Springbok team for Wallabies 13th august 2011

Here is the team.

15 Frans Steyn (Racing Metro, France , 42 caps )
14 JP Petersen (The Sharks, 36 caps)
13 Jaque Fourie (DHL Western Province, 62 caps)
12 Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province, 67 caps)
11 Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province, 68 caps)
10 Butch James (MTN Golden Lions, 40 caps)
9 Fourie du Preez (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 55 caps)
8 Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 40 caps)
7 Danie Rossouw (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 56 caps)
6 Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Free State Cheetahs, 13 caps)
5 Victor Matfield (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 105 caps)
4 Bakkies Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 72 caps)
3 Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks, 24 caps)
2 John Smit (capt) (The Sharks, 104 caps)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks, 26 caps)
Replacements
16 Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks, 36 caps)
17 Gurthrö Steenkamp (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 31 caps)
18 Gerhard Mostert (Stade Francais, France, 1 cap)
19 Jean Deysel (The Sharks, 3 caps)
20 Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 8 caps)
21 Morne Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 27 caps)
22 Gio Aplon (DHL Western Province, 14 caps)

I would expect them to start slow, take 20 minutes to gel and then should start hitting the Wallabies hard.

It is effectively a full team, except for Juan smith and Schalk Burger, Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussouw makes their return after 21 months, and Guthro Steenkamp off the bench after his broken arm early in the season.

Some other relevant news.

The selection also marks the return for the first time in a year of another four players – JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Butch James and Gurthrö Steenkamp – who all missed the end-of-year tour because of injury. John Smit and Danie Rossouw – who also missed the tour – made their return in the previous two rounds of the Castle Tri-Nations Series.

Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Willem Alberts and uncapped Duane Vermeulen remain in rehabilitation while Andries Bekker has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup because of an ankle tendon injury.

This is also the most experienced Springbok team ever with 810 caps, surpassing the 750 cap final in 2007

That's still one hell of a team. Would love to see Brüssow, Alberts and Smith as a loose trio at some stage though. Such a shame about Bekker.

Will be interesting to see James back in the fold. Actually for next week SBW may start so looking forward to the physical battle there.

Springboks are pretty much back to full strength for this Saturday's game against Australia in Durban:

Springboks – 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Beast Mtawarira.

Subs: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthro Steenkamp, 18 Gerhard Mostert, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Gio Aplon.

Thoughts: Only key omission is that of Juan Smith who is struggling in his recovery. Willem Alberts is also missing through injury, which sees Danie Rossouw fill the blindside position.

Big welcome back to Brussow and Fourie du Preez after their year off in 2010 through injury.

A little bit disappointing to see Morne Steyn still preferred over Patrick Lambie to cover from the bench, despite the latter being one of the few to come through the disasterous tour with any credibility.

There it is, a fairly strong team, will be a decent contest on the weekend

Merged this with the existing article - KRD

woops didn't see the original thread, apologies

disneychilly

I think SBW will have his hands full against a midfield trio of James, De Villiers & Fioure.. let alone if Burger is unleashed on the ABs come 2 weekends away.

SBW may be a big lad but the boks are the only side which Jonah Lomu never scored a try against... & given this is one of their biggest midfields in terms of size & strength I don't think SA's bottom lip will be trembling with fear.

Massive side.
Only concern is the age recent play combiation.
Hardly any have played a test and many are returning after long layoffs.
Despite the wealth of experience oddly this looks refreshing.
Whether they get up to speed quickly enough is the issue.
Biltong they cant afford a slow start.
If that oz side get going this time i dont think you'll peel them back.
Oz will be relying on it.
So if you can douse the initial fire and punish the ball carriers as has happened recently youre half way there.
Oz are taking a huge risk playing all their stars, they of all teams would suffer most with injuries to cooper genia pocock or beale.
Another deans faux pas i reckon.
Im still going with an easy win for the boks. Too much apprehension in the oz camp.

Hopefully we get to see the Butch James that played for Bath and was given some liberty to play the game. Australia will make this into an open game whatever South Africa attempt to do, so hopefully the outhalf won't just be kicking the ball to them.

Really glad to see Brussow back. I hope he doesn't break down. I really enjoy watching him play. He's the best fetcher in world rugby.

FA The fact that Lomu never scored against SA was great for NZ to be honest- such was SA's obsession with stopping him that Wilson and Cullen had an absolute field day.

There's a fair bit of firepower in the backline now so if SBW were to start and attract the attention of a few Boks it could create overlaps and we'll have 1996 all over again. Good luck stopping those offloads though. James won't stop him doing that, just like JDV and Fourie didn't.

Munsty can't wait to see Brussow vs Pocock. Will be brilliant to watch. If Brussow can turn ball over early Aussie may try a tighter approach which would play into the Bok hands.

Would love to see Lambie given a platform from that pack. Shame he's not in the 22.

I think Cooper is going to get cheap shots from everywhere, much like Carter did a few years ago.

SA by 10.

Dont get lambies omission. Just don't get it. Clearly a player of the future and has more defensive nouse than Steyne. James in there is good but really the whole thing depends on SA stopping those killer runs and offloads with next to zip room to do it in. They really are good at it.

PDV is holdingon to Morne Steyn for one reason only, his boot.

He doesn't trust himself to take any risks. He must see Lambie as a bigger risk than doorman Steyn