rugby365's Bok selection: There's a Beastly change

We have made only one change to our starting XV in our weekly Springbok selection and there’s another switch on the bench.

Sharks prop Tendai Mtawarira made sure we could not keep him out and Stormers hooker Tiaan Liebenberg remains on our bench.

We will update this team once more, after the semifinals, and then we will wait and see how our selection compares with what Bok coach Peter de Villiers delivers on June 1 – when he names his official squad.

Injured players will be considered if they have a chance of recovering in time for the Lions tour and have showed good form.

Here is this week’s rugby365 Bok XV!

15 – Louis Ludik (Lions):
We are sticking with Ludik, who has been consistent all season. We are keeping a close eye on Zane Kirchner, who is pushing hard to replace Stefan Terblanche on our bench.
Bubbling under: Stefan Terblanche (Sharks)

14 – JP Pietersen (Sharks):
There no doubt now that, in our collective opinions at least, the Bok wings should be Pietersen and Bryan Habana – with the Ndungane twins, Akona and Odwa, cementing their places on the bench.
Bubbling under: Akona Ndungane (Bulls)

13 – Jaque Fourie (Lions):
He may not have played, but there again wasn’t any outside centre that screamed ‘pick me!’ this past week. Adi Jacobs looked better, but still favoured that injured shoulder. Jacobs remains a class player and our next choice at outside centre.
Bubbling under: Adi Jacobs (Sharks)

12 – Wynand Olivier (Bulls):
Again, no change here. Pity about the injury though – which may well open the door for Jean de Villiers if Olivier’s hip injury proves to be more than just a bad bruising. For now, until medical opinion tells us otherwise, Olivier is our man.
Bubbling under: Jean de Villiers (Stormers)

11 – Bryan Habana (Bulls):
As we said earlier, Habana and Pietersen are our wings, with the Ndungane twins on the bench.
Bubbling under: Odwa Ndungane (Sharks)

10 – Morné Steyn (Bulls):
We are staying with Steyn, even though we think the Bok coach will go with Ruan Pienaar. We’re just happy that Pienaar’s injury won’t sideline him for more than two to three weeks and the extended lay-off is why we are looking to bring him off the bench, rather than start.
Bubbling under: Ruan Pienaar (Sharks)

9 – Fourie du Preez (Bulls):
He once again proved his worth and remains South Africa’s – and probably the world’s – premier scrumhalf. Jano Vermaak remains our back-up, with Rory Kockott snapping at his heels.
Bubbling under: Jano Vermaak (Lions)

8 – Pierre Spies (Bulls):
The debate continues, especially after Ryan Kankowski produced one of his best performances of the season last Saturday. We are looking for consistency now. Luke Watson is continuing to display some impressive form, but we are happy with what we have in Spies and Kankowski.
Bubbling under: Ryan Kankowski (Sharks)

7 – Juan Smith (Cheetahs):
No need to change here. His experience and overall ability makes him invaluable to our team. Duane Vermeulen remains on our bench and Jean Deysel is grow by leaps and bounds – again showing us how much depth we have at loose forward.
Bubbling under: Duane Vermeulen (Stormers):

6 – Heinrich Brüssow (Cheetahs):
No change here. Even with Schalk Burger making good progress and back in the mix for Lions selection, we are staying true to the pint-sized Brüssow. You have players like Jacques Botes and Deon Stegmann as back-up for these two.
Bubbling under: Schalk Burger (Stormers)

5 – Victor Matfield (Bulls):
He may not have been as busy as the previous week, but there is no doubting Matfield is the country’s premier lock forward and line-out kingpin. And why would you want to drop him anyway? Johann Muller remains our back-up – just ahead of David de Villiers.
Bubbling under: Johann Muller (Sharks)

4 – Bakkies Botha (Bulls):
Citing issues aside – and it was only a push – Botha and Matfield are the world’s foremost lock combination. He will be one of the team’s prized assets in dealing with the big brutes in the B&I Lions team. Andries Bekker – apparently fit now – has not played for a while, making it difficult for us to assess his form, while Steven Sykes is making some loud noises. But we are staying with Danie Rossouw as back-up.
Bubbling under: Danie Rossouw (Bulls)

3 – John Smit (Sharks):
Wow, when the Sharks front row fires it is something awesome. The Bulls are no pushovers, but the Sharks clearly had the edge. Jannie du Plessis remains on the bench and Werner Kruger waits in the wings.
Bubbling under: Jannie du Plessis (Sharks)

2 – Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks):
Du Plessis did lift his game, but the chasing pack look hungry. Tiaan Liebenberg comes onto our bench, displacing Willie Wepener, and it is just a pity Liebenberg doesn’t have another game this week to show us how consistent he can be. But he deserves a spot on our bench.
Bubbling under: Tiaan Liebenberg (Stormers)

1 – Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks):
The only change to our starting XV this week. Mtawarira – or The Beast if you wish – has made it impossible for us to ignore him any longer. Gürthro Steenkamp has another chance this week to reclaim his place and is on our bench.
Bubbling under: Gürthro Steenkamp (Bulls)

Previous selections:

April 7: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), 13 Jaque Fourie (Lions), 12 Jean de Villiers (Stormers), 11 Henno Mentz (Lions), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Rory Kockott (Sharks), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Keegan Daniel (Sharks), 6 Schalk Burger (Stormers), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 John Smit (Sharks), 1 Heinke van der Merwe (Lions).

April 14: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 Akona Ndungane (Bulls), 13 Jaque Fourie (Lions), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Bryan Habana (Bulls), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Fourie du Preez (Bulls), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Juan Smith (Cheetahs), 6 Heinrich Brüssow (Cheetahs), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 John Smit (Sharks), 1 Gürthro Steenkamp (Bulls).

April 21: 15 Zane Kirchner (Bulls), 14 Akona Ndungane (Bulls), 13 Jaque Fourie (Lions), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Bryan Habana (Bulls), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Fourie du Preez (Bulls), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Juan Smith (Cheetahs), 6 Heinrich Brüssow (Cheetahs), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 John Smit (Sharks), 1 Gürthro Steenkamp (Bulls).

April 28: 15 Zane Kirchner (Bulls), 14 Akona Ndungane (Bulls), 13 Jaque Fourie (Lions), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Bryan Habana (Bulls), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Fourie du Preez (Bulls), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Juan Smith (Cheetahs), 6 Heinrich Brüssow (Cheetahs), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls), 3 Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), 2 John Smit (Sharks), 1 Gürthro Steenkamp (Bulls).

May 5: 15 Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), 14 JP Pietersen (Sharks), 13 Jaque Fourie (Lions), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Bryan Habana (Bulls), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Fourie du Preez (Bulls), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Juan Smith (Cheetahs), 6 Heinrich Brüssow (Cheetahs), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls), 3 John Smit (Sharks), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1 Gürthro Steenkamp (Bulls).

May 12: 15 Louis Ludik (Lions), 14 JP Pietersen (Sharks), 13 Jaque Fourie (Lions), 12 Wynand Olivier (Bulls), 11 Bryan Habana (Bulls), 10 Morné Steyn (Bulls), 9 Fourie du Preez (Bulls), 8 Pierre Spies (Bulls), 7 Juan Smith (Cheetahs), 6 Heinrich Brüssow (Cheetahs), 5 Victor Matfield (Bulls), 4 Bakkies Botha (Bulls), 3 John Smit (Sharks), 2 Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), 1 Gürthro Steenkamp (Bulls).

By Jan de Koning

* Has Jan lost the plot? Do you agree/disagree with his selections? This is the for lively, but a civilised, debate. Give us your best XV!