South Africa vs France, Middle of the Night, Pretoria 10 June 17

[Blue]

Springboks – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs:
 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Dillyn Leyds.

France – 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Henry Chavancy, 12 Gaël Fickou, 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Loann Goujon, 6 Yacouba Camara, 5 Yoann Maestri (c), 4 Julien le Devedec, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Clément Maynadier, 1 Jefferson Poirot.
Subs: 16 Camille Chat, 17 Eddy Ben Arous, 18 Mohamed Boughanmi, 19 Bernard le Roux, 20 Kévin Gourdon, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Jean-Marc Doussain, 23 Vincent Rattez.

 

[Blue]

Observations:
1. Rhule can't tackle for shit, loves storming out the defensive line and thinks turning around when someone chips over your head is not required. Meh.
2. No ball carrier in SA back row. Does it suggest anything about the game plan? Or clueless selections for the same old game plan? They chose the back row with the worst balance. Kolisi is NOT an openside.
3. Center pairing a safe selection with injuries to other players.
4. I have not clue what to expect. Really I don't.
5. This is Jantjies third chance and possible last. he has to step up in a green shirt.
6. Malherbe is aa terrible selection. Always injured. Poor when he managed to get on the park this year. There are many better options.
7. Hands up if you know more than three names in the frog team.
8. Thank goodness for the foxtel red button.

 

[cyclopath]

Is the midnight, no lights timing to allow plausible deniability for both teams in the event of, ahem, a shocker?

 

[Blue]

It's South Africa. Anything is possible

 

[cyclopath]

It's South Africa. Anything is possible

Chicken runner!

 

[Ruggo]

As long as Coetzee is coach, you're fucked.

I don't think he could find his arse from a hole in the ground.

 

[Blue]

Chicken runner!

 

[PaarlBok]

Boks 1-0 up. Holding tumbs.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Only saw the first-half highlights before having to go do other stuff but I'm liking the Lions/ Cheetahs approach of the Bokke way more than the Sharks/ Bulls one of recent years. Much more like the Bokke I grew up hearing so much about but seeing so little of (Apartheid & all that) so I'm really looking forward to the two AB v SA matches later in the year.

 

[PaarlBok]

Yep the Bokke played really well yesterday. Kolisi & Jan Serfontein had massive tests. Who in his right mind wants a chicken runner like Duanne Vermeulen if you have the du Preez twins. JLdP physical game is up there. Potty Coetzee haven't selected the right captain a year ago. This is only the French, the real test is in the 4 Nations. Speaking of the good old days, watch the B&I Lions tour in NZ, now that is real rugby like we had. Everything about it make me jealous. The Lions look like finding their feet now. Interesting days ahead.

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[PaarlBok]

and Thanks for Brendan Venter. Can see the difference he makes

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[PaarlBok]

As long as Coetzee is coach, you're fucked.

That line seem to died in SA.

 

[Ruggo]

First to admit Paarl that performance from the Boks I did not expect.

 

[PaarlBok]

First to admit Paarl that performance from the Boks I did not expect.

Despite all the chicken running we have a strong rugby structure base producing players. Our S18 teams showed an improvement from last year, so it's really about the coaching. I know Venter well, his son is at the same school as mine (Paul Roos) and surely he'll make a difference to any coaching setup. Ask Italy. Our u20s is at the right place. Never should have lost to England. There was enough talented u19s to give hope for the future. PoC like Augustine, Willemse, Lombaard & Bosch coming through.

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[waiopehu oldboy]

Ross Cronje ruled out of T3 with concussion symptoms, Lionel Mapoe & Francois Venter released back to SA "A":

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/cronja-to-miss-third-test/

For the first time in a long time I'm actually going looking for match, replay & highlights screening times for a non-AB Bokke Test.

 

[PaarlBok]

S24

Ellis Park on track to break crowd record


Johannesburg - Organisers are hoping that Ellis Park will be filled to capacity when the Springboks host France in the third and final Test on Saturday.
By Thursday afternoon, 52 000 tickets had been sold for the Test and the aim is to draw the largest crowd since 1993 when over 60 000 supporters packed into Ellis Park.
That remains the biggest crowd for Test matches between the Springboks and France in South Africa.
The overall South African record for a Test match is also held by the stadium when in 1955 over 100 000 supporters watched the Springboks and the British and Irish Lions - standing, sharing seats and some of them with friends and family on their shoulders!
Kick-off for Saturday's Test is scheduled for 17:05.
The top crowd figures against France in SA Rugby history:
1993: 60 000 (Ellis Park)
2001: 52 330 (Ellis Park)
Teams:

South Africa

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Dillyn Leyds

France

15 Brice Dulin, 14 Nans Ducuing, 13 Damian Penaud, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Baptiste Serin, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Kevin Gourdon, 6 Yacouba Camara, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado (captain), 1 Jefferson Poirot

Substitutes: 16 Clement Maynadier, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Uini Atonio, 19 Paul Jedrasiak, 20 Loann Goujon, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Francois Trinh-Duc, 23 Vincent Rattez

 

[Ruggo]

Mosstert is one hell of a good player. He springs to mind when people in Australia talk about good locks needing to be big and what a fallacy it is.

Slipped under the radar this series due to the Lions and NZ but it has been a good series to watch.

 

[Baldric]

The Boks seemed to have turned their team around. Some great players in this current side who seem to be playing with a passion that has been missing for a few seasons. I suppose the real test will be coming up in August.