Can’t say I’m too excited about this. We have Willie at 15, Moodie on the wing who was poor. However, my biggest gripe is Kolisi at 8. He is so out of form and they continue to play him there.
no bomb squad.
I M glad to see hooker but is this the right game?
I suspect Zulu boy to come on with Polkard shifting to 12
interesting to see Nortje start and no RG. Why is RG not in the team.
will we ever see RG and Etzebeth play together?!
Erasmus sticks to tried and tested for NZ battle
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus stuck to his tried and tested combinations for their third Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter against the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, making only four changes to the starting team that beat the Wallabies in Cape Town, with Jesse Kriel retaining the captaincy.
The changes see the return of South Africa’s most experienced player, Eben Etzebeth, to the starting XV in the engine room alongside Ruan Nortje, in what will mark his 136th Test, with the other two changes in the loose trio, where Siya Kolisi returns from a niggle in what will mark his second Test at No 8, while Pieter-Steph du Toit returns at flanker.
The only change in the backline is at fullback, where Willie le Roux will start his 101st Test after being forced to withdraw from the last clash against the Wallabies due to a niggle.
Erasmus made three personnel changes to the replacements bench, which features five forwards and three backs, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels taking over from Marnus van der Merwe at hooker, Kwagga Smith moving back to the bench in the void left by Etzebeth, and utility back Ethan Hooker featuring in his second Test in place of Andre Esterhuizen.
The settled squad includes a total of 17 players who featured against the Wallabies in Cape Town.
“We selected the best possible team we could for the match, knowing that this is going to be an epic encounter against the All Blacks at Eden Park, and many of these players have done the job for us before against them,” said Erasmus.
“This is obviously going to be a completely different challenge to what we’ve faced against them in the last two years, with the match being hosted in New Zealand, and also at a venue where they hold a fantastic record.
“That said, we’ve been working hard on the detail we wanted to iron out following the matches against the Wallabies since arriving in Auckland, so it’s now up to us to implement our plans and deliver a performance that we can be proud of.”
With the Test holding vast significance as the Springboks attempt to register their fifth victory in a row against the All Blacks and break their hoodoo at Eden Park – where they last won in 1937 – while the Freedom Cup is also on the line, Erasmus admitted that this match was momentous for both teams.
“The history and rivalry between the sides speaks for itself, and with all the permutations attached to this match, it makes it particularly noteworthy, so we are expecting it to be a proper grind,” said Erasmus.
“There are records on the line for both teams, and there’s no doubt that this game will be important in trying to win the competition, especially given how close the standings are at this stage. It’s definitely going to be a special match, and both teams will give everything they out there.”
Adding to the significance of the encounter, All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea will be playing in his 100th Test, and Erasmus had no doubt that would fuel their motivation, while he also took the opportunity to congratulate the player on the massive achievement.
“Playing 100 Tests is one of the most special milestones a player can achieve, and we’d like to congratulate Ardie for reaching this feat,” said the Bok coach.
“He’s been a true servant to New Zealand rugby, and he deserves all the recognition that comes with that. It also doesn’t get more special than playing at their fortress in such a massive game.”
Commenting on the decision to hand the captaincy to Kriel rather than regular skipper Kolisi, Erasmus said: “Siya was touch and go for the match earlier in the week after picking up a niggle a few weeks ago, and we didn’t want to risk him unnecessarily, but with Jean-Luc du Preez having picked up a niggle at training this week, Siya was the obvious choice to slot in at No 8.
“At that stage, Jesse had already been told he would be the captain, and it was only fair for us to keep things that way. He’s a great leader and one of the core players in our team. His communication with the referee and his teammates is good, and he leads by example in the way he plays, so he deserves this opportunity.
“It will also be a big occasion for him to captain the team against the All Blacks for the first time, so we are proud of Jesse, and we know he’ll carry this responsibility with great pride.”
Zoning in on the match, Erasmus expected it to be an emotionally charged encounter and a huge battle all around.
“Matches between the Springboks and All Blacks are always intense, and we know neither team will hold back,” said Erasmus.
“They’ve announced a quality team with a strong forward pack and exciting backs, so we are under no illusion about the challenge ahead.
“There have been a few big scores between the sides in the past, but also many tight battles, so the most important aspects for us will be to execute our game plan as well as we can, fight fire with fire, and be effective in every aspect of our game.
“Every point will count in this match, so we need to be sharp mentally and physically, and ensure that we leave nothing out on the field.”
The match kicks off at 09h05 (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Springbok team to face New Zealand at Eden Park:
15 Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 100 caps, 75 pts (15t)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 42 caps, 111 points (18t, 3c, 5p)
13 Jesse Kriel (captain, Canon Eagles) – 82 caps, 95 points (19t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 90 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 16 caps, 40 pts (8t)
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) - 83 caps, 812 points (8t, 122c, 171p, 5dg)
9 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 21 caps, 25 pts (5t)
8 Siya Kolisi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 94 caps, 65 points (13t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 89 caps, 60 pts (12t)
6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 29 caps, 15 pts (3t)
5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 9 caps, 0 pts
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 135 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 Thomas du Toit (Bath) – 26 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 80 caps, 115 pts (23t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 43 caps, 0 pts
Replacements:
16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 10 pts (2t)
17 Boan Venter (Edinburgh) – 3 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 20 caps, 0 pts
19 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 69 caps, 25 points (5t)
20 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 55 caps, 50 points (10t)
21 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 42 caps, 70 pts (14t)
22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) - 11 caps, 54 points (15c, 8p)
23 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 1 cap, 0 points
Stats and facts:
Springbok record against New Zealand:
Played: 108, Won: 42, Lost: 62, Drawn: 4. Points for: 1 790; Points against: 2 235; Tries scored: 173; Tries conceded: 244. Win %: 38.8%.
Miscellaneous:
Springboks Castle Lager Rugby Championship All Blacks New Zealand Eden Park Auckland Sky Stadium Wellington Rassie Erasmus
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Previous Artic
Seriously, where is RG?
Why is Hooker being chucked in at the deep end after literally 10 minutes of game time for the Boks this season? Willemse is not only one of our best backs but one of the best backs in the world!!!???
But ja, as suspected, Sacha and Willemse are now competing for ability back position. I really hate that.
Rassie brought in about 100 8s, but now Jasper is out, Kolisi is the 8. Another "what's the point" situation.
AE yet again gets snubbed when it matters. Why of God's name is he a long term player in the squad if he's never going to be used when it counts. FFS, let him go then.
Imagine being AE, getting shunted from pillar to post and then, in the biggest game of the year, you don't even make the bench? Disgusting. Especially since he has very clearly outperformed DDA this season by a country mile.
Reinach ahead of Faf!!!??? Then why the F did you bring Faf???? Why is tue need for 4 9s?
Yep, I'm sticking my prediction. Sacha will come on, the Boks will be trailing, but he'll be told to simply do more of what Pollard was doing and to kick everything into the stratosphere.
We'll lose, and then next week the musical chairs will continue.
Our best TH is Wilco …..Start our best! AE not there is stupid….
Rg not even on the bench?! He is better than Lomp. Hopefully Sascha gets to play Flyhalf.
Will be a good test for Hooker. Where is Willemse? Is Kollisi completely fit? Willie can be a train wreck if he is not on form.
Again Reinach ahead of Faf why?
KC
Thanks for providing the team.
I must admit that I am not really impressed by 2 selections and those are Willie at 15 and Kolisi at 8 - while Van Staden remains a village idiot at 6.
Willie was substandard in tests this year and I doubt whether he will be any better in the test on Saturday. Moodie was good in the past playing on the wing - so I am not surprised about him being moved to the wing on Satirday. ,
I am glad Hooker got the chance - but he is likely to replace either Moodie or Willie - should the two fail. . I am sure that Sacha will play - but I think the chances are he may be used at full back unless Pollard has to be replaced as a result of injury.
Plum
AE yet again gets snubbed when it matters. Why of God's name is he a long term player in the squad if he's never going to be used when it counts. FFS, let him go then.
I think that AE is a serial failure at center and agree with you he should be left out of future selection. The idea that he may be useful as a loosie was definitely not a success either - so he is an extra squad player t be released ikely to be released fom the next squad to play Argentina - bearing in mind that the URC is starting on 26 September this year.
The other player that should be replaced is Kolisi but ne cannot have both Wiese and Van Staden on the field, Both are village idiots when it comes to rugby and no team will survivie the penalties and cardings those two are likely to be involved in.
That represents another problem - I would rather have Roos at 6 ahead of anybody else and Hanekom is seriously missed at 8.
By the way Wessels is likely to be used as a prop or a hooker if the needs arises.
This team smacks of conservatism and taking a step backwards. Fitzpatrick is right - too many old and tired players in the Bok side
Last year we had the emergence of the exciting Sacha at 10, now it’s back to Pollard. It’s back to Willie at 15 with no Fassi and Willemse involved in the match 23
Last year we saw the investment in Wilco at 3 and with that came scrum dominance. Scrum dominance lifts a team and demoralises the opposition. So why is Thomas now starting when his all round skills would be better utilised off the bench and using Wilco’s power to start
We are continuing to see Rassie’s blind spot at lock. First it was Mostert at 5 now it’s bloody Nortje. How the fuck can he start ahead of RG or Lood? RG does not even make the bench - unbelievable
Then we have the dumbest player on the planet retained at 6 in useless v Staaden with Kolisi out of position at 8, because the squad lacks a specialist 8
To cap it off Kolisi is not captain. What’s that going to do for team morale? It’s a bullshit reason given that Kolisi was touch and go for selection and Jessie was already appointed captain
Why is Jessie captain ahead of Eben?
Im not convinced by this side at all. Two poor performances against Oz and now a side selected that looks anything but our strongest one
I expect more rotation next week where we probably see Willemse at 15 or on the bench and Fassi back in the team.
They'll probably start Faf and with Van den berg on the bench.
Rassie is sticking to his plan to rotate players, but even swapping 4 players out of your starting team can be disruptive. The only combo we have is De Allende and Kriel.
Disagree in Rassie’s mind this is his best side - he is delusional
Nortje ahead of Lood or RG and Thomas ahead of Wilco is not your best team for a start - nor is any that has v Staaden in it
Two shit performances against Oz and now taking on NZ at Eden Park with a less than convincing side is a concern
We are falling in the exact same trap that we had with John Smit, the coach holding to older players too long and they becoming bigger than the team.
Kolisi, Etzebeth, Willie, Faf, Dud, Kriel and a few others have been around for along time but they are now heading into their twilight years. There is no need for them to be the first pick every single time.
I don't think this team will have any gas in the tank.
If I was NZ I would really stretch them and get them to chase all game, whether it be smart kicking and pinning them in their half or just use a lot of recycle play, stretching them from side to side until they have no gas left.
I would use my younger team to strike in the final quarter. We saw this happen against Oz where the team just fell off towards the end because of fitness
Yes I’m guessing Rassie needs to see his old faithfuls fail him which will happen sooner than later if he keeps sticking with the old
We saw a move away from Mapimpi and Faf, it looks like Koch is being shifted aside and potentially Mostert and Bongi
Willie was falling into that category but Rassie has said Willemse and Fassi are lacking form so he as now turned back to Willie
So some of the older guys are being shifted but not completely as you see the likes of Mapimpi and Faf return to the squad
It’s like Rassie is caught in two minds. He wants to move on but when the cracks appear he resorts back to the old tried and tested
With Pollard at 10 it’s going to be an aerial onslaught. Backwards step again
Well, who is to blame for them being undercooked.
They are both fit, we had 6 games and Willemse hardly featured this season.
They should have played every game
I guess Brown ball is officially dead. But having named this very conservative team, running the ball might actually catch NZ off guard. How about for once they bring Kolbe in from the blindside wing and unleash him in midfield!
The starting team averages 30.5 years.
No Brown ball won’t be dead it will be back when we face the Argies and on the EOYT
How can it be back when it’s never existed, And it certainly won’t be born against Ireland or France.
It existed you just missed it
Average age of NZ starting side is 27.7 which is a far better figure
Our side is too old - Rassie is trying to move on but keeps resorting back
Love this team. Great combination of experience and flair.
We can nurthure youngsters against other opposition.
Against the AB's, we need grunt and expewrience.
Well done Rassie. Also like the bench.
Well at least we don’t have Libbok, the Hendrikses and the out of form Fassi in the mix
3,619 posts
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Ethan Hooker.