Meyer rolls in big guns
SPRINGBOK coach Heyneke Meyer unsurprisingly wielded the axe for Saturday’s critical Rugby World Cup encounter against Samoa, making eight changes from the side that lost to Japan.
The biggest casualty was hooker Bismarck du Plessis, who dropped out of the match-day 23 altogether.
Du Plessis and prop Coenie Oosthuizen have paid the price for their ill-discipline and poor decision-making during last week’s 34-32 loss to Japan.
There is speculation that the pair cost the team 20 points last weekend. Similar wastage against the Pacific Islanders at Villa Park this weekend would be catastrophic for the Boks’ RWC campaign.
Oosthuizen looked like a man who hadn’t played any rugby after a lengthy injury lay-off and Du Plessis might have been behind some of the Boks’ insistence to go for lineouts instead of kicking for goal.
The upshot is that Adriaan Strauss will start, earning his 50th test cap, while Schalk Brits comes on to the bench. Frans Malherbe is on the bench for his first World Cup appearance in place of Oosthuizen.
“Bismarck is still a great player and will definitely be involved going forward, so don’t read too much into that,” Meyer said.
Meyer kept faith with out-ofsorts skipper Jean de Villiers, but moved him to the outside centre channel to accommodate Damian de Allende at inside centre. Jesse Kriel drops to the bench.
Fourie du Preez and Handre Pollard are united at halfback for only the second time in their careers, after starting against Scotland in Port Elizabeth last season.
“I said to Handre that this game is going to be won or lost by him,” Meyer said, heaping pressure on the 21-year-old pivot.
“We all know he is the best attacking No 10 in the world. But attacking rugby doesn’t mean it’s winning rugby and Handre has to play tactically. He has to bring the other part as well.” Perhaps the most important inclusion is the return of No 8 Duane Vermeulen to the starting lineup. The Boks have missed his physical presence and defensive organisation, and he should give them that.
Meyer made an impassioned, if somewhat confusing, argument for retaining the clearly struggling De Villiers.
“I had a long and hard chat with Jean and decided that if you go into a fight that you have to win and that your whole career and the whole country depends on, I want to take a guy that has had six knee operations and got injured in his first game for South Africa,” Meyer said.
“Even the specialist said he won’t play again, but he came back and proved them all wrong and broke his jaw.
“I would rather go with a guy like that into a fight we have to win because I know he wants to play for South Africa, I know he is a fighter and I know it is best for the team. It is not just about Jean, it is about what is best for the team.”
Bok team: 15-Willie le Roux, 14-J P Pietersen, 13-Jean de Villiers (capt), 12-Damian de Allende, 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Handre Pollard, 9Fourie du Preez, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Schalk Burger, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Victor Matfield, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Adriaan Strauss, 1-Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: 16-Schalk Brits, 17-Trevor Nyakane, 18-Frans Malherbe, 19-Lood de Jager, 20-Siya Kolisi, 21-Ruan Pienaar, 22-Pat Lambie, 23-Jesse Kriel.