more than just 80 minutes
Springboks
South Africa
Div – Kidney right to drop O’Gara
Friday, November 27
Submit
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers hailed Ireland coach Declan Kidney’s decision to bench veteran flyhalf Ronan O’Gara for Saturday’s Test, saying he would have done the same.
Kidney sprung a major surprise earlier in the week when he named the inexperienced Jonathan Sexton at flyhalf for the Test against the world champion Springboks ahead of 93 Test cap veteran O’Gara.
"Sexton had a fairytale start last week to his international career," said de Villiers, who saw the flyhalf hit seven kicks from seven on his Test debut last weekend during a 41-6 victory over Fiji in Dublin.
"On that alone I would have kept him there, he brings a freshness to the team and for us he's an unknown factor.
"That kind of stuff is what you need. You need to be inventive if you want to keep the opposition guessing.”
De Villiers also said that his decision to revert John Smit back to hooker wasn’t necessarily a one-off decision.
"It's some good fortune we have at the moment. If you look at the squad, we can go horses for courses now and play how we want to play, stamp what we want to stamp on the game as a team and that's why John's there.
"Suddenly we can make tactical choices on the pitch, move the players around - what a great position to be in."
Smit was adamant that fatigue was not an excuse for the Boks’ disappointing tour of Europe.
"I think fatigue comes in many different forms," Smit said, adding: "But it's silly to use that as an excuse. I don't think the 'end of season' exists these days because of the way the two hemispheres' calendars are.
"It (the Ireland match) is just the last game for this year.
"We don't need any special motivation to win in Dublin. The motivation comes from playing for our country."
Login / Register
related links
 |
 |
South Africa | More by Quintin van Jaarsveld
- > Stick blow for Blitzbokke
- > Two changes for Blitzbokke
- > Overseas Boks to feature in Welsh Test
- > Rugby backs Soccer
- > Brache called up to BlitzBokke
Next 5 Fixtures
| 5 Jun 10 | Wales |
| 12 Jun 10 | France |
| 19 Jun 10 | Italy |
| 26 Jun 10 | Italy |
| 10 Jul 10 | New Zealand |
user poll
Who will be SA's top side in the 2010 S14?
Results Votes: 23804 Store
2008 Springbok Jersey with Name and Number
2008 Bok Jersey with Name and Number.
PLEASE NOTE: This jersey is available on pre-order. It has not yet been released.
 |
Designed and Implemented by DigIT Solutions
All content supplied by SARugby.com
Photographs supplied by Gallo Images/Getty Images.
All logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owner.
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest © 2005 Fat Pig Productions CC The logos and trademarks used on this site are the property of their respective owners We are not responsible for comments posted by our users, as they are the property of the poster Advertise with SARugby.com | Legal Notices |
 |
going o play some role and they are more used to conditions over there than the Bokke are.
Some commentators have also been talking about the man on man comparisons and its fair to say that even the irish commentators will agree that man for man SA are better players individually. except 13 14 and 15 where we are better. Dont care if some of you dont agree ur one eyed opinion dose not change the fact that its true.
As a unit i think ireland do preform well. And there defence is very well organised but of course we can say the same for SA.
There are so many comparisons to be made but on the whole i really think that the current world rankings are for the first time exactly right. with Ireland in 4th and SA in 1st i do think the result 2moro will reflect that.
Still ireland have the ability to rise to the big occasion when its needed.... BUT so do SA and while my heart say ireland my Head firmly says South Africa.
Should be a very very good game tho. in fact it should be the best game of the series. and really regardless the rivalries. RUGBY is the winner here. Best of irish luck to SA.