Green vs Gold Bok showdown
Talent aplenty as teams prepare for the titanic Green vs Gold showdown
Saturday s Springbok trial match has all the ingredients to open up and produce exciting X-factor duels when two talent-laden combinations collide at Newlands, coach Mzwandile Stick has predicted (kickoff 5pm).
Stick, who is coaching the Green team, says he is expecting an entertaining clash as the Springboks gear up for possible participation in the Rugby Championship in Australia during November.
It has been dubbed as the Best vs Best showdown as players bid to impress new Bok coach Jacques Nienaber and SA s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus.
His team will be facing a formidable Gold team, which will be coached by Deon Davids.
We would like to give the players the freedom to express themselves, and to showcase their talent and bring that X-factor,” Stick said.
If you look at the likes of Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe, they use their chances one-on-one, and we would like to give these young players the opportunity to do that.
With the experienced players around “them, I think it will be a good match. The game might open up in the later stages, “but we are going to respect this match. The Gold team also have quality players, so “we will try to play a well-balanced game, and if it opens up, we will look to take our opportunities.”
Davids said with the Stormers relocating to the Cape Town Stadium next year, it would be a special occasion for the Cape-based players in both squads.
We have a number of Stormers players in “our ranks for whom this match will be a very special occasion, playing on the beautiful field of the famous Newlands stadium,” Davids said.
Gold team prop Steven Kitshoff said it was exciting the see new faces in the Bok squad. There are several new faces in the teams “ and there is a lot of information coming through and detail they need to learn, but they are all willing to learn and work hard,” he said.
There are some really talented and energetic “youngsters who are part of the group at the moment and it is great to see them getting an opportunity, and hopefully they will display some good skills and showcase their talent this weekend.
The feeling you get from playing for the Springboks is definitely still there. We give as much as we can and make the necessary sacrifices to play for the team, and that is something I think of every day.
To be back at the Stormers and now here after the Covid-19 pandemic brought things to a halt is great, and I am really looking forward to the weekend.”
Scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, who returns after recovering from a fractured leg, expected an entertaining spectacle at DHL Newlands. We have a guidelines that we will follow, “but this is rugby, so one can never predict what is going to happen and things rarely pan out the way one plans, so we will see what happens on the weekend.
I think it is going to be an interesting spectacle.
The teams:
Springbok Green: 15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Wandisile
Simelane, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9
Sanele Nohamba, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2
Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Schalk Erasmus, 17
Kwenzo Blose, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 JJ van der Mescht, 20 Juarno
Augustus, 21 Junior Pokomela, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Manie Libbok, 24 Jeremy Ward, 25 Kade Wolhuter.
Springbok Gold: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Rosko Specman, 13
Lukhanyo Am (captain), 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10
Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7
Nizaam Carr, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Carlu Sadie 19, Jason
Jenkins, 20 James Venter, 21 Vincent Tshituka, 22 Ivan van Zyl, 23
Curwin Bosch, 24 Werner Kok, 25 Manuel Rass.