Allister Coetzee will stick to his word and give his first Test Springboks a chance to redeem themselves when he names his team for the second Test against Ireland this weekend.
Coetzee stated on Monday that while the whole Bok squad was ‘hurting’ after losing to the Irish for the first time on home soil, it was time to move forward and focus on correcting the mistakes made at Newlands.
“We learnt a lot as a team last weekend. We’ve been hurting the last few days, but what is important is that we get over it and look forward. How we respond this week is what matters now,” said Coetzee. “Collectively, we didn’t play well (at Newlands) and I’ll look to give the players a second opportunity - to rectify matters.”
Coetzee will today name his matchday 23 for the Ellis Park match, one the Boks will be desperate to win, to not only level the three-match series but to also avoid joining the 1996 and 1997 Boks as the only sides to have lost a three-Test series on home soil.
The only expected changes to the starting XV will be forced by injury.
Elton Jantjies, who will come in for Pat Lambie, will wear the No 10 on his back for the first time after only previously being a replacement, while Pieter-Steph du Toit will replace the injured Lood de Jager in the starting XV.
De Jager was somewhat surprisingly selected ahead of Du Toit last weekend, but a calf injury suffered by the SA Rugby Player of the Year last Saturday has opened the door for Du Toit to join his Stormers teammate Eben Etzebeth in the second row.
And with De Jager missing out, Lions lock Franco Mostert, pictured, will fill a spot on the bench and possibly earn a first Test cap.
The other injury concern in the camp at the start of the week - that of eighthman Duane Vermeulen (knee) - is believed to be over which means the Boks will again start with the same loose-trio as a week ago, with Warren Whiteley on the bench. There’s no place in the squad for the Lions’ in-form Jaco Kriel, whose participation in the series could be limited to his carrying tackle bags in training, depending on what goes down on his home ground at the weekend.
Experienced flyhalf Morne Steyn will be Jantjies’ backup on the bench, while it appears Coetzee could spring a surprise by handing local favourite, Ruan Combrinck, a place among the impact players. He’s in line to take over from Jesse Kriel, bringing the Lions’ representation in the match squad to seven players.
It’s make or break for the Boks this weekend, but it’s also time for some of the more experienced and fancied players in the team to pay back the faith shown in them by Coetzee.
Possible team:
Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Lionel Mapoe, Damian de Allende, Lwazi Mvovo, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Adriaan Strauss, Beast Mtawarira. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Julian Redelinghuys, Trevor Nyakane, Franco Mostert, Warren Whiteley, Rudi Paige, Morne Steyn, Ruan Combrinck - The Star