Heyneke takes no chances for USA
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer decided to keep continuity for the Springboks’ final Rugby World Cup Pool B match, against the USA at London’s Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.
The starting line-up shows only two changes from the team that played in the 34-16 victory over Scotland in Newcastle on Saturday.
As a result Frans Malherbe will start his first match of the season for South Africa while Rudy Paige could make his Test debut off the bench against the USA.
Malherbe comes in at tighthead prop for Jannie du Plessis in the only change to the pack. The backline shows only one personnel change as well, at wing where Lwazi Mvovo takes over from JP Pietersen, with Bryan Habana moving over to the right wing.
Pietersen was not considered this week due to injury, while a decision was taken to give Du Plessis and Victor Matfield time to get over some niggles due to the short turn-around after the Scotland match.
Joining Paige on the bench is Morné Steyn, who both could get their first taste of Rugby World Cup action this year. Schalk Brits and Coenie Oosthuizen are also back amongst the reserves this week.
“Wednesday’s match against a much-improved USA team is a must-win for us if we want to progress to the quarter-finals which is one of the reasons why we decided to go with continuity,” said Meyer.
“We also have a number of players who returned to action from injuries recently and it’s important to give them game-time against an opponent who will physically challenge us this week.
“The performances against Samoa and Scotland were satisfactory, but we will have to make another step up against the USA.”
Meyer said it is pleasing to see Paige and Steyn in the match-23 for the first time during the tournament, while Mvovo, Oosthuizen and Brits also deserved another run.
“All five of them have worked incredibly hard over the last couple of months and deserve this opportunity – it’s now in their hands to make the most of it,” said the Springbok coach.
Note: The Springboks Rugby World Cup media guide has been updated following last weekend’s match against Scotland and can be downloaded here (size approximately 16Mb):
The Springbok team to face the USA in London is:
Position
Name
Franchise / Club
Test Caps
Test points
15
Willie le Roux
Toyota Cheetahs
30
45
14
Bryan Habana
Toulon
113
305
13
Jesse Kriel
Vodacom Bulls
7
10
12
Damian De Allende
DHL Stormers
9
0
11
Lwazi Mvovo
Cell C Sharks
14
20
10
Handré Pollard
Vodacom Bulls
16
133
9
Fourie du Preez (captain)
Suntory
73
75
8
Duane Vermeulen
DHL Stormers
31
10
7
Schalk Burger (vice-captain)
DHL Stormers
82
80
6
Francois Louw
Bath
39
30
5
Lood de Jager
Toyota Cheetahs
15
20
4
Eben Etzebeth
DHL Stormers
40
5
3
Frans Malherbe
DHL Stormers
8
0
2
Bismarck du Plessis
Cell C Sharks
75
50
1
Tendai Mtawarira
Cell C Sharks
71
10
Replacements:
16
Schalk Brits
Saracens
8
5
17
Trevor Nyakane
Vodacom Bulls
19
5
18
Coenie Oosthuizen
Toyota Cheetahs
22
15
19
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Cell C Sharks
6
0
20
Willem Alberts
Cell C Sharks
34
35
21
Rudy Paige
Vodacom Bulls
0
0
22
Morné Steyn
Stade Francais
59
688
23
Jan Serfontein
Vodacom Bulls
22
10
Stats and facts:
· After the Springbok tour to New Zealand in 1981, South Africa visited New York to play a historical first Test against the USA. For security reasons the arrangements for the match were shrouded in secrecy. The Test was played on a polo field at Glenville, New York. The only people who attended were officials, a few media people, the substitutes and security personnel. As a result the Test was played before the smallest attendance (30) at a Test match anywhere in the world. South Africa won 38-7.
· Only two Tests were played since, both won by South Africa and the record against the USA is: P: 3; W: 3; L: 0; PF: 145; PA: 42. Win%: 100%.
· The most points scored by the Springboks in a match against the USA were 64 in their match during the 2007 RWC in France. The score was 64-15 and nine tries were scored by the Springboks on that occasion.
· The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 623. There are 262 caps in the backline with 361 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 171 caps.
· Rudy Paige could make his Springbok debut from the bench. His Springbok number will be 869.
· Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 112 caps in this position. He is the most experienced Springbok backline player with 113 caps and only Victor Matfield (125) has played in more Test matches for South Africa.
· If he scores a try he will extend his own record of 61 Test tries for South Africa. Bryan also holds the Springbok record for most career tries (12) in RWC tournaments. Jonah Lomu of New Zealand is the RWC record holder with 15 career tries.
· Bryan needs one try to equal the world record for most Test tries as a wing. The current world record holder is Daisuke Ohata from Japan with 62 tries in the wing position.
· Bryan needs one try against the USA to equal Ray Mordt’s record of three career tries against the USA. Should he score the try he will also equal Percy Montgomery’s career record of 15 career points against the USA.
· Schalk Burger will play in his 76th Test as a flank, South Africa’s most capped Springbok flank. Saturday’s Test will be his 17th RWC Test to join John Smit as the most capped Springbok in RWC. He is also the Springbok record holder for most tries as a flank (14) as well as a forward (16).
· Bismarck du Plessis is the Springbok record holder for most tries (10) in Tests as a hooker.
· Morné Steyn could play in his 60th Test if used as a substitute. He is South Africa’s most-capped flyhalf with 57 Tests in that position and his eight career tries is also a Springbok record for a flyhalf. Morné kicked six successful conversions in the match against Namibia in the 2011 RWC. This is a Springbok record that he shares with Ruan Pienaar who also kicked six conversions in the same match. Morné needs 12 points to reach 700 points in Tests for South Africa.
· Francois Louw will play in his 40th Test for South Africa while Trevor Nyakane could play in his 20th if used from the bench.
· Only four players, Bryan Habana, Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger and Bismarck du Plessis have previously played in a Test against the USA.
· The referee is Pascal Gaüzère of France. He made his professional debut in November 2010, when he was the match referee in a Test between Georgia and Canada. It will be his third Test involving South Africa. The previous two matches were both won by South Africa. That was in 2013 against Italy and Samoa played in Durban and Pretoria respectively.
· The Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is the venue for the Springbok’s last pool match against the USA. It has a capacity of 80,000 seats, making it the third largest stadium in England behind Wembley and Twickenham. The Olympic Stadium, as it is more commonly known, is home to the West Ham United Football Club. One more RWC match, the so called Bronze Final, will be played at this venue.
Jacasport/SARU