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Handre Pollard titulaire à l'ouverture pour affronter les Tonga
Pour son dernier match de poule, l’Afrique du Sud a procédé à une large revue d’effectif, changeant notamment toute la première ligne, la charnière et l’intégralité de la ligne de trois-quarts.
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À noter la titularisation d’Handre Pollard à l’ouverture, alors que le joueur vient tout juste de rejoindre le squad des Springboks.
XV de départ
1 Ox Nche
2 Deon Fourie
3 Vincent Koch
4 Eben Etzebeth
5 Marvin Orie
6 Siya Kolisi (c)
7 Duane Vermeulen
8 Jasper Wiese
9 Cobus Reinach
10 Handre Pollard
11 Makazole Mapimpi
12 Andre Esterhuizen
13 Canan Moodie
14 Grant Williams
15 Willie Le Roux
Remplaçants
16 Marco van Staden
17 Steven Kitshoff
18 Trevor Nyakane
19 Franco Mostert
20 Kwagga Smith
21 Jaden Hendrikse
22 Manie Libbok
23 Jesse Kriel
Le précieux pied de Pollard
Handré Pollard revient sur les terrains sous le maillot des Springboks pour la première fois depuis août 2022 et une défaite 25-17 contre l’Australie à Adélaïde. Il prend la place de Manie Libbok, relégué sur le banc.
Agé de 29 ans, il ne figurait pas à l’origine dans le groupe des 33 de l’Afrique du Sud en raison d’une blessure au mollet contractée en mai. Il a manqué les 16 derniers matchs des Springboks.
Auteur de 22 points lors de la victoire sur l’Angleterre en finale de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2019, il sera le deuxième demi d’ouverture de formation de l’équipe avec Manie Libbok. Contre la Roumanie, c’est Damian Willemse qui portait le numéro 10.
Handré Pollard est le meilleur marqueur de l’Afrique du Sud en Coupe du Monde de Rugby (162 points). En 2019, il a également été le meilleur marqueur sud-africain de la compétition (69 points).
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Sa réintégration fait partie des 12 changements annoncés dans le XV de départ par rapport à l’équipe qui a affronté l’Irlande la semaine dernière.
Etzebeth, Kolisi et Wiese conservés
Le deuxième ligne Eben Etzebeth, le capitaine et flanker Siya Kolisi et le troisième ligne centre Jasper Wiese sont les seuls joueurs à conserver leur place dans le paquet d’avants, tandis que la ligne arrière a été complètement remaniée.
À l’exception de Pollard à l’ouverture, tous les arrières du XV de départ étaient déjà titulaires pour la victoire 76-0 contre la Roumanie.
Dean Fourie est titularisé pour la première fois de sa carrière internationale au poste de talonneur. Face à l’Irlande, l’Afrique du Sud a perdu son premier ballon sur un lancer de Fourie dans la compétition, mais cela n’a pas empêché ce dernier de réussir 89 % de ses lancers (8 sur 9) et ses dix plaquages.
Duane Vermeulen est titularisé sous le maillot sud-africain au poste de troisième ligne aile côté ouvert pour la première fois depuis la victoire 29-26 contre la France en novembre 2018. Il ne s’agira que de la troisième sélection à ce poste pour cet habitué du numéro 8, qui compte au total 72 sélections. Si l’Afrique du Sud bat les Tonga, il s’agira de la 50e victoire de sa carrière internationale.
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Face à la Roumanie, Willie le Roux a mis fin à une série de 13 matchs sans inscrire le moindre essai. Il revient dans le XV de départ au poste d’arrière. Le Roux et Faf de Klerk ont tous deux reçu trois cartons jaunes depuis la RWC 2019, soit le plus grand total pour un Springbok sur cette période.
Makazole Mapimpi retrouve sa place à l’aile. Auteur de neuf essais en Coupe du Monde de Rugby, il reste à bonne distance du record de 15 essais détenu pour les Springboks, dans la compétition, par Bryan Habana.
Comments on RugbyPass
Will be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
35 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
35 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
35 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
35 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
35 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
35 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
35 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
35 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
35 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
7 Go to commentsSlade was exceptional against Gloucester. Not only was he doing the classic Slade stuff of running amazing lines and timing passes to perfection to put his wingers into space, he was kicking goals, flying off the line smashing people and crashing into rucks like a flanker… his hair even looked on point. 😍
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