Overplayed seniors soldier on
31 Aug 2010
Danie Rossouw is back in the starting line-up for the Boks’ final clash against the Wallabies while Butch James is ruled out.
Lock Flip van der Merwe failed to train on Monday which has prompted coach Peter de Villiers to start Rossouw at lock. Gio Aplon comes onto the bench to replace James, who has failed to recover from a shoulder injury, and Frans Steyn will cover flyhalf should Morne Steyn break down in Saturday’s Test.
Prop Jannie du Plessis didn’t train on Monday and Tuesday, but according to the Bok medical team, he should be alright by Thursday.
De Villiers has stuck with the majority of his first-choice line-up even though the Tri-Nations title has already been won by the All Blacks. He’s mentioned the need for men like John Smit, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana to rest, but feels they still have to produce one big performance before they can enjoy a break.
The plan is to send the contracted players on a four-week conditioning camp after the Tri-Nations and then rest the big names over the end-of-year tour. Vice-captain Matfield said this plan is yet to be finalised, but has stressed the importance of the last Tri-Nations Test.
‘It’s a very important game. We have a trophy to win [the Mandela Plate] but we are also building towards the 2011 World Cup,’ Matfield said. ‘The last 60 minutes [at Loftus Versfeld] were a start and we have to build on that confidence.’
De Villiers said players like Beast Mtawarirra and Bismarck du Plessis weren’t considered for this match, because he’d rather the Sharks pair enjoyed maximum playing time in the Currie Cup than languish on the Bok bench. Both players will join the Boks for the planned conditioning camp and are likely to occupy starting roles on the Grand Slam tour.
‘I will play my best team on that tour,’ De Villiers said when asked about the risk of taking a weakened side north in November. ‘All you guys [the media] have been telling me that John Smit is not good enough, Victor is not good enough and Bryan is not good enough, so maybe I’m going to start listening to you,’ he chirped sarcastically.
The Bok coach also elaborated on his statement on Monday when he said ‘If you’re not for us, you’re against us.’ De Villiers made the statement in response to criticism after South Africa’s first win in the Tri-Nations, which he deemed unfair. De Villiers said the criticism no longer matters.
‘The “us” [in the statement] says everything. It’s about us. We are close and are open to each other, and when we fight [amongst each other] it’s to get the best out of each other. If we disagree about certain things, we agree to disagree. When we leave the team room, we leave it in a unified way.’
Matfield remains optimistic about Saturday, although he admits there are areas where the Boks can improve. The defence conceded four tries in the first half at Loftus, and it’s fair to say a better team would have put the Boks away after such an impressive start.
‘There is always room for improvement. The breakdown was a concern after the overseas trip, and I think it was good on Saturday. That goes to show it’s a team effort [rather than an individual thing]. The scrums have also been a good launching point and the lineouts have improved too.’
Springboks – 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Gio Aplon.
By Jon Cardinelli in Bloemfontein
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373 Comments
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1 Sep 2010, 00:11 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-345:
Mohale’s brother is Richard Taubokong.
1 Sep 2010, 00:18 am
Another protesting black woman had on a cardboard sign:
“How can you kill an innocent man or because he is KAFF*R”
1 Sep 2010, 01:34 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-350:
Thorne can’t even catch a cold from his mother dude.
Matfield is the man.
1 Sep 2010, 01:41 am
@Ray(rayoohoo@yahoo.com)-346:
Sounds like there is a heck of alot more to this than meets the eye. I only hope that the real truth comes out and that if guilty of murder he gets his just deserts BUT also if things are dodgy then an inocent man is not left out to dry in the sun!
1 Sep 2010, 02:04 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-345: So the guy’s brother has been (allegedly) murdered by Roux and there’s absolutely no room in your eyes for a bit of emotion at the court house, however misplaced. You’re a hard cunt, tit.
Also from you…
“2) This tells me something about the attitude with which these men were raised.”
… but Roux’s upbringing, however has been awesome, right?
1 Sep 2010, 02:09 am
@whatever(whatever)-349: He can still cover tackle Aplon though.
1 Sep 2010, 02:25 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-350: Thorn is a No.4 lock, it’s not really a like for like comparison. NZ’s Matfield equivalent is Donnelly. Agree though Thorn is a great player who could’ve been even greater if he had chosen Union, Matfield is obviously a legend.
1 Sep 2010, 03:32 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-355:
Yes, I am a hard cunt, Mutt.
The behavior of the protesters were the topic.
1 Sep 2010, 03:34 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-355:
It does definitely tell us something about Mohale’s family, or at least Richard Taubokong’s upbrining.
Shouting out load that he will get Bees Roux mother (who was alos present by the way), and that Bees is a “f*cking dog”, repeatedly.
Then when the cameras are on him, he says, may God judge and bring justice.
1 Sep 2010, 03:38 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-355:
“So the guy’s brother has been (allegedly) murdered by Roux and there’s absolutely no room in your eyes for a bit of emotion at the court house, however misplaced. You’re a hard ****, ***.”
This being South Africa, there has been plenty of examples where people have had family members raped and tortured to death, and going to court never threw abuse the way of the perps.
1 Sep 2010, 03:39 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-355:
I brought it up to show the self righteous attitude and ironic racism of the protesters.
1 Sep 2010, 04:40 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-361: Yeah, I read it. And the whole police dept was there, half of them sitting on the floor etc. Perhaps this was a case for a closed hearing. There has been a lot of talk in NZ recently about victim’s rights and how they are often overlooked while the emphasis in the legal system seems weighted in favour if the perpetrator.
In summary though, I think you are stirring by posting these “Bees in innocent” type articles and are pushing your own prejudiced agenda. Not helpful.
1 Sep 2010, 05:21 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-362:
If you actually read all my posts you would know that Im not posting “Bees is innocent type articles’.
I said before that in order to strengthen the law, it has to be tried and tested
And I’m not surpized that the whole department was there, they have a lot of explaining to do. And they need to get their story straightened out, that’s for sure.
1 Sep 2010, 05:22 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-362:
I’m not trying to stir, sir.
I would just like to emphasize a bit of human nature in these posts regarding the incident and the reaction from all corners.
1 Sep 2010, 05:27 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-362:
Are you a NZ’der?
1 Sep 2010, 07:39 am
#362 Mutt on Bird; and you of course know the absolute truth and have no prejudice? Are you Palestinian?
Just a larf. Snootie; I agree JdV had a good game; turned around again Mr Bigot I see. The rest of your postings are the normal racist, tik fuelled rubbish.
Good day, cur.
1 Sep 2010, 08:00 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-364: Justifying the crime?
1 Sep 2010, 08:13 am
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-367:
what
crime
?
1 Sep 2010, 08:20 am
@Porra the Fat and Clever Speedster(Porra)-368:
Killing
metro
cop
and
think
its
orait
1 Sep 2010, 08:22 am
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-369:
oh
you
mean the
alleged
crime
1 Sep 2010, 08:24 am
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-369:
and
where did
he say
that
he thought
it was
all right
?
1 Sep 2010, 10:53 am
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-369: And if he WAS being hijacked? Would you grant him the right to defend himself? (And don’t assume that because the newspapers have sold the story of this ferocious beating, that it is the case….might not be)
1 Sep 2010, 10:58 am
@Muttonbird(Muttonbird)-355: Mate unless you’re from SA you have very little idea what we live with daily. I, and 4 personal acquaintances I can mention off the cuff have been victims of crime perpetrated by cops. And I’m not talking about side of the road bribes either.
So don’t just immediately assume some big drunk racist ******** beat an innocent cop to death because he felt like it. The investigation will run it’s course and the truth will out…and I for one hope and believe that justice will be served, whatever happened that night.
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