Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

[rustycruiser]

Springboks vs Wales – Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday 5 June, 2010:

15 Frans Steyn (Racing Metro) – 36 caps
14 Gio Aplon (Vodacom Stormers) – uncapped
13 Jean de Villiers (Munster) – 55 caps
12 Butch James (Bath) – 35 caps
11 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks) – 6 caps
10 Ruan Pienaar (Sharks) – 36 caps
9 Ricky Januarie (Vodacom Stormers) – 40 caps
8 Joe van Niekerk (Toulon) – 51 caps
7 Dewald Potgieter (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap
6 Francois Louw (Vodacom Stormers) – uncapped
5 Andries Bekker (Vodacom Stormers) – 21 caps
4 Danie Rossouw (Vodacom Bulls) – 46 caps
3 BJ Botha (Ulster) – 19 caps
2 John Smit (Sharks, Capt) – 93 caps
1 CJ van der Linde (Leinster) – 58 caps

Reserves:

16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps
17 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks) – 12 caps
18 Alistair Hargreaves (Sharks) – uncapped
19 Ryan Kankowski (Sharks) – 11 caps
20 Meyer Bosman (Vodacom Cheetahs) – 3 caps
21 Juan de Jongh (Vodacom Stormers) – uncapped
22 Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Cheetahs) – uncapped

in fact Bekker and Butch are out, with ZIrchner and Big Vic in!

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

are Wales travelling at full strength?

 

[rustycruiser]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

are Wales travelling at full strength?

South Africa is playing in Wales. Hence the resting of most of the Bulls/Stormers players and inclusion of Europe based former Boks. The schedule is S14 final, game vs Wales in Wales, and then game vs France in South Africa in three successive weekends.

Wales squad is as full strength as can be, but they have a fair number of blokes (especially tight forwards) injured.

A new Bok team will be announced after the S14 final for the matches vs France, Italy, and the 3N.

 

[aussie1st]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

Geez that is a pretty decent side even without the main Bulls and Stormers players.

 

[the gambler]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

More Bulls/Stormers players than I would have thought, even if a few of them are benchies.

 

[DPK]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

I'm glad to see theres at least one Cheetahs player present.

 

[cyclopath]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

9, 10 axis could be a bit iffy (not sold on Ruaaaaan at 10) and is Bitch James really still in the mix???
But yeah, shows the depth of SA rugby with some big names missing.
Gatland probably has a long list of excuses drawn up already as to why Wales didn't win... :fishing

 

[DPK]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

I hope the Welsh come out swinging and really take it to the Boks. Not because I don't like the Boks or I don't want them to succeed or anything, I would just like to see a British team really perform in a home game.

 

[cyclopath]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

I hope the Welsh come out swinging and really take it to the Boks. Not because I don't like the Boks or I don't want them to succeed or anything, I would just like to see a British team really perform in a home game.

I would if it was not whiny Wales. They win a game against us (at home) and they're world-beaters, but the reality is that they are not, and they shit me no end (for some reason).

 

[DPK]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

I hope the Welsh come out swinging and really take it to the Boks. Not because I don't like the Boks or I don't want them to succeed or anything, I would just like to see a British team really perform in a home game.

I would if it was not whiny Wales. They win a game against us (at home) and they're world-beaters, but the reality is that they are not, and they shit me no end (for some reason).

They do pretty well for a country as tiny as themselves. But youre not wrong, man they blow their own trumpet...

 

[PaarlBok]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

Look like a decent team altho I feel some local pain here, Januarie over Pretorius or Duvenhage, Pienaar in 10? Butch in 12? F Steyn over Joe Pietersen? Big Joe over Duanne Vermeulen.

We have enough promising talent to try out then money chasing NH players.

But I'll still support them.

 

[Geeves]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

The boks side is taking full advantage of its international playing roster. Its something that sooner or latter that both Aus and NZ will have to consider in more detail. I think that to be considered for the wallabies you can now play in any Super 14 side, although we had the Elsom clause last year . NZ on the other hand only selects players residing in NZ, the Carter clause, and those players returning (McAlister last year had barely stepped off the plane).

SA has been far more pragmatic in its team selection (Percy Montgomery was the first) in part due to little differences in time zones and the lure of the euro or pound is just too much. If you start talking to a couple of kiwis they soon start moaning about how the young exciting players are already packing bags and heading north and affecting their depth (i.e. the debate about who replaces Nonu).

I know the counter argument is that we want to see the best players, play in Aus but hell if Cooper, Genia & Robinson signed with a French side in 2012 there would be serious debate about letting them return as wallabies.

 

[Newb]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

@ Geeves

i had similar thoughts when i first heard that the boks were going this route with their selection and again when the team was named. it's interesting that 1 of the 3 teams in SANZAR has such a different policy regarding overseas players.

you could argue that with 2 SA teams in the S14 finals the overseas player policy hasn't really hurt their domestic squads very much. the bulls and stormers are certainly very strong sides and the sharks aren't really all that bad. CJ, BJ, and Joe played for the either cheetahs or lions so maybe their depth is affected by the policy. but it's far from being the sole reason for their troubles.

could aus & nz teams do the same? we already have depth issues and opening overseas markets to wallaby-eligible players is sure to only make things worse. i would argue that lack of quality player stocks is only part of the problem though. so numbers isn't the whole picture. a lack of better development programs for the up and comers is the other side of the coin for me. and much as we all cry for an improvement in this area, it seems it's not coming any time soon. the revival of australia a and the ARC aren't very high on the ARU's list of priorities.

the melbourne team will help with development in a way as it should give more players a chance to gain experience and training opportunities. but if you look at the team list so far, that's not the case. the majority of the players are past the development stage of their careers and many potential signings that were targeted have signed on to remain with their current teams. more young player signings may follow in the coming weeks and future years could see them build up a good young player base.

i believe the french top14 is now limiting the number of non-french players in a side? this will help with player retention. there has also been some reports of europe not being quite the rugby gold mine it has been in recent years. but one has to wonder, as geeves mentioned, what would happen if several of the current stars were to sign overseas. would the policy change to allow them to be selected? you'd have to think it depends on the ARU's view of potentially strengthening the wallabies while weakening the S15 squads. a bit of a cutting off the nose to spite the face situation.

 

[PaarlBok]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

Well you'll read in the press in the next few days Ruaan Pienaar is going to Ulster following Muller. Not thats a big problem for us because we have real quality in 9s all over our franchises. John Smit on his way to the Lions.

Myself dont have a problem if they pick players in positions where we lack depth. Thats the fatty department and 10.

But SA have a unique system called quotas, that one hurt us much more then overseas players and we have completed the player cycle.

you could argue that with 2 SA teams in the S14 finals the overseas player policy hasn't really hurt their domestic squads very much. the bulls and stormers are certainly very strong sides and the sharks aren't really all that bad.

Thats a very important and exciting point. Now with the Stormers finally breaking the drought its not only the top teams that is strong. The Stormers (WP) and Brutes (NTvl) is SA traditional strongholds and they have strong structures right now.

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

shees I'd like to see us try to do it. Say the Reds and Tahs made the finals this year (ala next years top two from each conference), try to make a Wallaby TEST side from Brumby, Force and OS players without 'cheapening the jersey':

15 James O'Connor
14 Peter Hewat
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
12 Ryan Cross
11 Pat McCabe
10 Matt Giteau
9 Josh Valentine
8 Rocky Elsom
7 David Pocock
6 Matt Hodgson
5 Nathan Sharpe
4 Dan Vickerman
3 Salesi Maafu
2 Huia Edmonds
1 Ben Alexander

16 Ben Whitaker
17 Pek Cowan
18 Daniel Heenan/Hugh McMeniman (are Jap based players allowed?)
19 Richard Brown/David Lyons
20 Brett Sheehan
21 Matt To'omua/Brock James
22 Mark Gasnier/Mark Gerrard

 

[Lee Grant]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

I think that the Boks two best THPS play in Ireland: BJ Botha - and CJ van der Linde, who can play on both sides.

It will be interesting to see how the players who have been away for a while will cut it in test rugby especially Joe van Niekerk who has been in imperious form for Toulon in the last 2 seasons.

Good to see Basson in the team - he was an eye opener for those of us here who didn't know him.

Agree with PB about Duvenhage - he should have got a shot. PdV already knows what fat boy can do, and can't do, at test level.

 

[Newb]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

Agree with PB about Duvenhage - he should have got a shot. PdV already knows what fat boy can do, and can't do, at test level.

without trying to offend anyone, i think the respective answers to that is fulfill the quota system, and anything good on the rugby pitch.

 

[PaarlBok]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

Well knowing the way Dewaldt will take this, hope he put up a great performance this weekend againts FdP. Luckily he know this feeling, had to endure it all his career.

 

[PaarlBok]

Re: Bok team to face Wales in Cardiff

Jean out and in come Mossie.

Sport24

Rugby

De Villiers out ... Fourie in

Jean de Villiers (Gallo Images)
Johannesburg - Springbok Jean de Villiers has withdrawn from the squad to face Wales in Cardiff on June 5 because of a shoulder injury.

De Villiers was to partner Bath flyhalf Butch James in the team which contained only a handful of Stormers and Bulls players for the one-off game abroad. His place willbe taken by Springbok and Stormers centre Jaque Fourie, De Villiers’ regular partner over the past year.

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers broke the news on Kyknet’s SuperRugby on Monday night, calling it a “setback” for the team. De Villiers said the test was the “perfect opportunity to have a look at a number of players ahead of the 2011 World Cup.”

“Everyone has been talking about how we need to manage the players well this year and what better opportunity is there than to give some of the younger players an opportunity to prove themselves. After all, rugby doesn’t stop after 2011,” De Villiers told SuperRugby host Kobus Wiese.

“It is important for us to have a good look at these players ahead of the World Cup and these tests will provide the ideal opportunity for us to see what they are capable of.” De Villiers said however, that the Bok management’s greatest challenge was to keep the natural enthusiasm of the younger players in check at Test level.

“You get a player who is so excited to be there and so motivated to show us what he is capable of, that sometimes he strays outside the game plan. It is our biggest challenge as coaches to make sure this doesn’t happen.” In a jovial mood, De Villiers didn’t want to be drawn in on who would win Saturday’s mammoth Vodacom Super 14 final between the Bulls and Stormers.

“Both sides have the self-confidence and ability to take it to another level,” De Villiers said, “The nice thing is that a few years ago our seasons were over by this stage of the competition. Now it’s nice to know that the other countries’ seasons are over.

“All I know is that a South African team will win, and that makes me happy.”

Springboks vs Wales - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday 5 June, 2010

15 Francois Steyn (Racing Metro) – 36 caps
14 Gio Aplon (Vodacom Stormers) - uncapped
13 Jaque Fourie (Vodacom Stormers)
12 Butch James (Bath) – 35 caps
11 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks) – 6 caps
10 Ruan Pienaar (Sharks) – 36 caps
9 Ricky Januarie (Vodacom Stormers) – 40 caps
8 Joe van Niekerk (Toulon) – 51 caps
7 Dewald Potgieter (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap
6 Francois Louw (Vodacom Stormers) - uncapped
5 Andries Bekker (Vodacom Stormers) – 21 caps
4 Danie Rossouw (Vodacom Bulls) – 46 caps
3 BJ Botha (Ulster) – 19 caps
2 John Smit (Sharks, Capt) – 93 caps
1 CJ van der Linde (Leinster) – 58 caps

Reserves:


16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps
17 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks) – 12 caps
18 Alistair Hargreaves (Sharks) – uncapped
19 Ryan Kankowski (Sharks) - 11 caps
20 Meyer Bosman (Vodacom Cheetahs) – 3 caps
21 Juan de Jongh (Vodacom Stormers) - uncapped
22 Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Cheetahs) - uncapped

Thought they could get Marius Joubert but his sussie remind me that Jouba will jol in the Heineken Cup final this weekend for Clermont. Pitty tho.

 

[PaarlBok]

WALES: Lee Byrne; Leigh Halfpenny, James Hook, Jamie Roberts, Tom Prydie, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Deiniol Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Sam Warburton, Ryan Jones (Capt)

REPLACEMENTS: Huw Bennett, John Yapp, Alun Wyn Jones, Andy Powell, Richie Rees, Dan Biggar, Andrew Bishop