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Possible Springbok starting team vs World XV

Started by sharkbok6 REPLIES681 VIEWS· 08 Jul 2015, 00:25
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sharkbok
sharkbok
Captain23,283 posts
sharkbok
sharkbokCaptain23,283 posts
08 Jul 2015, 00:25
#1
08 Jul 2015, 00:25#1
Kriel set to start at 13 1145  9

Jesse Kriel at Bok training on Tuesday

Jesse Kriel is likely to start at outside centre and Warren Whiteley at No 8 when the Springboks tackle the World XV at Newlands on Saturday. JON CARDINELLI reports.

The Boks are short of No 13 options. Jaque Fourie’s conditioning is not yet up to the required standard. Captain Jean de Villiers is back in action after recovering from a serious knee injury, but is only expected to play 20 minutes of the game against the World XV.

On Tuesday, Kriel and De Villiers took turns running at outside centre. It’s likely that Kriel will be handed a starting opportunity this weekend, while De Villiers will come off the bench in the second half.

‘This is the perfect game in which to try a few things,’ said Bok forwards and attack coach Johann van Graan. ‘Jesse is a very explosive player with a lot of speed. If he gets selected, I would be excited to see what he could do.

‘Jesse has done a great job for the Bulls at fullback this season. He did make an impact at No 13 for the SA U20s [in 2014]. I really believe that he can become a world-class player [in that position].’ 

Whiteley and Schalk Burger alternated at No 8 throughout Tuesday’s session, although it appears the Lions loose forward has the inside lane to start. The Boks are currently without their first choice No 8, Duane Vermeulen, who has been ruled out for the next 10 weeks with a neck injury.

‘Duane is a world-class player, but we have planned for this, and someone else will now get an opportunity,' said Van Graan. 'Warren had a fantastic season for the Lions and brings a lot to that No 8 position. Schalk can play No 8 too, and has shown over the last year or so what he can do for the Boks.

‘We've lost a player like Duane who can steal on the ground, but these other players will bring a new dynamic. Warren has been fantastic at the lineouts for the Lions. If he is selected to start for the first time, I’m sure he will do well.’

Francois Louw and Marcell Coetzee are likely to partner Whiteley in the starting back row, with Burger covering loose forward and Oupa Mohoje covering flank and lock from the bench. Tighthead prop Vincent Koch is set to play his first game for South Africa this Saturday.

In other team news, Pat Lambie sustained a cut to the eye during the warm-ups of Tuesday's session. Van Graan confirmed that the Bok flyhalf had to go to the hospital to receive stitches. The Bok medical team will know more about Lambie’s condition on Wednesday.

Possible Springbok starting XV – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.

Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images

sharkbok
sharkbok
Captain23,283 posts
sharkbok
sharkbokCaptain23,283 posts
08 Jul 2015, 00:27
#2
08 Jul 2015, 00:27#2
The journalists must have seen them lining up at practise. 
This is a strong Team. Very physical backline. 
This is Kriel's golden oppertunity to put his name up for the number 13 position. He has pace to burn, a good step and some decent passing skills.
Meyer may have been forced into picking this backline by injuries.Many would have thought Meyer would have gone the conservative route and choosen JP at centre- where he has been playing allot for the Sharks
When the breakdown goes well, Meyers teams usually do well. Vermuelen is a big loss at the breakdown, so Whitley gives a different dynamic. Whitley is faster than Vermuelen- but he does not have the same enforcer physicality. It is a light backrow by Bok standards
It would be good to have a specialist fetcher on the bench like Kriel. Or Schalk Burger starting at 8 as he some breakdown skills.

Pollard needs to develop his kicking game- but having a scrumhalf that can kick will take away some of the responsibility. Pienaar and FDP bring that to game plan.
MO
Mozart
Captain49,914 posts
MO
MozartCaptain49,914 posts
08 Jul 2015, 01:00
#3
08 Jul 2015, 01:00#3
 Already a much better team than we have seen touted on here by the would be selectors. I hope Kriel can pull this off....I have more confidence in his open field defence than de Allende's. Damien is more of a power defender in close contact.
sharkbok
sharkbok
Captain23,283 posts
sharkbok
sharkbokCaptain23,283 posts
08 Jul 2015, 01:23
#4
08 Jul 2015, 01:23#4
He looks like he could be a good outside centre in this video. Some good offloads in tackles, as well as clean breaks. He has a better than average passing game as well. 
https://youtu.be/AxHz55t16E8
JE
JeromeV
Club Pro492 posts
JE
JeromeVClub Pro492 posts
08 Jul 2015, 06:20
#5
08 Jul 2015, 06:20#5
 I'm intrigued to see what he can bring at 13 for the boks, As I've said before Jesse Kriel can develop into a world class 13 if he is utilized in that position more often. He certainly does tick all the boxes of what is required at 13, great defence, good offload and a nice turn of pace with flair.

The absence of Vermeulen is a pity though there is no shortage of test quality no8s to choose from. I'm sure Whiteley can front up in the big tests. I see some are saying "he's fast but not physically strong enough", that's quite clueless to say really, He's equally strong as well, this is a great opportunity for him.
JE
JeromeV
Club Pro492 posts
JE
JeromeVClub Pro492 posts
08 Jul 2015, 07:14
#6
08 Jul 2015, 07:14#6
Seeing a all sharks front row would be disappointing to say the least, they weren't up to standard in SR this year. Kitshoff, Malherbe or Koch should be in the starting XV, they deserve a start in this clash surely.
CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
08 Jul 2015, 08:31
#7
08 Jul 2015, 08:31#7
 Id the above is the starting line-up there are four weak links in the team.   Those are with reasons given the following:-
JP PIetersen
JP always was a good wing and with his putrid defense a poor 13.  However the problem is he has over the past two years showed a serious pace deficiency - reducing his value as a backline player.   On the other hand the strong and heavy wings nowadays are not really pace merchants - so he may not be as bad as a selection.

Ruan Pienaar
Pienaar at 31 years of age is not the player he used to be and before his injury last year he was very pedestrian.   I am not sure that he is the best option at scrumhalf and could in fact be a weak link in the team as well.   His kicking game may suit the NH situation - but since he was injured in September last year - he had less rugby than normal and since his club - Ulster - did not do well in the Rugby Champions Cup there are serious question marks about his future selectability

Jannie du Plessis
Jannie is the one player that is way past his sell-by date.   He never produced anything outside of scrumming and his scrumming has deteriorated over the last two years to a level where he specializes in giving away penalties in scrums.  In the RC last year he was poor and he is to my mind the weakest selection in that team.   I am afraid that he needs replacement, but Meyer selects players on reputation and this is another weak reputation selection with very little regard to performance.
Victor Matfield
The main reason why our Tight 5 deteriorated badly last year was the lack of contribution to Tight 5 play of Matfield.   He was always good in line-out work, but over the past SR tournament that component of his game at times were bordering on the non-existent.   There are numerous examples of it - he rarely called line-outs to come to him and moves around the line-outs to ensure that he did not meet strong line-out jumpers.  In for instance the Bulls game against the Sharks he took two line-outs - one on own throw and one on opposition throw.  In both cases he moved to the front of the line-outs to get away from Du Toit.   This type of thing was repeated in other games as well.
For the rest - he did not contribute anything to tight phases of the game and constantly moonlighted in positions where he could make tackles - mostly weak ones - while his ball carries vanished from sight.   A weak competitor decidedly too old for the game, who looked old and tired in the games played and in the end of the tournament was rested constantly.  A player with an inadequate present game performances - but a favourite of Meyer selected purely on reputation.          
 
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