Heyneke Meyer has made five changes to the South Africa team for this weekend’s game against England, from the side that went down to Ireland in Dublin in week one of the Autumn Internationals.
JP Pietersen and Schalk Burger, both World Cup winners, come in, with Adriaan Strauss, Cobus Reinach and Pat Lambie all starting. Cornal Hendricks, Teboho Mohoje, Bismarck du Plessis, Francois Hougaard and Handré Pollard drop to the bench.
South Africa team to play England:
15 Willie le Roux 22 caps, 35 points
14 JP Pietersen 57 caps, 90 points
13 Jan Serfontein 17 caps, 5 points
12 Jean de Villiers (captain, 103 caps, 135 points
11 Bryan Habana 104 caps, 280 points
10 Pat Lambie 37 caps, 81 points
9 Cobus Reinach 3 caps, 0 points
8 Duane Vermeulen 26 caps, 10 points
7 Schalk Burger 74 caps, 65 points
6 Marcell Coetzee 23 caps, 30 points
5 Victor Matfield (vice-captain, 118 caps, 35 points
4 Eben Etzebeth 30 caps, 0 points
3 Jannie du Plessis 61 caps, 5 points
2 Adriaan Strauss 41 caps, 25 points
1 Tendai Mtawarira 62 caps, 10 points
Replacements:
16 Bismarck du Plessis 67 caps, 45 points
17 Trevor Nyakane 10 caps, 5 points
18 Coenie Oosthuizen 18 caps, 10 points
19 Bakkies Botha 84 caps, 35 points
20 Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje 4 caps, 0 points
21 Francois Hougaard 33 caps, 25 points
22 Handré Pollard 7 caps, 61 points
23 Cornal Hendricks 10 caps, 25 points
Good changes. We should win.
Even with the changes made, looking from 1-8 compared to the likely England pack, with possibly the exception of Vunipola/Vermuelen, all the SA players are far more effective ball in hand.
Against NZ, the lack of metres made in general by the pack was a real stand out for me. This, in my opinion, is where the biggest change must happen for the forwards. If England are to win, the forwards must carry with a physicality that England haven’t demonstrated since the NZ game in 2012.
Le Roux is the key man in the back line. This may be a bit of a generalisation, but it seems every break or promising bit of play for SA involves him.
Dramatically raise the physicality in the pack, keep Le Roux quiet and I fancy England’s chances.
I agree! Come on England!
But looking at the England squad retained where does that physicality come from? Haskell may start in place of Wood but no other personnel changes. Without Tuilagi and Youngs England are overly reliant on Vunipola/Morgan and this reduces their impact as the defense can focus on them.
Maybe harsh on Robshaw and Wood but would a back row of Clark, Haskell and Vunipola be better vs SA?
Not a single Lions player even making the bench. Joke.
Ek stem jaco kriel is 20 keer bja beter as oupa mohoje …
Must be one of the oldest Bok Teams in history