Thursday’s rugby news has more penalty quibbles, Izzy calling for instinctive rugby, a young addition to the Boks and Meyer denying any race pressure.
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Wallabies put Matfield on notice
The Wallabies have once again tried to put the referee on notice, with Andrew Blades characterising lock Victor Matfield as a definite influence on the officials. “Victor is very good at manipulating that situation and trying to create something in the back of people’s heads,” he said.
Matfield was critical of the tactics taken in Australia’s 24-23 win over the Boks, alleging that the Wallabies were coming in from the side to stop their driving maul.
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Izzy calls for instinctive rugby
Star Wallaby Israel Folau has said that the Test team has become too directed by structure, with more enterprising attack needed to break through the Springboks. “Sometimes we’re too structured and miss opportunities that we see in front [of us], instead of just playing the game,” Folau said.
Meanwhile, the former AFL player backed union recruit Karmichael Hunt to succeed in the new code, citing Hunt’s athletic ability and previous stint at Biarritz.
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Boks call up rookie flanker
Flanker Teboho Mohoje will make his first Test start against the Wallabies on Sunday, replacing the injured Francois Louw ahead of the experienced Schalk Burger. “He is good in the lineouts and a good ball-carrier,” said Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer. “I have a good feeling about him, I think he will have a great game.”
Francois Hougaard comes in for injured scrum half Ruan Pienaar, while South Africa has made four changes on the bench. The new faces are Burger, uncapped scrum half Cobus Reinach, lock Bakkies Botha and wing JP Pietersen.
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Meyer denies quota pressure
Meyer has dismissed South African criticism that his selection decisions were in any way influenced by political pressure to select more black Africans after government plans revealed the 50% quota system to be implemented by 2019.
“There’s no pressure,” Meyer said. “I pick the side that I believe is the best and he’s really proved in training that he can deliver the goods.” While Mahoje may not be as strong at the breakdown as Burger, Meyer has emphasised his lineout work and destructive wide-running.
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