It’s new beginnings for the Boks tomorrow

IT WILL all be about new beginnings for the Springboks when they take on France in the opening Test of a threegame series at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow.

Warren Whiteley will lead the national team for the first time tomorrow while Bok boss Allister Coetzee has also breathed new life into the team by bringing in new faces, a lot of them from the well performing Lions Super Rugby side.

There will also be international debuts for fullback Andries Coetzee, wings Courtnall Skosan and Raymond Rhule and scrumhalf Ross Cronje while lock Franco Mostert will be making his first start after making all of his previous seven appearances from the bench.

For Coetzee it will be the first time that he goes into the June internationals properly prepared after being appointed to the job last year only six weeks before the team played their first Test against Ireland.

“It means new beginnings. New beginnings in terms of everything. I think we have a vibrant group of players. The way they have trained and Saturday I’m sure they will take that on to the field.

“There will be mistakes because they are young players and a new combination.

“We are not living in a fool’s paradise here but I’m sure there is energy and intensity and that is what I’m looking forward to seeing,” said Coetzee yesterday.

Beyond the playing personnel, Springbok defence coach Brendan Venter will be making his debut with the team’s management after having been part of Italy’s management team that conjured up the master plan which led to the Springboks’ loss to the Azzurri last year.