June International Tests: South Africa vs. France (2nd Test) (17/06/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Time: 19:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Kreil has a headknock, Mapoe expected to come in. I think the score in the first test was a little flattering for SA despite their improvement. But I'm not convinced any great additions are going to come to the French side. I fear for them as their progress seems to have stalled in 2017 so far.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Jesse Kriel has been ruled out for this match due to concussion sustained in the first match. Damian De Allende has been sent back to WP to rehabilitate, and will not feature at all in this series. Francois Venter has been called up in his place.

Reports suggest that Mapoe will start at 13

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I am hoping the French won't get the easy meters out wide they enjoyed in the first test. That and a continuation of the attacking intent we showed but with more accuracy this time round. TBF a lot of it were unlucky bounces or kicks just 30cm out.

If I could really get my wishes granted ITO selections I'd have;

1 S Kitshoff
2 M Marx
3 W Louw
4 E Etzebeth
5 F Mostert - it was only the Serin try he let in that disappointed so fair enough to have another go
6 J Kriel
7 S Kolisi
8 W Whiteley
9 R Cronje
10 E Jatjies
11 C Skosan
12 J Serfontein (RJvR still out right?)
13 F Venter
14 R Combrinck
15 A Coetzee

16 A Van der Merwe
17 T du Toit
18 F Malherbe
19 PS du Toit
20 JL du Preez
21 F Hougaard
22 L Cronje
23 L Mapoe (not sure rushing him back into a starting berth is the right way to go while off the bench Mapoe can cover center and wing and Combrinck can cover fullback)

I have a lot of time for Harold Vorster as well but Mapoe and Venter have been around the test setup so no need to go overboard. De Allende to prove himself first. Frans Steyn needs to get lean not unlike De Allende; power = mass x speed not just mass. We have quality and in form (if not fit) centers aplenty so no need to pick up guys who don't look.. hungry.

 

[unrated]

I really hope they don't start Mapoe. He just came back from injury and players should not be allowed to try and regain form on national duty. Same with Pollard he should earn his place in the Boks again with good Bulls performances.

I felt as if I would start a lot of the bench players from the Boks over the current starters. But the positive coming out of not starting all our best players is that if it's a close game our better (I know this is subjective) players can help close out the game.

Edit: so Mapoe does come in.
South Africa

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

 

[George Ford]

TEAMS FOR KINGS PARK

South Africa:
15. Andries Coetzee
14. Raymond Rhule
13. Lionel Mapoe
12. Jan Serfontein
11. Courtnall Skosan
10. Elton Jantjies
09. Ross Cronje
08. Warren Whiteley (C)
07. Oupa Mohoje
06. Siya Kolisi
05. Franco Mostert
04. Eben Etzebeth
03. Frans Malherbe
02. Malcolm Marx
01. Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements:
16. Bongi Mbonambi
17. Steven Kitshoff
18. Coenie Oosthuizen
19. Pieter-Steph du Toit
20. Jean-luc du Preez
21. Francois Hougaard
22. Frans Steyn
23. Dillyn Leyds

France:
15. Scott Spedding
14. Yoann Huget
13. Damian Penaud
12. Gael Fickou
11. Virimi Vakatawa
10.Francois Trinh-Duc
09. Baptiste Serin
08. Louis Picamoles
07. Kevin Gourdon
06. Yacouba Camara
05. Romain Taofifeuna
04. Yoann Maestri
03. Rabah Slimani
02. Guilhelm Guirado (captain)
01. Jefferson Poirot

Replacements:
16. Clement Maynadier
17. Eddy Ben Arous
18. Uini Atonio
19 Julien le Devdec
20. Bernhard le Roux
21. Antoine Dupont
22. Jean-Marc Doussain
23. Nans Ducuing.

 

[George Ford]

"Their new No9, Baptiste Serin, is a much bigger threat around the fringes and is much more of an attacking force in that he asks more questions, while their flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc is an experienced player who makes good decisions and brings the players around him into the game... So their halfback pairing as a whole is a much bigger threat, and is the key to a lot of their game. Hopefully we can apply pressure, and it will be up to our players, particularly the loose-forwards, to cut down their space and make sure that they don't have time to make decisions." If this is his way of trying not to reveal anything then he may as well have said water is wet.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I prefer this halfback pairing for France. I don't know Penaud at centre and consider Spedding very limited at fullback.

Good to see some continuity for SA after the constant chopping and changing last year.

 

[SomeOke]

Nothing really too add considering we effectively had no changes, everyone knew Mapoe would be a straight swap for Kriel, I have my doubts about Mapoe but hopefully he proves me wrong, at the very least he should be more comfortable in the 13 channel defensively.

Small improvements every game would be nice, so I'll be looking to see if we are better in the wide channels, and hopefully more clinical on attack.

 

[SelimNiai]

Does anyone know what the peice of music the Springboks came out to? Sounded like tribal chant with a guitar solo mixed

Which sounded bizzare yet awesome

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Place your bets on Etzebeth being involved in a scuffle.

French get a turnover and you can hear a Saffa going "****! ****!" on the refs mix

Not sure what Trinh Duc was thinking there...

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

France came out looking great with Trinh duc (i'm a Trinhy man) and the young lad Penaud at centre, but Boks taking control.

Spedding did good for his try but butchered a couple of other chances. Kolisi one handed intercept was sweet.

 

[saulan]

So far an improved performance in comparison to the last match. In the last match we got a great benefit out of the yellow card. This time around there has been greater physicality and some improved interplay between backline and forwards. That first try was definitely great to see with all the offloads. It's a shame that Mohoje is injured, but I don't see his replacement as a downgrade. He is young, big and hungry and really putting in a good performance. Kolisi has had a good game too, two steals and a try.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

God damn France can be utterly tedious. You'd think after 40+ phases of achieving nothing from one pass / ruck / one pass they'd change tactic. I've been defending Noves but I'd bin him after autumn if this doesn't improve. They have been so ordinary this year.

The Boks defence looks a bit better than last week I guess too.

 

[saulan]

God damn France can be utterly tedious. You'd think after 40+ phases of achieving nothing from one pass / ruck / one pass they'd change tactic. I've been defending Noves but I'd bin him after autumn if this doesn't improve. They have been so ordinary this year.

The Boks defence looks a bit better than last week I guess too.

Agreed, not the best tactic when phase after phase they are losing ground, but credit to the Boks defense for being able to repel the French attack for over 40 phases on their try line.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

France have perfected the art of having lots of flair 10m from the defense and having absolutely none once they actually reach it.

 

[Durbanite]

Busy camping so only got the radio. How do our boys look compared to last week?

 

[saulan]

Busy camping so only got the radio. How do our boys look compared to last week?

First half was an improvement on first half of last week. A bit of weak defense up front, but good interplay and defense from that point onwards.

Second half good and bad. Attack at this point has been almost non-existent due to no possession, but defense has been great, repelling the French from the line and only allowing them to score through a single penalty.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Busy camping so only got the radio. How do our boys look compared to last week?

Tighter (in a good way). Both sides look better than last week. More of a test match than a throw about in the park which last week felt like at times. I've liked Serfontain and Kolisi but like last week there hasn't really been a failure for you.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

That's more like it from France. Happy for Penaud, he almost looks the best player on the park on his debut. Still work to do with the Boks defence after all.