World team to draw on Juandre’s expertise.
WITH massive emphasis on lineouts as a primary attacking weapon it’s no wonder the Springboks are a touch nervous about the intelligence World XV lock Juandre Kruger can pass on to his teammates.
The Boks meet a World XV at Newlands tomorrow in the first of 14 matches this season after rising to number two in the world rankings last year.
With two Tests against Wales and one against Scotland to follow this meeting, laying down a marker is vital for the Springboks. But it won’t be straightforward because of a heavy South African presence in the opposing ranks. Five Springboks and two non-capped South Africans are included the 23-man World XV squad captained by former Wallaby flyhalf Matt Giteau. But Kruger is arguably the Boks’ most feared opponent this weekend.
Kruger played the last of his 17 Tests for the Boks against the All Blacks at Ellis Park last year and is intimately versed in the team’s lineout strategy, even if the Boks may have altered some of the calls. The broader lineout policy and systems remain the same.
“Juandre knows the systems here really well,” Springbok captain Victor Matfield said. “Most of what he learned was alongside Bakkies Botha and myself at the Bulls and I even coached him at the Boks last season.
“It makes me a little nervous because he knows precisely how I think. That will make it tough but I have great jumpers around me and we will alter a few things as well.”
Kruger, currently playing at Racing Metro, has absorbed every detail during his time with the Bulls and Boks and World XV coach Nick Mallett will no doubt be emptying his head of all data.
The visitors have only had two full training sessions – in terrible conditions – so strategy is basic.
Kruger offers the most useful tactical detail at the World XV’s disposal.
“I spent two years in the Bok camp and a long time at the Bulls when Victor Matfield was there and they have systems that they believe in and which I have learnt,” said Kruger.
“It’s the same as in business – if you come from an environment which you understand and know then it is to your advantage.
“But I don’t believe that it will determine the outcome of the match. It will come down to how we front up physically and whether we can put pressure on them.”
That has been one of the mantras Mallett has preached all week – matching the Springboks’ attitude and physicality are the only way to victory.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has picked a settled lineup for the match, tinkering only at wing where Cornal Hendricks starts on the right with J P Pietersen moving to outside centre where he will partner Frans Steyn in the midfield.
Injuries and suspension mean that Adriaan Strauss, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie and Pat Lambie, who all featured in last November’s 1910 win over France in Paris, were unavailable this weekend.
This will be the fourth time the Springboks have met a World XV following victories in 1977 and twice in 1989.
Boks wary of Trojan horse plot
WITH massive emphasis on lineouts as a primary attacking weapon it’s no wonder the Springboks are a touch nervous about the intelligence World XV lock Juandre Kruger can pass on to his teammates.
The Boks meet a World XV at Newlands tomorrow in the first of 14 matches this season after rising to number two in the world rankings last year.
With two Tests against Wales and one against Scotland to follow this meeting, laying down a marker is vital for the Springboks. But it won’t be straightforward because of a heavy South African presence in the opposing ranks. Five Springboks and two non-capped South Africans are included the 23-man World XV squad captained by former Wallaby flyhalf Matt Giteau. But Kruger is arguably the Boks’ most feared opponent this weekend.
Kruger played the last of his 17 Tests for the Boks against the All Blacks at Ellis Park last year and is intimately versed in the team’s lineout strategy, even if the Boks may have altered some of the calls. The broader lineout policy and systems remain the same.
“Juandre knows the systems here really well,” Springbok captain Victor Matfield said. “Most of what he learned was alongside Bakkies Botha and myself at the Bulls and I even coached him at the Boks last season.
“It makes me a little nervous because he knows precisely how I think. That will make it tough but I have great jumpers around me and we will alter a few things as well.”
Kruger, currently playing at Racing Metro, has absorbed every detail during his time with the Bulls and Boks and World XV coach Nick Mallett will no doubt be emptying his head of all data.
The visitors have only had two full training sessions – in terrible conditions – so strategy is basic.
Kruger offers the most useful tactical detail at the World XV’s disposal.
“I spent two years in the Bok camp and a long time at the Bulls when Victor Matfield was there and they have systems that they believe in and which I have learnt,” said Kruger.
“It’s the same as in business – if you come from an environment which you understand and know then it is to your advantage.
“But I don’t believe that it will determine the outcome of the match. It will come down to how we front up physically and whether we can put pressure on them.”
That has been one of the mantras Mallett has preached all week – matching the Springboks’ attitude and physicality are the only way to victory.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has picked a settled lineup for the match, tinkering only at wing where Cornal Hendricks starts on the right with J P Pietersen moving to outside centre where he will partner Frans Steyn in the midfield.
Injuries and suspension mean that Adriaan Strauss, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie and Pat Lambie, who all featured in last November’s 1910 win over France in Paris, were unavailable this weekend.
This will be the fourth time the Springboks have met a World XV following victories in 1977 and twice in 1989.
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