Springbok coach Jake White named his team in Bloemfontein today for the first Test of a two-match series against England.South Africa and England will meet again in the pool stages at the Rugby World Cup in France later this year, and White wants to get the upper hand psychologically. He has therefore named a strong team – despite facing an effective England ‘C’ team.
The most noteworthy selection is the inclusion of Bulls second row forward Danie Rossouw at number eight, ahead of his Bulls team-mate Pierre Spies.
Rossouw starred for South Africa on the year-end tour to Ireland and England last year.
Then there is the inclusion of 2003 World Cup wing Ashwin Willemse, a Jake White favourite, who will play Test rugby for the first time in more than two years.
Willemse, South Africa’s Player of the Year in 2003 has been picked to play England, despite having failed to complete a game this year. His last three years have been riddled with injury – since he aggravated a knee injury against Ireland in November 2004.
This year he played half a Vodacom Cup game for the Lions, before crying off with a hamstring injury, and then 60 minutes of Super 14 rugby for the Lions.
Injury has also forced White’s hand in several positions – with André Pretorius, Jaque Fourie, Fourie du Preez and Os du Randt all ruled out of the battle of Bloemfontein through injury.
Butch James (number 10) and Ricky Januarie (number 9) will be the halfback combination in the absence of Pretorius and Du Preez.
With Du Randt out, the Boks field the powerful Sharks front row – BJ Botha, John Smit and Deon Carstens – in its entirety.
There are no new caps, but the Bok starting fifteen, with a total of 418 caps, has a distinct experience advantage over their opponents – whose starting fifteen have just 172 caps.
John Smit will lead the Springboks for a record 39th time and will be playing in his 43rd consecutive Test match. He will also improve on his record of 61 Tests as a hooker.
Percy Montgomery – 654 points in Tests; 98 conversions, 115 penalty goals – will improve his record 66 Tests as a fullback. Montgomery needs two conversions to improve Johan Heunis’ record of six career conversions against England.
Second row stars Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha will improve the record they shared with Mark Andrews and Krynauw Otto with their 26th Test match as a lock pairing.
White will also equal Nick Mallett’s record of 38 Test matches as coach of the Springboks.
South Africa (23 May 2007):
1. Deon Carstens (Sharks)
2. John Smit (Sharks) (Captain)
3. BJ Botha (Sharks)
4. Bakkies Botha (Bulls)
5. Victor Matfield (Bulls)
6. Schalk Burger (Stormers)
7. Juan Smith (Cheetahs)
8. Danie Rossouw (Bulls)
9. Enrico January (Lions)
10. Butch James (Sharks)
11. Bryan Habana (Bulls)
12. Jean de Villiers (Stormers)
13. Wynand Olivier (Bulls)
14. Ashwin Willemse (Bulls)
15. Percy Mongomery (Sharks)
Replacements:
16. Gurthro Steenkamp (Bulls)
17. Gary Botha (Bulls)
18. CJ van der Linde (Cheetahs)
19. Johann Muller (Sharks)
20. Pierre Spies (Bulls)
21. Ruan Pienaar (Sharks)
22. Francois Steyn (Sharks)
Date: Saturday 26 May
Venue: Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 15:00 (13:00 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Joël Jutge (France), Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)