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BJ at tighthead for Irish clash

Thursday, November 26 The national selectors have made six changes, including two positional changes, to the Springbok starting XV that faced Italy last week for Saturday’s final Test of 2009 at Croke Park in Dublin against Ireland.

In the front-row, Tendai Mtawarira returns to the starting XV in place of Wian du Preez and BJ Botha starts at tighthead with captain John Smit moving to hooker in the place of Adriaan Strauss.

Victor Matfield returns to the starting XV, replacing Andries Bekker, Schalk Burger is back at flank with Danie Rossouw moving from the side of the scrum to number eight. There is one change to the backline with Wynand Olivier starting at 12 in place of the injured Adi Jacobs.

There are four more changes on the bench – hooker Bismarck du Plessis and prop CJ van der Linde return from injury, whilst Irish-based centre Jean de Villiers is recalled and flank Dewald Potgieter is included in the Test 22 for the first time.

Smit will equal Percy Montgomery’s record as the most capped Springbok against Ireland (six caps), while Jaque Fourie will equal Jean de Villers’ record as the most capped Springbok centre (43 Tests).


South Africa

Team vs Ireland
28 Nov 09
16:30
Croke Park
Dublin, Ireland
1  Tendai Mtawarira
2  John Smit
3  BJ Botha
4  Andries Bekker
5  Victor Matfield
6  Heinrich Brussow
7  Schalk Burger
8  Danie Rossouw
9  Fourie du Preez
10  Morne Steyn
11  Bryan Habana
12  Wynand Olivier
13  Jaque Fourie
14  JP Pietersen
15  Zane Kirchner
16  Bismarck du Plessis
17  CJ van der Linde
18  Francois Hougaard
19  Jean Deysel
20  Dewald Potgieter
21  Ruan Pienaar
22  Jean de Villiers
  • Captain - John Smit
  • New front row in Mtawarira, Smit and Botha
  • Matfield returns in place of Bekker
  • Fit-again Burger back at flank
  • Rossouw shifts from flank to No 8 with Kankowski dropping out of the matchday 22
  • Olivier replaces the injured Jacobs at centre
  • Du Plessis and Van der Linde return from injury on 5-2 split bench
  • Potgieter in line for Test debut
  • Munster-bound De Villiers comes onto the bench

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By Green_Mile - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
What a side, and to think that Spies and Steyn aren't in the side it is pretty potent. Glad to see Smitty at hooker and that FdP is playing. Solid team!
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By wpwynkop - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
huh? jean opi bench? pdv is meer geroek as wynkop
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By cramer - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Finally, this is starting to look like the best team of the Tour and the best front row of the whole year.

Would have like JdV at centre but at least he is on the bench and no Adi.
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By Gilbert - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
YOH!!!!!! Shocked That team is deadly!!!!

Bismarc, Deysel and De Villiers coming on as impact players. Now THATS a bench...Bokke by 24.

GO BOKKE!!!! Twisted Evil
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By crazysharksman - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
GREAT TEAM!! No Kanko? Seems like he had his chance! Stoked to see Deysel there.. He'll make a big impact again!

26 caps for Meisiekind? wow.. He better make something of this.

BOKKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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By JeanB - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Awesome side. Agree with Olivier ahead of JdV - brilliant as the latter is, he will surely not be picked for 3N next year if he's still Munster-based. Big chance for Olivier, with JdV providing awesome experience coming off the bench.

Also happy to see the make-up of the loosies on the bench, Potgieter deserves a chance and Deysel proved his worth last weekend.

Boks by 10.
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By fatalrash - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
This looks like the strongest 15 on the autumn tour yet! Can't wait til the first scrum!!
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By Frikman - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
What a bench!

Bismarck, CJ, Deysel, Potgieter, JdV!!!

Gives new meaning to the word SUPERSUB! Twisted Evil

Bokke by more than plenty. GO BOKKE!!!
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By RugbyGal - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
ja crazysharksman seem no Kanko this week! Evil or Very Mad Seems everybody more than willing to give Meisieking lots of opportunities.
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By aasvoel - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Awesome team. I'm really glad about Wynand Olivier's selection. He deserves it! We're gonna smash those Irish.
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By sasuperman20 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Bet the odds have changed a little more after this selection
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By mikes - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
This is one of the best teams we've seen in a while I can't think of one player that should not be there.. Well done selectors a great job, and the bench is even better... this team is going to pummle the irish.. Bokke by 15
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By viwe - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Potgieter deserve a a springbok jersey i like, i like...lets if wynand wont choke kankowski did....hopefully not Deysel is playing well good call again, Adi Jacobs got injured from all the bounced tackles he tried against Italy i hope he doesnt play for boks again (scared of sharks on that hunt for glory doc)...i wonder if PDV is really changing his policy or he only doing it because we playing north teams....

But i think PDV should wait for a call from Khompela for playing only 4 blacks in this match...but I'm black and think this is the best team he could play this weekend...
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By bluebok - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
There are two weakish links in the team Danie Rossouw and Kirchner, but replace them with Spies and Steyn and voila! A monster team! And take a look at the bench!!!!

As I have said countless times, our injuries just keep on making the team stronger.
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By viwe - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Bokkkkkeeeeeee...by 34..now iwant to edit my points diffence on superbru....
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By darooosta - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
"while Jaque Fourie will equal Jean de Villers’ record as the most capped Springbok centre (43 Tests)."

UNLESS JDV COMES OFF THE BENCH??!!!!!
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By dazza - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
So these are the names that came out the lucky draw this time around. LOL
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By Pilchard - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Looks like a great side, not so sure about Rossouw at 8 though
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By Steynop15 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Injuries have seen the inclusion of Brussouw and now also Olivier ahead of Jacobs and our best front row yet for a while now. Never wishing injury on players but it has actually helped SA in some strange way by forcing us to experiment.
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By aasvoel - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Why is everybody complaining about Danie Rossouw being at 8. Do you have short memories or what. He helped won the WC 2[/b][/u][/i] ago playing at 8, and he's great in the Norhern Hemisphere.
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By Steynop15 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
If Rossouw can play like he did last week, I'd pick him ahead of Spies even. Kirschner also seems solid enough.
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By guns - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
WOW Can u believe it! PDV actually made the selections were were hoping for! Smit at 2 and BJ at tight heat! Olifier at 13 and JDV on the bench as cover! Great! Schalk, Danie and Brussow will be very physical up front! BJ and Beast will also add physicallity! Hope Bukkies can step up and have a huge game!
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By smart - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Wow what a team, my only worry is Wynand Olivier because no matter what any one says he has never proven himself in a Bok jersey he always seem to loss it when he plays for the Boks. But I truly hope I am wrong and I will support him 100% as I watch from the stands on Saturday.

I am a big kanko fan but I think Rossouw is a good call for this game as the weather prediction is for rain and gale force winds we are going to have to keep this game close but he is going to have to show a lot more enthusiasm than he has so far on this tour.

I hope that bringing in all these overseas players is a trend that will continue next year.
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By Rqd2 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Danie is good at 8 up on mud island, he's strong and can bash with the best of them... It's a good side, and you'll probably see meisiekind have his best game yet playing outside his bulls team mates...
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By natal-taranaki-boy - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Excellent. All of our hopes for selection have pretty much been met! A great achievement considering how fickle we are as supporters. Possibly JDV instead of Olivier but both very strong players and Olivier has been in the set-up during the tour which means a great deal.

Think we have the team here to do the job but a win in the historic Croke Park is a tall order, especially considering a year with a Super 14 final, a lions tour and an expanded tri-nations. Fingers crossed.

I do have concerns however over Steyn. Hes proven over the year he is the key yet current form is worrying and in a windy and possibly wet Dublin kicking is going to be crucial. Kirchener in that respect is also a worry.

This should be an absolutely cracking game. Any London saffas heading to the Bok Bar in Covent Garden?
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By natal-taranaki-boy - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Also Wynand, despite all those who say hes never pitched up in a Bok jersey had a great WC 07 and has never really let himself down. Where he has never been as explosive as Adi Jacobs in winning games he has rarely had an impact in losing games like Jacobs has.
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By murr - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Ireland by 10 Very Happy
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By KNECHCLK - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Pity we didn't have that line-up for the game against Les Bleus...still I'll take great pleasure in watching the Bokke kick some serious leprechaun hoop. They must be...well let's just say they can't be happy.
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By murr - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Ireland wont be fased KNECHCLK they are going to be well up for it...and didn't you know Leprechauns are extinct ya LANGER Laughing
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By Luke... - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
murr, please come back to this site on Sunday after we beat you, so we can hear all your excuses.
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By murr - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
if SA win than i will be the first to say congrats with no excuses because unlike KNECHCLK i have respect for SA and i dont resort to silly childish derogatory remarks like Leprechauns...i wonder did it take him all day to come up with that. further more who ever wins will be the better team and i hope that if eire win than you will congratulate us but some how i doubt it. Respect to Eire and SA and may it be a game with ball in hand and non of this kicking crap...peace luke Laughing
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By Boesman - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Very good team Full stop
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By Dhirshg - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
ANY1 WHO KNOWS THEIR RUGBY WUD AGREE TIGHT-HEAD IS THE MOST VITAL POSITION SO THANK GOD 4 BJ. BUT EVEN MORE THANKS 4 JEAN AND WYNAND. WAT A MONSTER TEAM, IMAGIN WEN PIERRE, JUAN AND FRANS RETURN WOW. A BOK RECORD VICTORY ! S.A 50 - 10 IRELAND
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By zulustormer - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
best team of this tour by far. piet helium has finally gotten of his high horse, thank the heavens for that. to all the danie-haters, his preffered position is 8th-man.

just hope wynand keeps his eyes open because he is responsible for creating the gaps and then actualy passing the ball to the man he created the gap for.

i have great confidence in kirchner, he will be tested no-doubt.

the front-row has to prove a point to everybody. they must show that we south africans have always been good a solid scrumming team.

5stars for divvy in selecting this team. if the boks loose, atleast we can't blame the coach and his selectors, but only ourselfs.

but we wont loose this game cos the irish have been begging us for a proper hidding ever since the lions tour, so lets go out there and flippin stick it to those whinning sorry-excuse of a sports-team.

and danie you have the pleasure of giving BOD back some of his own medicine.! Twisted Evil
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By forgottenplayer - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
interesting how much better a team looks if smittie is on 2 and bj on 3, and no adi there
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By forgottenplayer - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
and murr, we will congratulate if eire wins...if
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By botsbok - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
cant wait to see deysel have a go!
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By Rqd2 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Ireland have a knack of peaking in between world cups, come 2011 i foresee another sub par WC from them... Sad but true, this weekend i think it will be the boks by 8 or 9 points, but tight going into half time...
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By bootman - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
murr for leprechauns to be extinct would imply that they really existed. They are mythical creatures like fairies. You know fairies....like your rugby team.
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By barter - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
i think tmrw will cap a great year for the boks - this is a VERY strong side and we should have no problem dispatching the irish! good luck boys!
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By gedi - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Careful boys, this is a great team, and i think danie at 8 is a good call -and maybe jdv starting, but they are still a potent team, give them their due -and they are super hungry!!!!! they def have the better fullback, and o driscoll is sheer class, no matter how many nobby statements he makes.... they are a driven team and although we should win by 10-12, it doesnt always happen our way does it......GO BOKS!!!!
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By KNECHCLK - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
murr...take a chill pill. If you find the term 'leprechaun' derogatory I pity you. I have nothing against Ireland or its people and have many Irish mates. In fact, I've been over there many times. They rib me, and I rib them.

Go and drink potcheen or something and don't imply that I don't respect Irish rugby you muppet (hope you didn't find that offensive!).

I'll give praise where it's due should we lose, but until then put a seal on it.

bootman...you hit the nail on the head boet! Poor murr needs to be educated if he believes that leprechauns actually existed. I suppose he believes in garden gnomes, fairies and banshees as well!
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By Brownshark - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
I agree Danie and Zane are the weakest links, perhaps they should have let Kanko play behind a proper pack rather than Danie. But Danie is strong just not quite the handling skill required for no. 8. Jean for Zane to make sure we don't give anything away at the back. Has has the ability just perhaps needs to settle the nerves, maybe today is the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO ON YOU BOKKE
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