Test debutant: Duane Vermeulen
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Number eight Duane Vermeulen will make his Springbok debut when the South Africans tackle Australia in Perth on Saturday.
Cheetahs fly-half Johan Goosen has been selected on the bench and will also earn his first Springbok cap if he gets game time at Paterson's Stadium.
Adriaan Strauss has been included at hooker after coming through a first set of fitness tests, but he will be given until Friday to fully shake his knee injury.
Vermeulen's inclusion at the back of the scrum is one of five changes from the starting team that played Argentina in Mendoza. Two of these changes are positional, with Francois Hougaard moving from scrum-half to left wing and Willem Alberts shifting from number eight to flank.
Other changes in the pack sees Juandré Kruger return as the starting lock, while Andries Bekker - who played his worst game for the Boks last week - drops out completely along with Jacques Potgieter.
In-form scrum-half Ruan Pienaar is favoured at number nine will start his first Test of 2012. This has resulted in two further changes to the bench - Bath flank Francois Louw has been included in the match 22 for the first time this season, while speedster Lwazi Mvovo is also amongst the replacements after making way for Hougaard.
"We've decided to put Duane straight into the starting team because he is a classic number eight, a position we've lacked in since Pierre Spies got injured and Ryan Kankowski moved to Japan," said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
"I've always admired the way Duane plays rugby and he's fitted in very well the past week. He would've been a Springbok years ago if it had not been for injuries and it's great to finally see him selected.
"The same goes for Johan, who in my mind can become one of the great fly-halves in world rugby. I've been very impressed with his work ethic and attitude since he joined the squad on Thursday in Johannesburg and we will keep on managing him carefully over the next few weeks."
The Springbok team boast a total of 451 Test caps: 339 of those are in the back-line, while the forwards have 112 caps - one more than the total of Springbok caps accumulated by former captain John Smit in his career.
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Francois Hougaard 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Francois Louw, 20 Johan Goosen, 21 Pat Lambie, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.
Date: Saturday, September 8
Venue: Paterson's Stadium, Perth
Kick-off: 18:00 (12:00 SA time; 10:00 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Comments
Dingbat32 says...
ben7 - you make a good point, and injuries to key players is a contant problem for key players.
In particular, Bismarck is a huge loss as arguably the 2nd most effective forward in the world after McCaw.
More importantly for the Boks, the back row is where good Bok teams dominate opponents, and I dont think they can afford to be without Brussouw, Burger, Smith and Spies all at the same time.
Carpelone - yes there does seem to be a consensus. Is anyone willing to say anything positive about Kirchner? Willing to listen.
Posted 10:31 06th September 2012
Carpelone says...
@ ben7
Could this be the evidence of poor player management? How many SR games did the # 7 in black play?
Posted 09:30 06th September 2012
georgesmith says...
@ zambokke... do you mean experience is giving away cheap penalties especially with a player like D. Carter on the other side. Wallabies don't need his experience because he can't match the pace of international rugby. R. Simmons is not on debut. He has played a couple of Tests and needs game time to build his game.
Posted 08:09 06th September 2012
hellovanite says...
bollocks to those who say Lambie offers nothing at Fullback. Personally I think they haven't done enough to develope E.Jantjies at 10 that boy has attacking talent and sometimes I think he's pissed off the wrong people or he's playing for the wrong club or something
Posted 05:52 06th September 2012
volbrechtt says...
There seems to be virtual unanimity that Lambie is a better option than Kirchner at full back, especially against Oz and NZ. I expect Kirchner (and to a lesser extent Pienaar and Steyn) to give Beale and Dagg fatal opportunities for counter-attack. Hope he proves me wrong.
Posted 01:28 06th September 2012
ben7 says...
Just looked at the SA injury list. ITS CRAZY
bismarck du plessis
chilliboy
adriaan strauss (possibly)
coenie oosthuizen
heinrich brussow
schalk burger
juan smith
pierre spies
siya kolisi
bjorn basson
jp pietersen
At least 5 or 6 of those players would be in the starting XV
Posted 01:07 06th September 2012
Martinmarais78 says...
Ahhh what can I say, another day, another WP Springbok... Watch and learn Sharks!
Posted 17:14 05th September 2012
atg77 says...
Perhaps if the Boks don't kick away every peice of possession with those ridiculous up and unders they might just win this one. Australia's best players are either injured or out of form... it would be now or never for South Africa to snatch an away win against a rival big three rugby nation. however, I cannot understand the perseverance with M.Steyn at 10, Lambie I feel would offer alot more in attack. Also, his namesake at 12 needs to stay off the pies and go on a diet before being considered again as a starter. ( from a neutral rugby fan.)
Posted 15:58 05th September 2012
melkdave says...
Well an interesting selection from HM and co,they obviously realise that just crashing and kicking ,Isnt going to win them many games on its own The days of just bullying teams are well and truly over,took sometime for it to sink in ,but at least ,they seem to have made a start in expanding the gameplan ,thank god.I think the backrow is better now with D.Vermelen starting i feel,perhaps now Coeteez can start battling at the breakdown and win some ball,and if not F.Louw is on the bench.I also like Hougaard on the wing for JPP,he hasnt really deliverd at SH ,and R.Pieneer is more rounded imo,and offers a better kicking option.from the base of rucks ect. ,but ill not deny id like to see S.Pretorious one day soon in the squad.Also contray to the prevaling opinion,i think its right that J.Goosen starts on the bench,he has just comeback from a very bad injury afterall,but i woud perfer P.Lambie to be starting 10 instead of M.Styen until Goosen is fully fit ect then Lambie starts at 15 Very nice also to see J.Kruger starting with Etzebeth as i feel these 2 are the longterm future of the SA 2ndrow A.Brekker is obviously out of form or has an injury with his back,so better Kruger starts imo..As to the actual game ,well the bokke look like they are going to hit Australia hard with big forwards/backs ,as expected,and hope to tire them out,then bring on some creative players ect to finish them offAlot is going to depend on austalias 1st up tackling ,and if they can cope with the intial battering .But overall i feel the bokke have just a little bit more atm and will win by 7-12 points in the end
Also @Georgesmith i think we all get it ,you dont like N.Sharpe,your problem is that both Simmons and Pyle ,arnt any better ,and playing either loses the wallabies alot of experiance and leadership.That their time will come isnt in dought,next year for sure.
Posted 14:24 05th September 2012
philipjfry says...
Our recent record against Australia is diabolical, this team needs to do the business. They have to dominate at the breakdown. Considering the amount of injuries we have due to the poor conditioning of players during Super Rugby and Kankowski's short-sighted move to Japan this is a decent enough team. Glad to see HM dropped Potgieter, hope Pienaar has a good game and that F. Steyn switched to a vegan and gluten free diet in the last two weeks.
Posted 14:23 05th September 2012
Carpelone says...
Very well.
I think that the Saffa community reached some consensus on some points:
JdV and F. Steyn covers the same role even though with different characteristics;
Hougaard is a wing and not a scrumhalf (with the 5 second law, this will be highly valuable);
De Jongh / Pietersen / Jordaan should compete for the 13 jersey
Pretorius / Pienaar at 9
Lambie / Goosen at 10
Anyboby but Kirchener and or Jaystarr ' grandma at 15 (F. Steyn if not picked at 12)
Let's find a Japan contract to M. Steyn
Posted 14:06 05th September 2012
ManWarrior says...
I might agree with you Benski however, Pienaar has made a huge difference every time he's stepped on to the park lately. I fear that Goosen might be blooded a little early and am praying that Vermeulen is over his injury fully. Hougaard on wing??? With Pienaar on scrumhalf, Mvovo would have received suffiecient ball to make the Auzzies cry. Then again, that depends on whether JDV has remebered how to run straight...Go Bokke!
Posted 13:50 05th September 2012
zambokke says...
Agree with Bloemboy.
(Also, to be fair to georgesmith, I'm not sure that Sharpe would make the NZ or SA squad although he was once a great player. You just have to live with it though and chillax as he's not as bad as you think and brings experience to your forwards.)
Posted 13:08 05th September 2012
Houston_11 says...
@ UBA05
Completely agree on Dave Dennis - especially when you look at this back row for SA. He's going to get wiped off the park - also, what other international back row would he actually get into?
In terms of the Sharpe comments - I think it's fair to say he's past it... doesn't have 80 minutes in him anymore at this level and has given away far too many penalties in two games.
I think this SA team will do the business.
Posted 12:57 05th September 2012
JayStarr says...
I'm sorry to say this, but I hope Morné Steyn gets injured. It's either that or he will be picked forever and ever and ever... We're going to go to the 2019 World Cup in Japan and he's still going to be at 10 because he played so well for South Africa in the 2009 Lions Series...
STOP THE MADNESS!!!!
Patrick Lambie should be at 10 (his talent is wasted at 15) and Goosen on the bench. The 10 jersey should be between these two. Every game Steyn plays is a game less where one of these two can get that much-needed "experience". Steyn is not the future - he is not even the past... It makes me sick to my stomach to think he has surpassed Percy Montommery as SA's top point scorer. The only reason that has happened is because HE IS ALWAYS PICKED!! Gio Aplon could've been SA's top point scorer by now if they gave him that many chances and gave him the kicks...
At least Potgieter is out, so HM seems to be partly coming to his senses. I am very happy for Duane and also to see Goosen and Flo on the bench - defnitely a big step in the right direction. But surely Mvovo deserved to start at 11 ahead of Hougaard? Decisions like this does nothing to squash HM's Bulls-favourtism suspicions. Also, look how easily he dropped Andries Bekker after 1 bad game to replace him with Kruger - if only he could be that trigger happy with Steyn and Kirchner!!
I would also like to see JdV do something to show he is a better choice at 13 than Juan de Jongh, because personally I think him and Steyn are too similar, that Steyn is a better 12 than JdV, and that Steyn should have someone like Juan de Jong / Paul Jordaan / Robert Ebersohn on his outside who can exploit the gaps he creates. Because JdV is not...
But at the end of the day, we will never be the no.1 team in the world with people like Zane Kirchner, Morné Steyn and Flip vd Merwe in our match day 22... Period.
Posted 11:49 05th September 2012
hellovanite says...
Lambie at fullback, Pietersen at centre, just feel de Villiers while a great defender does not offer what Pietersen offers on attack, and wheres S.burger at with his rehab? otherwise a great looking team. I like Hougaard on the wing does well everytime they play him there. I just can't believe it's taken this long for Vermeulen to earn his first cap. Prediction Boks by 15
Posted 11:37 05th September 2012
SACanuck says...
1-8 looking a lot better, but i see old 6 point penalty Flip is on the bench. Still think that 9 / 10 and 15 are not correct. Goosen , Pretorius and Lambie are the future with Pienaar coming off the bench. Also I do not think JdV should be captain, as he to far from the action. The C needs to be in the pack.
Feel really bad for Lambie sitting all this time on the bench. If he does not get some decent game time he should tell HM to take a hike. Just hope Gooseneck is not used to warm the bench as well.
Posted 11:34 05th September 2012
jonesy2 says...
beale and cooper will almost certainly be looking to personally touch up kirchner and morne steyn to get back into the swing of things. similar style centre lines for both sides AAC and de villiers, barnes and steyn. coetzee v hooper is also one to watch. oh god, nigel owens is the ref. expect someone to go to the naughty corner for no real reason and pedantic penalties to potentially ruin what should be an awesome game.
Posted 11:23 05th September 2012
TheTruthHurts says...
@georgesmith, you should team up with @trinats2 and form a double act, I think the Aussie losses and injuries are all going to your melon heads?
This Bok team looks pretty good and will be tough to beat in Perth the Boks have a good record there.
Posted 11:22 05th September 2012
benski says...
Why persist with Pienaar when Saral Pretorious is available, he is without doubt the outstanding scrumhalf in S.A. at the moment, If HM really wants to stir it up start Saral and Johan Goosen at halves and Pat Lambie at Fullback.
Posted 10:20 05th September 2012