Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer named his team to play against the World XV at Newlands on June 07 and Cheetahs wing and former SA Sevens star Cornal Hendricks is the only uncapped player in the starting line-up. Meyer says he has been impressed with Hendricks form in Super Rugby and believes Hendricks can become a permanent player within the Springbok team……
Meyer has also named Sharks players Frans Steyn and JP Pietersen as his midfield combination for the game and believes that Pietersen can make good of his move from wing to outside centre……..
At the same time Meyer said that his team’s playing style is determined by the strengthens of the players he has selected and contrary to popular belief, he encourages his players to play with freedom that will result in tries being scored……
Stormers centre Juan de Jongh again missed out on selection but Meyer defended his omission by stating that he is testing the midfield combination of Steyn and Pietersen and knows what De Jongh brings to the team and will in future be in the reckoning for a starting berth…….
World Cup winning scrumhalf Fourie du Preez will yet again start the international season off the bench with Meyer saying that Ulster scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar will start ahead of Du Preez as the Japanese-based Du Preez is not match fit but will certainly be given an opportunity to play on Saturday……
Even though Saturday’s game against the World XV won’t count as an official Test match, Meyer said he was not tempted in giving away caps for the sake of handing players an opportunity to play and that players need to force their way into the Springbok starting line-up…….
Meyer also rubbished reports that flyhalf Morne Steyn has been benched at his French club Stade de Francais because of poor form and instead said that Steyn has been struggling with a back injury. Meyer commended overseas clubs for the manner in which they manage players by using the rotation system……
The Springboks will only have the game against the World XV to prepare for the Castle Lager Incoming series against Wales and Scotland and even though Meyer would have wanted more warm-up games, the former Bulls mentor says Saturday’s game will still be a good enough preparation. Meyer said he does expect there to be some hiccups in the way his team plays but has minimized the occurrence of errors by selecting an experienced outfit…….
Springbok team: 15. Willie le Roux, 14. Cornal Hendricks, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Ruan Pienaar, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Willem Alberts, 6. Francois Louw, 5. Victor Matfield (captain), 4. Bakkies Botha, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16. Schalk Brits, 17. Gurthro Steenkamp, 18. Coenie Oosthuizen, 19. Flip van der Merwe, 20. Schalk Burger,21. Fourie du Preez, 23. Johan Goosen, 24. Lwazi Mvovo. Journalist: Vata Ngobeni