Springbok team vs England

No lock cover

Springbok team to face England in Johannesburg:

15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 49 caps, 71 pts (7t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)

14 Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath*) – 49 caps, 126 pts (21t, 3c, 5p)

13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 87 caps, 100 pts (20t)

12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 97 caps, 55 pts (11t)

11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls*) – 30 caps, 115 pts (23t)

10 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 28 caps, 145 pts (2t, 48c, 13p)

9 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks*) – 28 caps, 35 pts (7t)

8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 44 caps, 15 pts (3t)

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 95 caps, 70 pts (14t)

6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks*) – 103 caps, 70 pts (14t)

5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls*) – 18 caps, 5 pts (1t)

4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 141 caps, 45 pts (9t)

3 Thomas du Toit (Bath*) – 32 caps, 5 pts (1t)

2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 87 caps, 130 pts (26t)

1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 47 caps, 0 pts

Replacements:

16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 9 caps, 10 pts (2t)

17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 16 caps, 10 pts (2t)

18 Zach Porthen (DHL Stormers) – 3 caps, 0 pts

19 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 33 caps, 20 pts (4t)

20 Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 pts

21 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 50 caps, 95 pts (19t)

22 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 29 caps, 25 pts (5t)

23 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 23 caps, 45 pts (9t)

** Denotes the players’ current clubs, which will change on 1 July.*

Stats and facts:

Springbok record against England:

Played 47; Won 29; Lost 16; Drawn 2; Points for 1027; Points against 804; Tries scored: 93; Tries against: 60; Highest score: 58-10; Biggest win 48 points. Win percentage 61,7%

Some players may be undercooked and not enough match fitness for this game.

Eben hasn't played all year and when he was allowed back got sideline with concussion symptoms.

Nortje have had a massive work load this season and completely implode and was useless in the final.

Pietersteph came through the entire BaaBaas game but most like to cover for Eben at 4 half way during the game.

Kwotalisi hardly played, I expect him to be subbed after 30 min.

No flyhallf cover in Pollard.

In the backline we have the geriatrics,

Cobus comes back from injury, didn't impress for the season and pushing 35 already. but on the. bench

Dud and Kriel forms the midfield, don't expect much backline play.

Kolbe has lost pace and Arendse isn't as sharp as he once were. He didn't offer any value to the bools in the knockouts.

I think this team is a bit under cooked and probably not our best team we can put out.

Oh, and Manie has been playing Devision 2 in Japan, so let's see if it kept him fresh and sharp.

We probably see 50% different team next week or a completely different team against the Scots.

Porthen hasn't featured much for the Stormers. Rassie must have a plan for him

I'm worried about Eben. Not sure he should be starting. Rather give him the final 30 and let him go beast mode.

Ja, DDA...jirre why is he there?

This team gives me the same vibe as the Eden Park side that played 3,6, 9 rugby to lose the game.

So why is Riley Norton not with the Junior Boks?

Riley pulled a hammy, and will now be out for 8 to 10 weeks. This happened during training at the very last move. Rassie admitted that the training may be too intense for the younger guys as they are not used to the consistent intensity.

Also, maybe Rassie should have allowed him to Captain the Junior Boks and gone with JJ for now even though he is a big lug with low work rate, but our lock options are drying up

It's the team that was always going to be on the cards. I agree with most of the reservations expressed here though. Bench is a little lame - we really need to move on from Reinach and Eskom can't even crack a Bulls starting berth. Good to see Cam on the bench and at least Andre is there too. We know a guy like Arendse will lift his game for test match rugby despite looking off the boil at the end of the URC.

My biggest shock is no Wilco on the bench. Is he injured? Why would you not just use the full Bulls front row. Eskom covers 6, 7, 8, same as Cameron so frees up PSDT to move to lock. Andre is also another 7 option. Porthen is gonna have a hell of a a job if Genge stays deep into the game.

Rassie re Wilco:

Louw’s father passed away in April after a long illness, while the 31-year-old is also moving his family back to Cape Town from Pretoria after signing for the Stormers.

“Wilco has had a tough time,” Erasmus said. “Without getting into his personal life, there was illness in the family, there was a family bereavement, he was ill for one game and he’s had a tough five or six weeks.

“We just feel Wilco needs one week to settle down a little bit. We think his body has taken some hammering over the last couple of weeks, so that’s the reason.

“Thomas starting is quite solid for us at tighthead, and Zach coming off the bench gives us someone who’s really mobile. He’s really impressed in the scrum sessions.”

Classic Lucky…all sorts of innovations in the squad, back to the insurance policy with the actual team….ah but the new expansive game with Brown ball will shock and awe.

This was always going to happen.

Ah ok, I haven't had a chance to listen to the team announcement press conference.

Cheers Pakie.

You crawl before you walk...1st actual test match this season vs England nogal...there is no time for experimentation...stick with the trial and tested and let muscle memory do the rest... it's not rocket science, it's rugby.

There is a clip where Wilco is puking his guts out in the Leeenster final, where is standing on the goal line and just a flood of puke coming out of his mouth. The man is a machine.

I hope he feels better soon and back on top of his game

Oh I think this team selection is worse than I thought it would be. So not looking forward to this game :(

Average age of the starting backline 31 years….hahaha….Erasmus certainly reflects my argument that experience counts. And the pack….a solid 32 years old.

Makes sense to start the season with the most established team. Then start bringing in more players to compete with the established selections and combinations as the season progresses.

Hopefully, Hanekom can have a solid run without injury. He will give the pack an extra dimension. An allrounder- Vermulen style of player.

Agreed on Hanekom and that guy has pulled off some crucial try saving steals in the last year. In a pack with no fetcher except Marx he could provide more of a ground game.

Hidekichi Miyazaki (Japan): Known as "Golden Bolt," he holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest competitive sprinter. He ran the 100m in 42.22 seconds at the age of 105 in 2015

And he only started running at 104, still room for improvement. Beats my time hands down

Cover for 10 ??

Willemse and Esterhozen. Hell they may be better than the starter.

Rassie’s starting lineup is hard to criticize—it’s a reliable, well-tested choice. While conservative, it’s clearly built around a sensible, well-thought-out plan.

I would not have started with Eztebeth, maybe a bench option. He could have played last week, to see if there is anything left of his body to give to the game.

Willemse and Esterhozen

so it'll be Willy 10 Kolbe 15 Moodie 14 PSDT 5 Esthzen 7 etc

Used sparingly when tactically necessary Etzebeth could still play a strategic role.

"....Erasmus certainly reflects my argument that experience counts..."

Definitely, muscle memory in a team setup is vital...Rassie is doing the basics better than any previous coach...he even try to manage the statistics... he's got a natural intuition for doing the job he's doing...I am really surprised... didn't think he had it in him after he couldn't win the SR trophy with the Stormers...he will go down as the best Bok coach ever, even if he stop coaching tomorrow...we are on borrowed time...

Will mozzietard ever get over Rassie being such a hugely successful coach. It's eating the poor weirdo up.

Come on Mozzie admit you made the biggest blunders ever made by anybody posting here in assessing the value of Rassie and Du Toit. Bwahahahahaha.

Rassie will give others players a chance in the two tests following on from England.

It's a tricky period this.

Heaven help us all if the Boks lose a test. We have some monumental whiners here who after complaining bitterly about Rassie can't wait for a loss to happen.

Beeno reading these pathetic whiners like an Open Book. Hahahahahaha.

Poor old HasBeen ….it’s a tricky period. Why? Why is it necessary for you to prepare us for a Bok defeat. Personally I never think the Boks are going to lose, even with a lock playing at flank and a man who has no clue about backline play coaching the Boks.

Predictable selection. I guess he is hoping they grind it through like this team knows how to do. I wonder if Libbok's kicking success has improved?

If this game goes down to the wire, I am not putting my money on "Jan Pierewiet" to get us over the line. If the English are competent enough, they will target his channel with strong runs.

The bench looks good. Cameron, Esterhuizen and Moodie. Let's see what Porthen is made of up against Genge, it will be a good test for him. Wilco cracked Genge, though. Will Thomas be able to do the same?

Stef will be lock cover for Eben, who might not make the full 80 minutes. I hope Cameron gets at least close to 40 minutes on the pitch.

England predicted team:

Starting XV: 15 George Furbank, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 Alex Coles, 4 George Martin, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie George, 1 Ellis Genge

Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Greg Fisilau, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Marcus Smith

Pollock is starting.

Love it.

I'm firmly in camp Pollock.

Want him to play as well as possible without doing well enough to make England win.

So tired of the fake humbleness in rugby that some arrogance and attitude is a breath of fresh air.

If that English back row start firing the Boks could be in for a long day. My feeling is that the benches are the difference and the last twenty should be one way traffic for the Boks.

Pollock is a prime example of the toxicity of social media. Much like with Matt Williams and Anton Dup, 'n plethora of rugby meme sites put up pictures with words these people never said, and the collective rugby supporter pleb squad is too stupid to realize it's all fake and they're being rage baited.

I hope Pollock - if he starts, don't know if the official team has been announced - has a great game. I don't like all of his antics (but every person has the right to embarrass themselves, né?), but rugby needs its big personalities as much as any game. And he is a damn good player.

The more interesting question is: How will Pollock fare against our starting loose forwards? He is a fast and busy loose forward that needs to be contained.

I think if Jasper, Stef or Kollisi can get hold of him, they might nullify his abilities. If not, he might run circles around them. Cameron Hanekom might be better equipped to deal with the Cocky Blonde.

Yeah, i think if England can give Pollock a platform them we might see some action.

I wouldn't be surprised if Pollock has a mandate to run at Manie on Saturday.

I hear they are talking Genge up too. Saying he's put on 10Kgs and is at his most powerful ever.

Mozzietard of course the Boks will lose a test at some point. No side has ever won 100 percent of the time yet you are confused by even this observation. What I am saying is expect the Rassie hating whiners here to go to town when that happens.

I see you cannot refute the fact that your take on Rassie and Du Toit are the worst double blunder ever committed on this board. But one could go further and say they amount to the to the worst blunders perhaps in the history of folk posting on any rugby web site. I mean can one possibly be more wrong.

The reason behind the blunders is a Rassie Derangement Syndrome. The hatred grows and grows as Rassie keeps rubbing your noses in it. Oh if only the Boks would lose a test we would be vindicated these loons think. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha

Go Bokke nice time to give England a sound drubbing.

Rassie has been rubbing their long snouts in for a decade or so. Bok supporters have been putting up with their drivel for all that time. "Lucky" Rassie just keeps on being lucky.

A stats guy like Mozzietard should realize it cant be all luck! Luck does not favour one side continuously.

Beeno Biscuits, you're foaming at the mouth already. Calm down, man. So would you say there was zero luck involved in those three 1 point victories in RWC 2023?

You lot have more faith in my team than I do….ha ha ha !

Pollock is a very good player, yes. I hope he has a good game and silences his doubters.

Must say I’m really worried about this game…..might watch from behind the sofa !

Mampara power every side has their share of good and bad luck but to call Rassie Luck Rassie etc is BS and you shouldn't be encouraging mozzietard in hs absurd take on matters. He loves insulting Rassie, Du Toit and Allende.

Show some respect for perhaps the greatest Bok coach ever and Du Toit perhaps the great number 7 in rugby history.

England side. The fans don't seem too thrilled about what Borthy cooked up.

Earl to start instead of Henry, is good news for the Boks. Henry will be facing Cameron when he comes on.

A good match-up and one to look forward to.