Injuries to some players have hampered Springbok coach Peter de Villiers‘ plans to name an unchanged team for Saturday’s Tri-Nations clash against Australia.
While there was an expectation that some players may have been rested for the Boks’ final game, De Villiers resisted tinkering with the team, and was keen to ensure the momentum was kept from the victory at Loftus Versfeld last week.
Two players who went for scans necessitated the move, with Butch James ruled out of action after popping his shoulder while Flip van der Merwe’s neck strain was sufficient enough to let Danie Rossouw back into the starting line-up for the weekend’s game.
De Villiers was consistent in the Van der Merwe move as he started Flip two weeks ago against the All Blacks when Rossouw had a niggling injury.
Van der Merwe has been given extra time to rest, but has been cleared for the game.
“Butch will not be part of the Tri-Nations any further. He popped his shoulder and has been ruled out. The other guys have been cleared and will be part of the squad.”
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Graham Henry has spoken out on the refereeing controversy that Peter de Villiers has embroiled himself into.
De Villiers made the outlandish claim last week that the All Blacks’ recent supremacy over the Springboks was part of a conspiracy aimed at generating support for next year’s World Cup.
Henryon Saturday flew to Brisbane and watched the Wallabies open their Tri-Nations campaign against South Africa. But before he departed on his spying mission, he expertly distanced himself from the fuss.
”I can’t really take anything [de Villiers] says seriously,” Henry said. ”The penalty count in the two matches was in favour of South Africa. I appreciate they had a couple of yellow cards; one was very warranted and the other questionable. But I don’t want to get into it too deeply for the reason I just outlined.”
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Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will be asked to ‘test combinations’ as a way to rotate players to avoid player burnout ahead of the World Cup next year in New Zealand.
This proposal comes from South African Rugby Union President Oregan Hoskins, who on Tuesday confirmed earlier media reports that the Boks will feature in an additional Test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on June 5.
Labelling the game a “rematch of the first game ever played at the Millennium Stadium” – when the two teams met in Cardiff 10 years ago – SARU glossed over the fact that the game will bring to 15 the number of internationals South Africa will feature in this year.
Media reports earlier suggested that SARU is ‘killing the Goose that lays the golden egg’.
With the Test against Wales now confirmed, it means the Boks will play seven Test matches in sevens weeks (eight Saturdays) in June and July.
Those seven Tests in June and July are two against New Zealand and one against Australia, one against the top Six Nations team France and two against Italy. Plus the one against Wales, of course.
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Springbok coach Peter de Villiers said that the Springboks will not underestimate the Italians when they meet at the Stadio Friuli in Udine on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference in the Northern Italian city after making four changes to the Bok starting XV that lost to France last weekend, De Villiers said the Italians had shown great improvements in recent seasons and were fast becoming a force to be reckoned with.
“The more experience they gain, the better they are becoming and they are able to compete with any team on the day,” De Villiers said.
“They have a very good pack of forwards and they showed in their match against New Zealand that they will be very competitive at scrum time.”
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The Springboks had to make two changes due to injury to their match 22 to face the Wallabies in their Tri-Nations encounter at the Suncorpe Stadium in Brisbane this Saturday.
Coach Peter de Villiers announced today that Sharks wing Odwa Ndungane will take the place of his provincial team mate JP Pietersen in the starting line-up, whilst Vodacom Blue Bulls lock Danie Rossouw makes a return to the bench in the place of Vodacom Western Province’s Andries Bekker.
Both Pietersen (hamstring) and Bekker (shoulder) have returned to South Africa after sustaining injuries in the 32-25 win at the Subiaco Oval in Perth last week.
De Villiers also confirmed that concerns over minor ailments to Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana had eased and that both players would be ready to fill their places on Saturday. Botha was rested from practice on Tuesday but Habana took part in the session.
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On tuesday Peter de Villiers named an unchanged Springbok team to face Australia at Newlands on Saturday in Cape Town.
The Bok coach kept intact the team that beat the All Blacks by 31-19 in Durban last weekend to win their second consecutive Vodacom Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand.
The only change to the Springbok team is on the bench, where fit-again Ruan Pienaar takes the place of Wynand Olivier.
Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha will play together as a lock-pairing for the 50th time in a Test for the Springboks. Matfield will play in his 86th Test and Botha in his 60th.
Jean de Villiers, who played in his 50th Test last weekend, will on Saturday surpass De Wet Barry’s record for the most capped Springbok centre of all time, when he will run out in the midfield for the 40th time. He played on the wing and as a replacement in his 11 other Tests.
The Springbok team is (Test caps in brackets):
15. Frans Steyn (32)
14. JP Pietersen (28)
13. Jaque Fourie (47)
12. Jean de Villiers (50)
11. Bryan Habana (50)
10. Morné Steyn (5)
9. Fourie du Preez (48)
8. Pierre Spies (24)
7. Juan Smith (59)
6. Heinrich Brüssow (6)
5. Victor Matfield (85)
4. Bakkies Botha (59)
3. John Smit (86) – Captain
2. Bismarck du Plessis (26)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (15)
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Percy Montgomery, the Springboks‘ most capped player and highest point scorer will be the new kicking coach to help the South African team according to Peter de Villiers.
De Villiers told E-News that Montgomery will be used when the squad joins for the British & Irish Lions series. With Montgomery’s 102-Test experience De Villiers added that he will be more than just a kicking consultant, but also a mentor within the side who could help in most areas of the game.
The move is a positive one as the Boks prepare for the Lions and specialists such as Montgomery will only aid the hosts, especially in the crucial areas of tactical and goal-kicking.
Montgomery was used by the Stormers in the early parts of this year’s Super 14 due to Conrad Jantjes’ first injury, but has since taken a back seat to give youngsters a chance to prove themselves.
source: keo.co.za
Pic: directnews.co.uk
The Klein Nederberg Secondary School hosted Peter de Villiers for a filmshoot with Sky TV on Tuesday.
De Villiers was interviewed for a documentary feature that is being produced by Sky which looks back on the 1974 British Lions tour of South Africa as well as ahead to the forthcoming series between the Springboks and the 2009 Lions in June and July. The documentary will be screened in the United Kingdom and Ireland in May this year.
In addition to the interview, de Villiers conducted a short skills session with the Schools 1st rugby team.
When I was asked to find a venue for the shoot I approached Klein Nederberg and they happily agreed, said de Villiers, whose daughter matriculated at the school.
The headmistress and staff were very accommodating and hospitable as always and their efforts were much appreciated by myself and the Sky crew, de Villiers said.
During his visit, the Bok coach interacted with scholars and educators and signed autographs. He also met five-year-old Bok fan Peter Esterhuizen whose dream is to play for the Springboks and whose favourite players are Jongi Nokwe and Percy Montgomery.
The Sky TV crew was grateful to Klein Nederberg for making their facilities available for the shoot.
Source + Pic: sarugby.co.za
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers visited the Springbok Sevens teams in Dubai today for a motivational talk and customary jersey presentation.
De Villiers did the same in November, when the SA team played and won the Dubai Sevens title for the second time in three years.
South Africa is chasing a unique double. The fifteens won the World Cup two years ago in France and Paul Treus team is amongst the tournament favourites for the Sevens world crown, a feat, if achieved, would be unique and unmatched in world rugby history.
You are the best in your positions and the best South Africa has to offer. Our country is Sevens mad at the moment and that is because of your wonderful achievements in Dubai and George last year, and also the manner in which you represent your country every time you guys pull the national colours over your heads, said De Villiers when he spurred the team on to deliver their best over the next few days.
De Villiers was accompanied by SARU CEO Johan Prinsloo and SARU vice-president Rautie Rautenbach.
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