Manie Libbok has been paired with Cobus Reinach in Sunday’s quarter final. They have also gone with a 5-3 split on the bench with Faf de Klerk, Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux on the bench.
Duane Vermelen has been selected at 8 and together with Siya Kolisi and PSDT will have to keep a very good and physical French back row in check.
(more…)Rienaber has gone for a rare 5-3 split on the bench with both Handre Pollard and Manie Libbok in the squad. Bongi is rested with Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden selected at hooker.
Eben Etzebeth (risky IMO) starts along with Marvin Orie with Franco Mostert covering lock on the bench. Andre Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie will feature in midfield with Grant Williams again selected as wing.
(more…)Rienaber will be using the infamous 7-1 bench split against another top tier nation. Cobus Reinach will be the only back on the bench covering scrumhalf and wing. Clearly the plan is to use the 9 forwards to prevent Ireland from getting any momentum. The only way the wings will get the ball is if Ireland or Manie Libbok kicks it to them. It will be the pack taking it up, Faf passing to De Allende who will batter it up, rinse and repeat.
(more…)Rienaber has selected all 4 scumhalves in the squad for the game against Romania. Grant Williams starts at wing with Faf covering the flyhalf position from the bench. Manie Libbok is rested with Damian Willemse running the back line. Bongi Mbonambi captains the side with Deon Fourie covering from the bench.
(more…)Canan Moodie and Jean Kleyn were not selected for the Boks’ crucial first WC game on Sunday due to niggles. Rienaber has reverted to De Allende at inside centre, Cheslin Kolbe switches 11 and Jasper Wiese starts at 8. Clearly the plan is to have the old heads of Duane Vermeulen and Willie le Roux on the bench to help close the game out.
(more…)Jake White does have plans to shift to Canan Moodie to outside centre for the Bulls, but Rienaber will pre-empt Jake by using the warmup against the All Blacks to blood Moodie in the 13 jersey.
(more…)Siya Kolisi, Jaden Hendrikse and Ox Nche (from the bench) will play their first game for the Boks in 2023 in the warmup against Wales. RG Snyman will be running the line out partnered by the hard working Jean Kleyn. Siya will be joined by PSDT and Jasper Wiese in the back row.
(more…)Handre Pollard (long term injury), Lukhanyo Am (aggravated the knee injury he just recovered from) and Lood de Jager (struggling with an undisclosed illness) have been left out of the World Cup squad. Am’s misfortune opens the door for Andre Esterhuizen. Very stoked that Grant Williams made the cut and I feel for Thomas du Toit who lost out.
(more…)Coach Rienaber is giving a number of his fringe players a chance to stake a claim for the WC squad. Hopefully this group will manage to put up a better effort than the abysmal showing by the more first choice players at Ellis Park.
(more…)Coach Rienaber has selected Malcolm Marx to start with the out of sorts Bongi Mbonambi set to make an impact from the bench. However he has left RG Snyman on the bench with Marvin Orie (who played pretty well against the Ozzies but not in the same league) getting another start. Trevor Nyakane will get a chance later in the game to make his case to be the utility prop in the squad.
Manie Libbok is back at 10 (just much more comfortable than Damian Willemse) and is partnered by Grant Williams (really stoked for Grant as it means his chances of making the World Cup squad is looking better by the day).
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