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South Africa

Champions set to collide

Sunday, November 22 It was such a relief to see the Springboks return to their winning ways with a comfortable 32-10 victory over a game Italian side in Udine at the weekend ahead of the season finale against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

The upcoming blockbuster pits the southern hemisphere champions against the northern hemisphere champions. World champs against Six Nations Grand Slam champs. It’s the perfect match to conclude what has been a remarkable season for the Boks.

Admittedly, the disappointing displays on the current end-of-year tour has dampened the season somewhat, but coach Peter de Villiers made it clear from the outset that results were not the primary objective of the tour.

Instead, the European excursion would serve as a platform to blood new players and iron out the kinks left in the Boks’ game. The tour hasn’t been too fruitful with no definite stars of the future emerging – ala Frans Steyn in 2006 – and the problems at scrum time seemingly worsening.

The “Italian Job” though is arguably the turning point of the tour. Questions were answered and players came to the fore. Tendai Mtawarira, BJ Botha and Wynand Olivier produced stellar cameos in the second half against the Azzurri, which warrant their inclusion in Saturday’s starting line-up.

The impressive turnaround by the front row, with captain John Smit back at hooker, was a joy to see but makes for quite a selection poser. Should Smit revert to hooker at the expense of Bismarck du Plessis, or, should the Boks persist with the troubling Smit-tighthead experiment?

It’s a difficult decision to make in the long run. However, for one week only, the Boks brains trust should think short-term and play horses for courses by opting for “The Beast,” Smit and Botha in the front row and Olivier and Jaque Fourie in the midfield.

The Boks simply need their strongest possible side to conquer Ireland in their own back yard. De Villiers and Co should do what’s necessary to end the season on a high this weekend, enjoy some time off and thoroughly address the selection issues when the squad regroups next year.


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By jakid - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Please play the same front row as the last 20 min against Italy.The Boks always leave the best for last(remember England last time) and I have a feeling Irish eyes wont be smiling.
Team for Saterday:

Beast
Smith
Botha
Bakkies
Matfield
Brussow
Juan(if possible)
Russouw

Du Preez
Steyn
Habana
Olivier
Fourie
Peterson
Kirchner

Bismark
Bekker
Guthro
Hougaard
Pienaar

So many other players also deserving but in my humble opinion
thats the team.Hope Juan is back soon and know it's risky not having backup loosies
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By BullsRob - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Jakid - Only 5 on your bench??? Razz

I think Ashley Johnson has done enough to at least ride the bench. Adie Jacobs has proved he's above average at both inside and outside centre so put him on the bench. For me Bekker isn't strong enough. Leave Rossouw as lock cover...

1 - CJ van der Linde
2 - John Smit
3 - BJ Botha
4 - Bakkies Botha
5 - Victor Mathfield
6 - Heinrich Broussow
7 - Ryan Kankowski
8 - Ashley Johnson

9 - Fourie Du Preez
10- Morne Steyn
11- Bryan Habana
12- Wynand Olivier
13- Jaques Fourie
14- JP Pietersen
15- Zane Kirtchner

16- Bismarck du Plessis
17- Tendai Mtawarira
18- Danie Rossouw
19- Jean Deysel
20- Franscois Hougaard
21- Adi Jacobs
22- Ruaan Pienaar

Big believer that at least 1/2 the bench must be versatile in positions. Rossouw, Hougaard and Pienaar are all capable of playing multiple positions and Jacobs plays both inside and outside centre and has the pace and handling skills to play wing if needed...
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By KaRmA77 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
My Bok 15 to face Ireland....

15. Zane Kirschner.
14. J.P. Pieterson.
13. Jacques Fourie.
12. Wynand Olivier.
11. Bryan Habana.
10. Morne' Steyn.
9. Fourie DuPreez.
8. Danie Roussow.
7. Jean Deysel.
6. Heinrich Brussow.
5. Victor Matfield.
4. Bakkies Botha.
3. B.J. Botha.
2. John Smit (c).
1. C.J. VanDerLinde.

16. Beast Mtawarira.
17. Bismark DuPlessis.
18. Andries Bekker.
19. Schalk Burger.
20. Ryan Kankowski.
21. Ruan Pienaar.
22. Adrian Jacobs.
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By Dhirshg - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
wow, mouth-watering clash - 6 nations kings vs tri-nations kings. i wish we had juan, pierre, jean and frans - 4 first fifteen players mising is a huge loss. play the same team except wynand in 4 a very average adi jacobs. brian o driscol wil embaras him. and the beast shud be back. gud luk world champs. prediction s.a 22 - 15 ireland
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Adi Jacobs isnt even average....he is poor. He had one decent season last year and was nominated, he didnt win, for SA player of the year in a poor performing Springbok team. Bosman is average, Grant is average (when playing centre). And the biggest problem is that when Jacobs has a game when he DOESNT screw up then all of a sudden he has a good game...NO thats not a good game for the Springboks. A good game for the Boks is playing like one of the best in the world...like Jaque Fourie, Habana and Du Preez played on sat. Evreyone from Jacobs fan club now look for how much he doesnt do wrong instead of how much great things he does. When last did he have a GREAT game for the Boks...and over all performance...defence and attack? Please someone answer this for me. Cause when a Springbok has a great attacking game but poor defending game then he hasnt played like a Springbok....especially if his position is centre.
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
many* not much
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
And please no comments from Sharks supporters in reply to my comment...i cant stand your biased views on Jacobs...they hardly ever make sense with little or no logic and usually with some random reference to the Bulls supporters.
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By Samoankiwi - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
should be a great game, really looking forward to this one and the abs ofcourse, go ireland Laughing Laughing only joking boks should take this one Laughing
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By ozbok - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Karma i agree with your team, except i would have beast in the starting line up with CJ as cover! Much of a muchness really!! Deysel is the future! Smit needs to go back to hooker! But it sucks cos Bismark is a machine!!
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By Dhirshg - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
gilbert, im a shark boy. born and bred in pmb but i totaly agree wit u on jacobs. wen it (edited)s to the bokke, 4me, provincial bias shudnt (edited) into it. im not gona suport or recomend a poor player just coz he is from my province. but shame, adi seems lyk a nice, frendly bloke lol.
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By ThyBulle - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Its Ireland's greatest team ever (I know, its sad) against the World Champions/Tn Champs who are weakened due to the loss of 4-5 or the worlds best players.

If our selections are based on merit and we play our up and under pressure tactic (and we don't have Barnes or the Little but-machine reffing) we should take this easily.
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By General_Mc - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Surely Burger will be back. Not sure why people are talking about Smith playing when he isn't even touring.
I'm not sure about how good Deysel will become but there is a mixture of Elsom and Luaki in him, hopefully this is proved correct.
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Dhirshg, you're right he does seem like a nice guy. I really respect him cause he is doing a lot in Durban for pets and the use of fireworks...and i think he belongs to the animal anti-cruelty league too. I dont have anything personal against him or any other Springbok, but i am very critical of how a player performs for the Boks and will never hold back about what i think of their ability and whether or not they deserve to be in the team.
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By fatboy - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
gonna be a huge game this..
and the french vs kiwi's
and the welsh vs aussies..
massive games...


changes i would make....
1 beast
2 smitty
3 bj
4 bakkes
5 vic
6 magnet
7 burger
8 rossouw
9 fdp
10m.steyn
11jetshoes
12olivier
13fourie
14jp
15zane
16biz
17cj
18bekker
19deysel/johnson
20hougaard
21pienaar
22jacobs
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By Luke... - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Do yourself a favor and read this article:
http://www.supersport.com/rugby/article.aspx?headline=Bumpy%20landing%20for%20Boks&id=324176

They are seriously pumped about this match. And why not. There is a lot at stake.

1)The incident where Jake White said a couple of years ago that only 2 of their players are good enough to be boks, they seem to still hold a grudge.
2)Talking about grudges the are still moaning about the eye gouging incident(OK this one is probably justified).
3)We beat the B&I lions and they said this game would be payback.
4)NH champs vs SH champs.
5)The majority of our team consists of Bulls (Super 14 champs) and theirs of Leinster (Heineken cup winners).
6)It looks like IRB player of the year will come from one of these teams (Fourie(Should win easily) vs O'Driscoll).
7)The IRB team of the year is also probably going to be between these two teams.

I'm really looking forward to this one. Boks by 8.
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By impi - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
lmaa @ gilbert! boet your a cracker. and you hit the nail on the head... adi was bad enough at outside which is arguably an easier position than inside...to have him at inside ahead of wynand olivier (by far south africas best centre this year provincially) is a slap in the face by the big quota shlong
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By TYRANT - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
I'm a huge Adi fan but I think his form in the last 2 games have been below par. An improvement against the Azzuri but not enough.

I say give Wynand another chance and wish him luck. My only concern is the last time he played against B'oD (3rd Lions test), he looked way out of depth.

But let's see if he takes on the learning's of that game.
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By smart - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Gilbert

Firstly you can’t pick and choose who comments on you statements. The main reason people pick on what you say is because you never come back with a solution you are always bashing Adi, and I agree with you he is not having the best season I wanted to kill the guy after the CC semi final. So who do you want to play? Let me guess Wynand Olivier? What has he done ever in a Bok jersey? One try that any school boy centre would have scored. Oliver has always failed when playing for the Boks, he has been great at CC and Super 14, never as a Bok were Adi as experience has started on many occasions and knows the team set up better than Olivier.

My support for Adi comes from the fact that I don’t think we have anyone better and I truly hope oliver proves me wrong one day because I have always thought Adi is a better impact player than a starter but until that happens I want someone with experience.
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
ok smart, fair enough, i cant choose who comments on what i say. And ill answer your question very simply: Wynand Olivier is the form no12 that we have on tour...so i feel he deserves a chance to start against Ireland to show us what he can do. And no i dont think he is the best no12 we have, JdV is but he is currently unavailable, so i would choose WO after him. There we go nice and simple...

Oh and WO does have experience...he has quite few tests under his belt.
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By guns - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Gilber were do u come with this comment "sharks supporters" "supporting Jacobs", im a shark man born and bread and Jacobs is not my no1 call! I would prefer Olivier to start and Jacobs to come off the bench as an impact player! Obvisously JDV should be the rightful starter with some 1 like Barrett as his successor! But they are UK based now. I do Believe Jacobs is more familiure with the bok setup but please lord NO do not put him on the wing! and he is banned from drop kicks!!
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
oh and schmo, if you find my comments boring...dont read them!!! Nobody is forcing you to come on this site and only read my comments. Im talking about Rugby at the end of the day...
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
hey guns, i said on another article that obviously im generalising about the Sharks supporters when i say that about Jacobs and co. Im actually referring to the Sharks supporters such as smart who are so quick to defend him...
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By guns - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH I would give so much to see the boks come running out on Saturday like they did against NZ in the Tri Nations! Right from the First Kick off you could feel that intencity! Many they were revved up like Deamons! If they can replicaate then its lights out! 1000points for Huge hit on BOD and bonus 10000000 if its Danie! Hope to see BJ in the mix again!
Hows Juan Smits injury going? Deysel needs to play! He was rock solid put in the big hits a team needs and strong on the run as usual!
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By guns - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Yo Gilbert i agree WO is the form no 12 and starting him on Sat would be the perfect opp to put the debate to an end....

Dont know why provinces are so biased, for me when it come to the boks i dont care were they player is from in SA as long as he is the Best!! At the end of the day the Boks & SA is more important!
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By guns - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Every time i think back to that intensity in the Tri Nations against NZ i have this image of Bismark all over the pitch ripping & attacking the ball, savagly from some player! Twisted Evil
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By Dhirshg - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
guys i think its inevitable that everybody wil hav their own opinion and own favourites and own criticisms. thats wat makes us unique as individuals rite? dis is a democracy after all. so lets not argue wit each other. we all want a bok win no matter wat. on a side note, adi reminds me of the dreadful rudolph strauli era when he made his debut-dats wat sways me. plus, yes he is capped a rediculous 30 times but dont forget abt 20 of thoz r (edited)ing of the bench in the final 3 minutes just to say well.
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By Dhirshg - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
I WISH THE OVER-SEAS RULE WOULD BE CHANGED TO ATLEAST ACCOMODATE '1st 15' PLAYERS. THOZ 65M MONSTER FRANS KICKS STILL GIVE GRAHAM HENRY NITEMARES AND JEAN IS NEEDED TO COUNTER O'DRISCOLL.
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By Kevin - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
looks like we all want to see wynand at 12
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By Biltongbok - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
WO definately seems to be the people's choice at the moment. More importantly (almost like the Spies Kanko debate)we all want to see if he can play on the international stage the same as he has done for the Bulls in the last couple of seasons
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By ronnie - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
15. Ruan Pienaar.
14. J.P. Pieterson.
13. Jacques Fourie.
12. Wynand Olivier.
11. Bryan Habana.
10. Morne' Steyn.
9. Fourie DuPreez.
8. Ashley Johnson.(Wish Spies was better)
7. Schalk Burger.
6. Heinrich Brussow.
5. Victor Matfield.
4. Bakkies Botha.
3. John Smit.
2. Bismark
1. Beast
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By Luke... - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Sorry ronnie but Pienaar should not play anywhere but scrumhalf!
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By IronPig - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
according to me anyone of the props on tour can play if smit is back at hooker.They are all good enough. Wynand should play and hougard should get a run on wing in the second half.Pienaar should be back up for fourie and not steyn.
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By RugbyGal - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Go to RugbyWorldMagazine
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/rugbyworldmagazine?ref=nf

on facebook. Way to many NH fans there. They saying NZ, Boks and Aus gonna lose this weekend. Trying to say the NH gonna dominate rugby. Shocked
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