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First Test start for Grant Williams as Springboks make nine changes
Jacques Nienaber has named a Springboks side to face Argentina this Saturday in Johannesburg that shows nine changes from the XV that lost 20-35 to New Zealand in Auckland. That 15-point loss has left South Africa in need of a favour from Australia earlier in the day in Melbourne if the Rugby Championship title is to be still up for grabs by the time they take on the Pumas.
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Four of the Springboks’ changes are in the backline, with Manie Libbok chosen to start at out-half in place of the benched Damian Willemse. He will partner Grant Williams, who has been handed his first Test-start with Faf de Klerk slipping to a bench where the backs/forwards split has been recalibrated from two/six to three/five.
The other two backline alterations see Jesse Kriel given a start at outside centre in place of Lukhanyo Am, who is named on the bench, while Kurt-Lee Arendse, a hat-trick scorer in the Rugby Championship opener against Australia, will start in place of the omitted Makazole Mapimpi.
Up front, there is a complete back row reshuffle with skipper Duane Vermeulen named alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden. Kwagga Smith drops to the bench with Franco Mostert and Jasper Wiese omitted.
The remaining two changes are Malcolm Marx at hooker for the benched Bongi Mbonambi while lock Marvin Orie takes the place of Lood de Jager. Meanwhile, on the bench, Trevor Nyakane is promoted with Thomas du Toit missing out.
Head coach Nienaber said: “This is a quality team that will offer us the skills we need against Argentina. It also contains a good balance of experience and youth, which is vital as we build toward the Rugby World Cup. There are only four more matches before we kick off our Rugby World Cup campaign, so it’s a fine balancing act to give all the players a chance to stake a claim for places while selecting teams that we believe are best equipped for the opposition we will face and we are pleased with the way we have managed that process up to now.
“Obviously the result in New Zealand was bitterly disappointing, but we came into the season with a plan that will hopefully allow us to select the best possible squad for the World Cup and peak at the right time.
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“The Pumas showed in their last two games that they can be a force to be reckoned with, so we have to be sharp from the get-go, be accurate in our execution on attack and defence, and use the opportunities we create. They pride themselves on their set pieces, they are very dangerous at exploiting your mistakes, and they never stop fighting which makes them a challenging opponent.
“But that said, we know where we went wrong in our last match, and we are determined to correct the wrongs from that day and get our season back on track. We are anticipating a hard-fought battle and we know we need to be focused for the full 80 minutes, but we are ready to go out there and give everything.”
Springboks (vs Argentina – Saturday):
15. Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 85 caps, 65 pts (13t)
14. Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 24 caps, 81 pts (12t, 3c, 5p)
13. Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 59 caps, 60 pts (12t)
12. Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights) – 71 caps, 45 pts (9t)
11. Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps, 50 pts (10t)
10. Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 5 caps, 19 pts (8c, 1p)
9. Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) – 3 caps, 0 pts
1. Steven Kitshoff (Ulster) – 73 caps, 10 pts (2t)
2. Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 60 caps, 75 pts (15t)
3. Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 60 caps, 5 pts (1t)
4. Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 111 caps, 20 pts (4t)
5. Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps, 0 pts
6. Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps, 0 pts
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 68 caps, 30 pts (6t)
8. Duane Vermeulen (captain, SA Rugby) – 67 caps, 15 pts (3t)
Replacements:
16. Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 58 caps, 60 pts (12t)
17. Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 59 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18. Vincent Koch (Cell C Sharks) – 43 caps, 0 pts
19. Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 32 caps, 20 pts (4t)
20. RG Snyman (Munster) – 25 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21. Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 47 caps, 44 pts (5t, 2c, 5p)
22. Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 33 caps, 30 pts (6t)
23. Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 29 caps, 36 pts (2t, 4c, 4p, 2d)
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Comments on RugbyPass
Crusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
10 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
10 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
10 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to comments