Coach JPP has made minimal changes to the team that drew against the Pumas last Saturday. Mawande Mdanda starts at tighthead in the place of Trevor Nyakane. Jaden Hendrikse starts at 9 and Yaw Penxe replaces Jaco Williams at wing. Anthony Volmink moves onto the bench.
(more…)Rassie has selected Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to start at 10 in the first game of the Rugby Championship. He is paired with Cobus Reinach with Grant Williams on the bench.
Kwagga Smith has been moved back into his impact role from the bench with the more physical Elrigh Louw selected to start at 8. Malcolm Marx is back on the bench after recovering from the knee injury picked up being croc-rolled in the game against Ireland.
(more…)Coach JPP has made a few changes to the team that beat the Lions. Trevor Nyakane comes in to strengthen the scrums with Tino Mavesere back at open side. Eduan Keyter will start the match. Chris Horak should make his Currie Cup debut later in the game.
(more…)Coach JPP has selected another inexperienced team with 3 debutants in the starting lineup and another 4 on the bench. It is a long season and it does make sense for the URC players to get a decent break before the long season starts again in September. In the mean time these inexperienced teams will get smashed week after week – must be frustrating for coaches and players alike.
(more…)Coach JPP have lost a number of Boks for the test against Portugal, and it seems players like Jordan Hendrikse, Siya Masuku, Ethan Hooker, Corne Rahl, etc. are still being rested (my assumption for lack of more information).
(more…)Salmaan Moerat will captain the Boks against Portugal with only Kurt-Lee Arendse retained from the backline from last Saturday.
Aphelele Fassi, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Phepsi Buthelezi, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Trevor Nyakane will all feature in the team with Phepsi Buthelezi due to get his first Bok cap at open side. It seems Rassie agree with Plumtree that Phepsi’s future lies at the side of the scrum.
(more…)JP Pietersen has selected a strong team containing 5 capped Boks (Mchunu, Nyakane, Mapimpi, Esterhuizen and Fassi) to start against the Griquas in Kimberley. Phepsi Buthelezi will also feature in the blind side flank position with Nick Hatton retaining the number 8 jersey.
(more…)Rassie has kept the same squad as last week for the final test against the Irish.
The Boks usually struggle a bit for teams cohesion in the first tests of the season. However one can already see the influence of Tony Brown on the attack with the Boks much more willing to take the ball wide. PSTD and Kolisi both featured strongly close to the side lines in the build up to KLA’s try.
(more…)Interesting the new Currie Cup coach JP Pietersen has selected a number of players that have been reported as being released (e.g. Murray Koster, Kerron van Vuuren) or retired (Lionel Cronje) along with a number of youngsters that played with him at U21 level. Old war horse Reniel Hugo is still around to mentor the youngsters in the pack. Good to see Tino Mavesere back from his ban. Nic Hatton will captain the team from behind the scrum.
(more…)The Sharks and the Lions have come to an agreement that will allow Jordan Hendrikse to join his brother at the Sharks ASAP. It is very unlikely he will feature for the Currie Cup team on Friday, but we will see him in Sharks colors soon enough. This is very good news for the Sharks URC campaign as he would previously only been available in January.