Os returns to Springbok team

August 03 2005 at 12:05PM

By Andrew Hollely

The Springbok management breathed a collective sigh of relief as veteran loosehead prop Os du Randt past a fitness test and was included in the Bok starting line-up announced by coach Jake White on Wednesday for their Tri-Nations match against the All Blacks at Newlands on Saturday.

Although Gurthro Steenkamp has performed admirably in the No 1 jersey in the two Tests against Australia in the past fortnight, Du Randt's experience was seen as crucial to gaining parity in the scrums over the top ranked team in the world.

Du Randt was one of three expected changes. The others included Ricky Januarie for Fourie du Preez at scrumhalf and Schalk Burger for Joe van Niekerk at flank. Van Niekerk switches to No 8 at the expense of Jacques Cronje, who drops to the bench.
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It was a position Van Niekerk fulfilled splendidly in the 33-20 win over the Wallabies at Ellis Park and his physical presence will be a determining factor in the outcome of this crunch encounter.

A doubtful starter after re-injuring his leg at practice on Tuesday, White was sure that Du Randt would be able to make a huge contribution against the All Blacks on Saturday.

"I'm confident Os is fully fit," White said. "I've just come from the physio room and he has full mobility in his leg."

The most capped Bok prop of all time will pack down in the front-row with John Smit and CJ van der Linde, who with locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha hold the key to beating the formidable New Zealanders on the soft Newlands pitch.

It is a match the Boks must win if they hope to retain the title they won in dramatic circumstances in 2004.

Januarie, who came on midway through the second half, added much urgency and his in-your-face attitude will be needed to unbalance the New Zealanders.

"Ricky has done well against (Frederic) Michalak, (Dimitri) Yachvili and also against (George) Gregan at Ellis Park this season, so he offers us a lot," White explained.

Schalk Burger will return to his familiar No 6 jersey, with Joe van Niekerk switching to No 8, meaning the Boks should have a greater presence at the breakdown - something that was lacking against the Wallabies in Pretoria.

"Schalk also offers us something different against a team that has a more aggressive approach (than Australia).

"New Zealand are attack orientated and the Lions struggled versus them in the lineouts so those are two areas we are concentrating on." White added that he had spoken to referee Andrew Cole about perceived illegal tactics by the All Blacks at the lineouts.

"I have spoken to Cole and he is fully aware after taking charge of the second Tests against the Lions." White's grievance surrounds the numbers the All Blacks employ at the lineout, often giving away a free kick, which nullifies the lineouts.

"The lineout should be a contest," said White. "I spoke to Clive (Woodward, coach of the Lions) on Tuesday and we spoke about the numbers in the lineout." It was an area of complaint that Woodward harped on about during his team's 3-0 series defeat in New Zealand in July could create more problems for the Boks on Saturday if the referee allows the visitors to get away with it.

The Springbok team is:
15. Percy Montgomery
14. Breyton Paulse
13. Jaque Fourie
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Bryan Habana
10. Andre Pretorius
9. Enrico Januarie
8. Joe van Niekerk
7. Juan Smith
6. Schalk Burger
5. Victor Matfield
4. Bakkies Botha
3. CJ van der Linde
2. John Smit (captain)
1. Os du Randt

Reserves
16. Hanyani Shimange
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Albert van den Berg
19. Jacques Cronje
20. Fourie du Preez
21. Wayne Julies
22. Jaco van der Westhuyzen - Sapa

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