Donkey Potgieter to start for boks vs argentina

Upfront there are two changes and positional shift. Adriaan Strauss replaces the injured Bismarck du Plessis at hooker and takes over the vice-captaincy, while Jacques Potgieter is promoted from the bench to start at blindside flank. Willem Alberts moves to No 8 with Keegan Daniel on the bench. New alongside Daniel on the bench is Tiaan Liebenberg (hooker), who will make his Springbok Test debut if he gets game time as a replacement. Two forwards who were doubtful earlier in the week, Andries Bekker (lock) and Marcell Coetzee (flank), both passed fitness tests. Bekker left the field at Newlands with an ankle injury and Coetzee suffered a slight twinge to his groin at training earlier in the week. "It was a difficult decision between Jacques and Keegan, but we have gone with horses for courses this time," said Meyer. "We're expecting it will be very physical early in the game and it might open up later, which perfectly suits the strongpoints of both Jacques and Keegan. "The Pumas also mauled quite well in Cape Town and we were not happy with the defence of their mauls, so with the extra weight Jacques brings, we will have to ensure we stop their drives. "Argentina played a very physical game in Cape Town - as we expected - and they will step it up this weekend in front of their home fans. It will be a very tough Test and we need to be 100% switched on."

  Their seems to be a consensus that Jacques Potgieter is not the type of player we need. Dumb Strength but not enough intelligence. Although the first games I saw of Alberts he was not that great. 

Also- Keegan Daniel has not done much with his oppertunities yet.

Is Meyer saying that Keegan is not physical? Although Keegan has made no use of his oppertunities so far.

Not sure why Pienaar is not starting at 9- he is cleary the better scrumhalf

While I don't agree with the decision, I do see where Meyer is coming from. I mean, do we(can I say we? I'm canadian, but an adopted SA) really need Daniel playing agianst a team we will most likely beat, but all the while they will absolutely want to make sure we remember playing them with their physical style?

I say play Kirchner, Potgieter, and Hougaard...when it comes to next game, it's Daniel, Lambie, and Pienaar...No disrespect to the Pumas, but That's when the tournament will really start for the Boks.

 Can by all measn you can say We :)

I would also liked to see Pienaar start with this however i would not keep Hougaard out the game, I would move him to 14 and move Habana back to 11 with Mvovo on the Bench. 

Regarding the Loose forwards, I can see the argument for starting with the more physical guy and bringing keegan on in the end. No pronlem there. We have no one else in that mold really available, so Potgieter will have to do. Vermeulen is not Game ready yet, he should play a few more games CC, but he would have been perfect at 8 there with Alberts at 7.

welcome to the fold canned rugby.

Ek I completely agree. Playing Potgieter at seven (his better position) and Alberts at 8 was the right move. Keegan could do some damage off the bench. I dont see the Oz or nz pack being lessor to the pumas. hence I cant see Keegan a a viable starter. One admires him as he punches above his weight but I dont think he quite cuts it. One hopes vermuelen comes back to top form - he is defintely NOT there yet.

I would also have started with Pienaar. I have not been to impressed by Pienaar a tthe WC and since then but he upped his game last week and showed he can play. Vermaak is another t okeep in mind.

Hougaard on the right wing or on the bench. I suppose Meyer is giving Hougaard a proper run to see if he can get him really going in combo with Morne. HOugaad though somehow does not look like a natural scrummie even though hugely talented but we shall see if Meyer can get him right and flowing in that position.

Sensible stuff on the whole from Meyer and not a lot to quibble with. The big selection problem I think most agree on is that Jordaan should have been included. Now here is  a guy who could rip you apart off the bench as a start.

Beeno, remind us of two things please.

1. When and why, in the RWC, did Ruan Pienaar fail to impress you?

2. When exactly did Hougaard impress you on th right wing?

Hougard has X factor, Pienaar doesn't. Sure Hougard has a few things to learn at scrummy, but he is still young. My argument is this, I want him to get the ball in his hands as much as possible, because that gives him more opportunities to work his magic. Pienaar is good and reliable and all that....but that is all. I just feel that with the style of rugby the Boks play, having Hougard on the wing is just a waste of a good thing, because he'll just about never get the ball, and that jus does not make sense to me.

windpomp since his more recent involvement with the Boks Pienaar has often looked sluggish and has not been assertive - really did very little. Last Saturday he upped the tempo. He has been a bit like Frans steyn - not the player we once knew. However I was happy with his performance last Saturday as he whipped the backs away and did some sniping etc. His tactical kicking was also good.

Hougaard on the wing, I recall him more on the left wing, has always done well. Fast, great footwork and excelleration and a great  eye for an opportunity. He has more space out wide that he can exploit. He has an unusually high ability to split open a defence when playing out wide. At  scrummie he seems to go into his shell and very seldom runs with the ball. So his running skills are currently not well utilsed at scrumhalf. He needs to study Genia who really is a huge threat and pounces when the opening is there.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. Meyer may yet make a great scrummie out of him but Hougaard will need to grow as a scrummie. Exceptional athlete.

Currently I also think Vermaak is bettter than Hougaard. Hougaard is the best athlete but is a rough diamond at scrumhalf right now. I am not saying though that Meyer is foolish to persevere - time will tell if Meyer can get Hougaard operating at the high level one hopes he can attain. What is certtain is that Hougaard is a very good wing - it comes naturally to him whereas not quite so naturally at scrummie - in my opinion.

Keep on digging ou Beenbal. Answer the questions. If you read your post before I asked the questions, you should note that they were asked for a reason.

Next Bok captain...

Eat your heart out Meisie Kind and Donkey

 Leave Hougaard at 9 and don't waste your time in putting him at 11 everytime he doesn't perform at 9. For me 11 is a safety net for him. Yes, he is talented, but look what happened to all of our other players that got shifted around. He is young and he will learn quickly. I still think that him and Goosen whill cause havoc together. 

That with Frans Steyn breaking the gain line and having Jordaan in the 13 channel. 

But for now, if he underperforms let take the bench and give him time to process his performance. 

i am going to play a drinking game on saterday...every time donkey pottie aka GHD ranger try's to run around a player and not be a battering ram i will drink a jagermeister....i have the sneaky feeling i might be 100% sober after the 80 mins

windpomp spit it out - if you have something to say say it. Yaaawn

Chippo how dare you !!!

Potgieter is the only young Bok with the "I got this" thumbs up pose... So he is my man for captain :)

And he has the official modeling photo too...

Beenbal, haven't you learnt yet? When you are in a hole, stop digging.

i reckon its a great move having potgieter over daniels. all daniels did last weekend was do a great spies rugby player impersonation.

not sure why jacques potgieter gets such a bad rap. he had an awesome 2012 spXV season, a real handful with the ball in hand and i rate him big time.
i thought alberts had a real quiet game too, was expecting a lot more from him, btu maybe the shark boys are all a little stale after the spXV??
potgieter should work well with alberts in getting that ball over the advantage line, while coetzee is his usual everywhere self.
 

 Another poor game from Donkey Potgieter. Daniels had one or two good touches in the last few minutes he was on the field and his inteliigence was missed.

potgieters GHD got stollen at the airport thus he could not play 100% to his potential on saterday

Hougaard played in 19 tests for SA - 16 of which at scrummie.   How many more efforts should there be to develop him as a scrummie????????

i like hougaard at both halfback and wing, but i would prefer to see him ain the No9, but carpet muncher hit the nail on the head, pienaar looks to be better suited for meyers game plan.
given mvovos lack of impact thus far, hougaard on the wing and pienaar at 9 looks like a match mad in heaven, but i really think that once hougaard hits his straps, no one will want to see anyone else at 9. i blame the Bok fporwards for some but not all of his problems.
i also dont know why they dont give veermak a shot, hes had some great games at spXV level and would be worth giving a shot.

 So Donkey Potgieter is still in the squad- but Keegan Daniel has been dropped from the squad. The Blou Bull Brotherbond in full operation.

i liked the way jacques potgieter played in the spXV, a very agressive ball carrier, a role that one of the looseforwards in every team should be playing, but his performance at test level has been disappointing to date.
i hope he ana change his fortunes around though and against the ABs and wallabies might be perfect for him to step up.
All Blacks liam messam had the same problem, but it was always hard getting into the All Blacks cos of our depth, but he is IMO the incumbent No6 and i cant see that changing this year, so maybe give potgieter a chance and he could very well shine for the Boks.
 

Chippo

Excuse me for me being so ignorant - whose pic has you put in erlier as the future Bok captain?    Does not look like any of the players I can recognize - or is he a Hollywood import?

Sharkbok

You are a clever guy - why do you use a pick of a donkey as your avatar? Or has I been hit by bad humour in this case?