National side than black coaches!!!
You really need to do your homework before making statements!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
What is better, someone who seldom passes or someone who passes to the opposition?
I’m rather not have someone passing to his opponent
November 10th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Good selection. I would have maybe opted for Ashley Johnson or Dewald on the bench instead of Wiaan or Strauss. Smit could cover 1 and 2 and CJ has a few caps at 1 as well.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
251 wpw
It was A JOKE.
Clearly it went straight over your head.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
#216 WP_:
He was referring to you!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
On a lighter note what did you guys make of Wales performance against the blacks? I think it was awesome and they couldv sneaked it had that intercept resulted in a try. With that performance they should make it hard for any team to beat them here on in. The stand outs for me were james hook at fullback, cooper at scrumhalf, alan wynn jones, jamie roberts. Andy powell and shane williams.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
And while I’m now in this site and on a roll, a word of advice to PdV as well.
Divvy, now that we see a bench for the first time in years without January and Chilli, can we please keep it that way? Please!
Hougaardt should from now on be backup to Du Preez. And it won’t be a problem “colour-wise” because you will have guys like Cecil Africa, Earl Lewis, that Freestate Fullback that was in that horrific car accident – Wilton Pietersen, Juan de Jongh, Morgan Newman, Lionel Mapoe, Burton Francis, Elgar Watts, Ricardo Croy, etc. coming through in the next two years.
Also forget about Chilli and Maku. Let them find themselves at provincial level first. Look at the loosies for a bit more colour – Ashley Johnson, Jona Mokoena, Mpho Mboyiso and the likes. Johnson, in any case, is your Bok captain for after 2011!
November 10th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
you forgot to mention siya kolisi.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
#256
The big lock should have backed himself! Would have got very close!
Blacks looked vulnerable.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
………….JOE PIETERSON IS THE BEST FULLBACK IN THIS COUNTRY.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
#223 WP_: That is a good point.
I’d like to wipe the slate clean and start from scratch. I don’t want to attack you – I’m trying to make a point. You can disagree with the point – all I care about is that you understand it.
White players should be able to criticize black players and vice versa. In fact, race should not be a factor.
The problem comes in that so many times when people criticize black players they seemingly can’t help but bring up politics and quotas. This is unfair to the players. Criticize the player for playing badly and criticize the coach for making **** picks – there is no need to bring quotas and political arguments into the discussion.
Imagine the following – every time a white player gets picked ahead of a black player people blame the “stupid Dutchmen” that are still pulling the strings in SA rugby. Every time the coach picks a white player that people don’t agree with they immediately say that the coach is just trying to make the backward Afrikaner rugby watching public happy.
I’m sure you agree that that would be unfair and (while not openly racist) prejudiced against whites.
Shouting quota every time when you don’t rate a black player (like you did in post 63) is exactly equivalent to this.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Dont forget Nizaam Carr!
November 10th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
#254 WP_:
Sure it was…
November 10th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
#257 Alan Shore: personally, i think the best captain after 2011 will be…well, exactly that, the BEST CAPTAIN.
lets take the example set for us by jacob moroga and choose greed as a manner of unmasking the racists in our midst, which is to say, however, that inconcievably, the captain after 2011 could be a white man!
or not.
who gives a **** (barring politicians with small dicks of course).
November 10th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
#260 Wezwp:
:puke:
November 10th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
The all blacks are there for the taking. The french should actually start as favourites against them.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
#244 Sharksgirl: I never got the paper that day too. Really cant wait to see who will be signed for the Sharks. Seems a long time to wait. Hope the waiting is good news
Not sure about the Boks this weekend against France. They have some really good players. Then of course we do to only our players are at the end of the season and dead on their feet I feel. Well the Bull Boks are, they must be really tired.
Would have felt a lot better knowing that JdV and Fransie was in that team. Also Deysel should have made the bench.
Hoping we win it and then just need to beat Ireland and we have done them all this year. We will be Italy have no doubt.
Did you live in Italy? Love that place. Toured there a few times. Beautiful in parts and reminds me in some parts of Champans Peak in Cape Town some of the drives. Great food there too.
No I would not like to work shifts like they do with the siesta thing. Then you have to work until 8pm. Nah, would not like that. In Spain they eat at 10pm at night!!! I would be out my mind starving by then
Do you speak Italian SG?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
2011……. hel dis nog lank….
nog so 2 S14 titels virrrie Bulls voor daaaaaaaaaai tyd …
November 10th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
That spoilt bishops boy will never be a bok. bishops had a crappy season anyway.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
#264 rangerman:
I agree with you, it is just that Johnson captain each and every WP age group team from u/13 to u/19.
He was the first non-white captain of Paarl Gimnasium.
He played bot SA u/19 and u/21,
He captained the Southern Spears at age 19.
The man is not only being groomed for it, it is in his genes.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
#261 siener:
Well said bru!!
November 10th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
De Jongh is knocking on the door real hard, same with Mapoe, those two are ready for the step up, same as Viljoen, and the young props, Buys, Blaauw, Nel, Du Preez.
I would throw Mapoe and Viljoen and De Jongh in the deep end and I bet you they swim just fine far better than some the seasoned pro’s.
Yes was Olivier that let Tuilagi waltz through and was De Jongh that had to bring him down couple times.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
#266 Wezwp: Never count out the ABs the world cup is still a long time away. They will have players all coming back to NZ next year. ABs going to be a lot stronger than they are now.
French is their bogey team though. So who knows. If France beat ABs in the pool game then ABs and Boks don’t meet in the semi. If ABs beat France then their pool games then think for sure it will be a Bok/AB semi like it is scheduled to be.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
WPW ARE YOU NOT A WP SUPPorter? you should stand behind wp players regardless of colour especially if the player deserves to be there,joe better than viljoen imo.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
#268 Staal:
bloubul dragons?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
#261 siener
I agree with you on that mate. It is most definately on the players as they dont pick themselves.
If undeserving players are picked it is the selectors and coaches fault. Not the players.
I’m not in the habit of using the word quota anyway, it is a dated word. Although sometimes you get the impression that some players are picked not only on their rugby ability! But that’s a discussion for another day. We just got into a stupid argument about it.
I apologise if I offended you in any way mate.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF CARL HAYMANN OR KELLEHER COMING BACK TO NZ?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
#261 siener: that sounds fair but then surely we should have no more of butana the crapheads comments sullying our wonderfully clean air and we should have an end to all references to “attempts to transform sa rugby”.
its bullshit and in fact, its transformation is logic for fools and the lazy.
cream rises to the top. and since the laws, that aimed to stop one segment of the talented rising to the top, have been repealed, there is no further need to “transform” anything.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
#267 Puma: Puma, I was born in Italy. I moved to SA when I was 10, and I go back regularly. I speack Italian fluently, and I read and write it too as I did my Grade 1 to grade 3 (inclusive) in Italy. I love Italy, the country is beautiful, and the people extremely friendly (except those in Milan and Turin) but I am a historian by heart so the side of Italy which draws me the most is the History in Italy, walking in Rome knowing that Julius Ceasar walked those streets. Going to St Paul’s cathedral and seeing St. Paul’s chains, the Collosseum, but the most beautiful for me is Renneissance Italy – Florence and Pisa and then lets not forget Venice. I come from the Island of Sardinia.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
this place (ghana) is so funny.
have’nt received a bill for my home telephone for 4 months now.
this last weekend, found it cut off with an almost unintelligible recording saying something about not paying the account.
and the govt telecom company is bankrupt!
who would have guessed?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
#256 Wezwp: Was a good game but when I saw that intercept really thought Wales were going to get that try.
That Welsh player just never had any gas he was soooooooooooooooooooooo slow and he had a huge advantage in front of the players behind and still got caught by the AB players. Probably would have ended in a draw then.
Anyhow both those countries I support as they are real rugby lovers like we are. But I have always supported the All Blacks when they are not playing the Boks so was pleased ABs won.
Good game and a magnificent stadium.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
#280 charo: perhaps you should have asked for a bill when you didn’t receive one, unless you thought you were getting it for free?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
263
It was in fact.
Why will Carr never be a Bok? Come on now, dont start with ridiculous stereotypes!
“Spoil Bishops boy” Are you joking
November 10th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
#280 charo:
No wonder they are bankrupt.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
#270 Alan Shore: Too early to say…
Remember Chiliboy captained just about every age group team he’s ever played for. He was captain when the U/19 Boks won the WC in 2005 and when the U/21 Boks came second the following year.
He captained the Boks in a midweek game shortly after he turned 20, but from there it’s pretty much been all downhill. I think partially because SA rugby didn’t groom him and let him mature properly before they threw him in at the deep end.
There have been other examples as well – Ngobani Bobo springs to mind
Johnson has a lot of potential and I hope he makes it, but only time will tell.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
#270 Alan Shore: fair enough.
this is news to me and i am only wary of the whole captaincy succession issue splitting the boks like it did the anc
#277 Wezwp: hayman is getting on but kelleher is just beating up drunks and passing his sell by date.
the whole “return of the light brigade to nz for 2011″ is a bit of a myth i think.
besides those two, and kelleher is borderline, who else do they get back?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
#275 cab: sorry Cab … dit het uigeglip!
November 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
#279 Sharksgirl: I would love to have lived there for a bit. Love the place. Love Rome has such history. Went to all those places you mention.
I first toured there when I was 28 in a camper..hahaha. Went every where in this old camper that only went about 60km per hour
But living in Holland went down there quite a few times. Great people great food. Love the place. Also like a huge part of France. Used to do a lot of snow skiing there.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
#279 Sharksgirl:
yep italy sounds like a great country, all mammas boys, but they sure can scrum, castrogiavani like a big panda mauled our okies. the game against italy i believe changed venue, was going to go down, but never heard of the place it moved to, they moved it for a roundball match, disgraceful.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
#284 Puma: Hello Mr.SuperBru leader!!
Can you give me any tips for the weekend?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
#276 WP_: Apologies from my side as well.
One should always keep in mind that the one big reason why discussions here become so heated is because of how much people here love the game and how seriously they take it.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
#287 Staal:
Hoe gaan dit Mnr Staal?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
#280 charo: Hi Charo, sounds like you have the right attitude for surviving in that country!!
How is it in your world?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
#292 Fern: Hey – en hier’s jy nou??????
Lyk dinge daar met jou Shark team? Sorry maar dis die eerste keer lat ons praat na die semi’s.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
#289 cab: Yes Cab that is the one failing in Italy, round ball will always take precendence
Where have they moved it to? I thought they had moved it to San Siro because they had it sold out there!
Mallet was complaining that he wanted it to remain in Rome! San Siro would have been a great venue, but it is home to two of the Italina soccer giants Inter and AC so it makes a whole lot of sense that they would have moved it if there it clashed with a soccer match. Any Idea where its being held now?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
#253 Oubaas2009: agree
this is the time to blood in the johnstons and pottie’s in our squad
maybe they’ll start against Italy
November 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
#294 Staal:
Dis net n rugby game,ek het meer belangriker en drukkender dinge in my lewe.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
#285 siener:
Agree. It is just that I also believe that Ashley has tremendous potential. Also as a leader. It is just scary to see that not even your so-called mainstraim rugby journalists know about Ashley’s history. And they don’t even try to research it! One of them (won’t mention names) even reported last week that Ashley surfaced this year at the Griffons and that he was a retreaded hooker!
November 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
#290 carol:
Just pure luck there Carol. All guess work. Probably fall off the pace soon. Not really good with predicting the score. So surprised that I am on top but it wont last 
How you Carol?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
#282 AndrewBK:
can i safely assume that you have never ventured further north than pofadder on this continent?