Bok backlash feared
Namibia face a tough encounter against the Springboks on Saturday, who are smarting from an opening loss to the All Blacks.
Namibia and South Africa will meet for the second time at a Rugby World Cup on Saturday in Pool B of the Japan edition of the global showpiece.
The Namibians were whitewashed by the Springboks in their first World Cup clash in 2011, losing by a whopping 87 points.
Both sides have fresh faces this time around. The Boks slumped to fifth in the world rankings after their 13-23 defeat to world champions New Zealand in their first pool match last Saturday. Namibia are ranked 23rd in the world and will have to pull off something extraordinary if they want to keep the score to a respectable level, while causing an upset appears to be beyond the realm of possibility.
They were beaten 47-22 by Italy last weekend, but certainly gave the Azzurri a run for their money. Namibia's squad for the match is expected to be announced this morning. The South Africans announced their squad yesterday, revealing a whopping 13 changes to the side that lost to the All Blacks.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said the match against Namibia was an “ideal opportunity” to rest his key players.
Only outside centre Lukhanyo Am and wing Makazole Mapimpi keep their places for the clash against the Namibians. Erasmus also sprang a surprise by selecting veteran hooker Schalk Brits (38) to captain the side, but from the unfamiliar position of number 8. Brits, who replaces the benched Siya Kolisi as captain, will become the second-oldest Springbok to appear at a World Cup after Victor Matfield.
Herschel Jantjies and Elton Jantjies are the halfback pairing, while the likes of Steven Kitshoff, Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe join Kolisi on a high-quality reserve bench.
“This gives us an ideal opportunity to rest guys who are vital for us in the big, big games,” said Erasmus, who is eyeing a possible quarterfinal match-up against an in-form Ireland side.
“It is a 'nice-to-have', and it covers a few things for us and gives us proper game time for other players,” added the coach.
He said he will probably give Mbongeni Mbonambi a “proper start of 50-70 minutes” and then move Brits to his more familiar role of hooker.
“Having 31 guys here for what will hopefully be an eight-week tournament for us, you have to try and rotate your hookers,” said Erasmus.
While acknowledging that the Springboks will go into the match as overwhelming favourites at the City of Toyota Stadium, he said he was expecting a physical challenge from their African neighbours.
“If we play to our full potential, we should win those games,” he said, while also referring to the other Pool B matches against Canada and Italy. However, Erasmus also acknowledged that the gap between the top teams and the also-rans has shrunk.
“You don't get 100 points, 80 points and 70 points anymore - it's been shown in the first week,” said Erasmus.
The Springbok team is as follows:
Warrick Gelant; S'Busiso Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Frans Steyn, Makazole Mapimpi, Elton Jantjies, Herschel Jantjies, Schalk Brits (captain), Kwagga Smith, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Vincent Koch, Mbongeni Mbonambi and Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: Steven Kitshoff, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert, Cobus Reinach, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe.
-Additional story by Nampa/AFP
NAMPA/AFP
The Namibians were whitewashed by the Springboks in their first World Cup clash in 2011, losing by a whopping 87 points.
Both sides have fresh faces this time around. The Boks slumped to fifth in the world rankings after their 13-23 defeat to world champions New Zealand in their first pool match last Saturday. Namibia are ranked 23rd in the world and will have to pull off something extraordinary if they want to keep the score to a respectable level, while causing an upset appears to be beyond the realm of possibility.
They were beaten 47-22 by Italy last weekend, but certainly gave the Azzurri a run for their money. Namibia's squad for the match is expected to be announced this morning. The South Africans announced their squad yesterday, revealing a whopping 13 changes to the side that lost to the All Blacks.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said the match against Namibia was an “ideal opportunity” to rest his key players.
Only outside centre Lukhanyo Am and wing Makazole Mapimpi keep their places for the clash against the Namibians. Erasmus also sprang a surprise by selecting veteran hooker Schalk Brits (38) to captain the side, but from the unfamiliar position of number 8. Brits, who replaces the benched Siya Kolisi as captain, will become the second-oldest Springbok to appear at a World Cup after Victor Matfield.
Herschel Jantjies and Elton Jantjies are the halfback pairing, while the likes of Steven Kitshoff, Eben Etzebeth and Cheslin Kolbe join Kolisi on a high-quality reserve bench.
“This gives us an ideal opportunity to rest guys who are vital for us in the big, big games,” said Erasmus, who is eyeing a possible quarterfinal match-up against an in-form Ireland side.
“It is a 'nice-to-have', and it covers a few things for us and gives us proper game time for other players,” added the coach.
He said he will probably give Mbongeni Mbonambi a “proper start of 50-70 minutes” and then move Brits to his more familiar role of hooker.
“Having 31 guys here for what will hopefully be an eight-week tournament for us, you have to try and rotate your hookers,” said Erasmus.
While acknowledging that the Springboks will go into the match as overwhelming favourites at the City of Toyota Stadium, he said he was expecting a physical challenge from their African neighbours.
“If we play to our full potential, we should win those games,” he said, while also referring to the other Pool B matches against Canada and Italy. However, Erasmus also acknowledged that the gap between the top teams and the also-rans has shrunk.
“You don't get 100 points, 80 points and 70 points anymore - it's been shown in the first week,” said Erasmus.
The Springbok team is as follows:
Warrick Gelant; S'Busiso Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Frans Steyn, Makazole Mapimpi, Elton Jantjies, Herschel Jantjies, Schalk Brits (captain), Kwagga Smith, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Vincent Koch, Mbongeni Mbonambi and Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: Steven Kitshoff, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert, Cobus Reinach, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe.
-Additional story by Nampa/AFP
NAMPA/AFP
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