<< Compare to the side chosen by Ou Grote readers on the left Springboks // England 01. Tendai Mtawarira // Joe Marler* 02. Bismarck du Plessis (vc) // Dylan Hartley 03. Jannie du Plessis // Dan Cole 04. Eben Etzebeth* // Mouritz Botha 05. Juandré Kruger* // Geoff Parling 06. Marcell Coetzee* // Tom Johnson* 07. Willem Alberts // Chris Robshaw (c) 08. Pierre Spies // Ben Morgan 09. Francois Hougaard // Ben Youngs 10. Morné Steyn // Owen Farrell 11. Bryan Habana // Ben Foden 12. Frans Steyn // Brad Barritt 13. Jean de Villiers (c) // Manusamoa Tuilagi 14. JP Pietersen // Chris Ashton 15. Zane Kirchner // Mike Brown 16. Adriaan Strauss // Lee Mears 17. Coenie Oosthuizen* // Paul Doran Jones 18. Flip van der Merwe // Tom Palmer 19. Keegan Daniel // Phil Dowson 20. Ruan Pienaar // Lee Dickson 21. Pat Lambie // Toby Flood 22. Wynand Olivier // Jonathan Joseph * New cap
Heyneke Meyer explains the selections:
Leadership
“We’re fortunate to have a strong leadership core in Jean, Bismarck and, if he gets replaced, Adriaan Strauss.”
The new caps
“Eben, Juandré, Marcell and Coenie have all put up their hands this season and I know they can succeed at Test level. Although the team is quite young, we still have some experience across the starting 15. The balance in the team is right in the way we want to play against England and we’re looking forward to the first Test of the season.”
Faith in his selections
“I have faith in the players and the ball is now in their hands to show they have what it takes to perform constantly at this level as we enter a new Springbok era.”
Why Sideshow Bob instead of Pat Lambie?
“If you look at the team we didn’t have a lot of time to prepare. I think that both are quality fullbacks but if you look at the team I went for combinations and guys that know each other. If you look at the front row, the loose forwards and the 8, 9, 10 and the 15 they are all guys who have played with each other. I think that Patrick is a great player, especially as there is a good chance he will come off the bench and make a huge difference.”
Reserves?
“I don’t believe in reserves, I believe in impact players, so if you look at the players on the bench they are brilliant players in their own right. If you look at Coenie and Adriaan they are two of the best ball-players in the country if not the world for that matter. Both are great guys to start with but unbelievable guys to bring off the bench because they can turn a game on its head. Same with Flip – he is a through and through athlete and then Keegan is a guy who has proved himself and can cover openside and No.8 and he always makes a difference. If you look at the backs that I have chosen on the bench they are also guys that can change a game, so they will definitely be used. I believe that they are all game-breakers in their own right – every single player – and it is great to have a bench with big, fast, strong guys with a lot of skill.”
Eben Etzebeth
“Flip and Juandre have played together and I think that is a great combination, but I went for form. It probably would have been easier to pair the two Bulls players together but I believe that Eben brings something different to the party. He contests very well in the line-out and I don’t want to say he could be the next Bakkies Botha because I think he can surpass that. I think it is quite a new thing for South African rugby to have two uncapped locks in the team, so obviously that is a huge step-up for them and they need to prove that they can play at this level but I am very confident in them. I did think about experience there but I have got a lot of confidence in Eben and I think he can be a world-class lock. He is big physical and doesn’t shy away from contact and I think he was the best No.4 lock in Super Rugby so it was just fair to go with him there.”
Marcell Coetzee
“Marcell Coetzee has been playing great rugby the whole year, I think he brings something different to the party and he will definitely be a superstar in years to come. Both Marcell and Eben are still under 21 so we have got a few youngsters there who I think played very well in Super Rugby which is an unbelievably tough competition so I am very confident in all three.”
The attitude in the team
“I have been coaching for about 20 years and this is probably the best week in terms of pure attitude of players that I have ever seen. Every single player has trained every single session and in my wildest dreams after the derbies I never thought that would be possible so the attitude has been brilliant. Obviously it is a huge responsibility to represent your country and you really want to start well, and you also know that you are playing against a quality side so I am obviously a bit nervous, but more excited than nervous and I can’t wait to go.”
