Same again: SA retain winning recipe
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Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has named an unchanged starting line-up for their Rugby Championship finale against New Zealand on Saturday.
It's the first time this season that the Springboks will field an unchanged starting line-up for consecutive Tests, with the team being the one that beat Australia by 31-8 in Pretoria last week.
The only change is on the bench, where Coenie Oosthuizen takes over from Pat Cilliers as prop replacement.
The last time the Springboks started two consecutive Tests with the same starting XV was in 2009 in the home victories over New Zealand (31-19 in Durban on August 1) and Australia (29-17 in Cape Town on August 8).
"It's always a good thing if you don't have to make any changes and after the late replacements we had to call in last week, it's especially nice to be able to select an unchanged starting team for Saturday's Test," said Meyer.
"We've been hit hard by injuries this year, but thanks to the great work done by our medical team, we've managed to sort out a few of the little niggles left over from the Wallaby match for our final Test on home soil this year.
"Last week's win was very satisfying, but we all know we will have to make another step up against New Zealand on Saturday. They recorded a good win in Argentina and will be confident, but so are we."
The Springboks' starting XV has a combined total of 430 Test caps - 162 to the forwards and 268 to the backs.
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.
Date: Saturday , October 6
Venue: Soccer City, Soweto
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Greg Garner (England)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Comments
Dylbull says...
Glad to see him sticking with Taute and every player deserves his place...
the only change I would have thought about and it is purely tactical, coetzee in for alberts, simply because we know the all blacks are going to stretch us and coetzee gets around the park alot quicker than alberts.... but then again alberts is a good option in the line out...
either way it's a good team, I hope the forwards can go up another gear, because they will need to against arguably the tournaments best forward pack.
This will be a lot tougher than the loftus game and I would be quite surprised if the bokke get the win, but I'm hopeful :)
looking forward to a cracker!
Posted 14:21 03rd October 2012
SACanuck says...
Hope all the stars line up for a great game, and hope Kirchner, does not kick the ball back to the AB backs setting up a try for them. Keep the friggin ball away from 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 oh and 7
Posted 14:10 03rd October 2012
makemehappy says...
Absolutely no surprise there at all. The only decent Bok performance for a few years!
Posted 14:06 03rd October 2012
Realbull says...
Nothing like winning rugby to keep the same team. Consistency and combinations over time leads to greater results like winning competitions
Posted 13:44 03rd October 2012
meneer says...
Looking good HM
Posted 13:40 03rd October 2012
Carpelone says...
One or two steps, Heineke. New Zealand were outstanding against Argentina.
Posted 13:02 03rd October 2012
melkdave says...
Well after last weekends performance ,he would be mad to change the team,wouldnt he lol.Have to say though its going to be a very different game this weekend.The wallabies where depleted,and in disarray,while the ABs look to have returned to their summer form against Ireland.Should be a cracking game though ,and really looking forwardto it lol.
Posted 12:18 03rd October 2012