June Internationals : South Africa A vs. England Saxons [1st Match] (10/06/2016)

[TRF_heineken]

A

SAXONS

Venue: Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontien
Time: 19:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

- - - Updated - - -

Teams

SA 'A': 15 Leolin Zas, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Garth April, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Oupa Mohoje (captain), 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Thomas du Toit

Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Francois Brummer, 23 Lukhanyo Am


England Saxons: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Alex Lewington, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Semesa Rokoduguni, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Sam Jones, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Don Armand, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Dave Attwood (c), 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Alec Hepburn

Substitutes: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19 Mitch Lees, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Micky Young, 22 Sam James, 23 Christian Wade

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Really looking forward to this game.

Hoping for 1st game Saxons squad of
1) Hepburn
2) Taylor
3) JCW
4) Attwood
5) Ewels (More likely Lees)
6) Ewers
7) Kvesic
8) Armand
9) Robson
10) Cips
11) Roko
12) Hill
13) James
14) Wade
15) Lewington

16) McGugian
17) Harrison
18) Brookes
19) Lees/Ewels
20) Jones
21) young
22) Devoto
23) Haley

 

[Raggs]

Have to imagine Haley will start at 15, and would think Brookes ahead of JCW. Would like JCW to start though.

 

[saulan]

Transferring my view on the four released players to this thread:
Hooker Scarra Ntubeni- Been in the Springbok setup before but has never been earned a cap. Not our best hooker and will probably play second fiddle to Malcolm Marx. Can't throw into a line out but quite a dynamic little guy.
flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe - He is quite young, but is shaping up at the moment to look like a future Springbok. Can play all loose forward positions. Isn't much of a fetcher but is quite a potent runner of the ball who, unlike many of our runners, will rather look for the gap then bash up the man. That doesn't mean he can't run over some players. At 1.91 he is also useful in the line out.
scrumhalf Nic Groom - He has been better this season but is nothing spectacular. He will be solid enough, but don't expect too much flair or anything special. Is utilised for box kicks quite a bit.
flyhalf Garth April - He kinda disappeared and then reappeared with a shot. Played Craven week and then I think played some Varsity Cup and then went to club rugby. This season the Sharks picked him up and he has performed really well in the few matches he has played. He isn't our youngest flyhalf (although decent at 24) but he lacks experience in Super Rugby and is still quite raw. This tour will probably be used to see how he stacks up to quality opposition.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Really looking forward to this game.

Hoping for 1st game Saxons squad of
1) Hepburn
2) Taylor
3) JCW
4) Attwood
5) Ewels (More likely Lees)
6) Ewers
7) Kvesic
8) Armand
9) Robson
10) Cips
11) Roko
12) Hill
13) James
14) Wade
15) Lewington

16) McGugian
17) Harrison
18) Brookes
19) Lees/Ewels
20) Jones
21) young
22) Devoto
23) Haley

I'd prefer to see Ewers at 8 with Armand 6 and Haley start, but other than that a pretty ideal team

 

[TRF_Olyy]

When's the last time Lewington played 15? Only ever seen him on the wing at LI

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

When's the last time Lewington played 15? Only ever seen him on the wing at LI

Hes has covered there for Irish occasionally, and played 15 for Tigers and Nottingham a few times.

So similar to Slade and 12

And fine put Haley @ 15 I don't care, both are promising players.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Great to see Garth April dropped to the 'A' side. He was never goig to get game time with the Bokke with Lambie and a fit again Jantjies available but is a good enough flyhalf to lead the 'A' team. I was actually surprise when the Sharks went teh safe route and started Joe Pietersen at 10 ahead of April who lead them to wins over both Toulon and Toulouse in the off season with great vision and working well with Le Roux. No surprise to me that the Sharks' resurgence co-incided with April taking over at 10 while Lambie was out. Lambie though has picked up his game and you wouldn't say he was out injured for a good spell. Glad for April though. I expected him and Notshe to get into the 'A' side.

Notshe like mentioned above is a ball carrier. He has pace the envy of most test centers and can take a gap or offload ably. Not your typical SA loosie. His effectiveness though will depend on who is actually playing the rugby. His defence is fine but if he doesn't get opportunities ball in hand it'd limit his impact on the results.

Scarra I wonder whether he or Marx will start. I would actually have had Marx with the senior side probably even ahead of Strauss on merit but we probably need Strauss in a leadership role. I like Scarra I really do but as a Stormers supporter I cringe when its line-out time. We've lost too many games simply due to us not being able to get our own throws.

Groom will be there, making his passes and taking some kicks. Just.. going through the motions. I keep saying the reason the Stormers can't win a ***le is that we don't have a halves combination that can take charge of a game.

I anticipated and included April and Notshe in my starting XV I posted in the lead-up thread. Groom and Ntubeni don't change what I would like to see; I prefer both Marx and Marutlule to Ntubeni at hooker and Groom IMO adds nothing and is leaving SA in any case. I would rather give someone else an opportunity even if they have less of a CV.

 

[MrTea_32]

Can't wait for this game a great way to start of this weekend of rugby.

 

[Peat]

England Saxons match-day 23 for first game against South Africa 'A'

15. Mike Haley (Sale Sharks)

14. Alex Lewington (London Irish)

13. Nick Tompkins (Saracens)

12. Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby, 1 senior England cap)

11. Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby, 1 senior England cap)

10. Danny Cipriani (Wasps, 14 senior England caps)

9. Dan Robson (Wasps)

1. Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs)

2. Tommy Taylor (Wasps, 1 senior England cap)

3. Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints, 16 senior England caps)

4. Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 23 senior England caps) (C)

5. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)

6. Donovan Armand (Exeter Chiefs)

7. Matt Kvesic (Gloucester, 3 senior England caps)

8. Sam Jones (Wasps)

Replacements:

16. George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons)

17. Ross Harrison (Sale Sharks)

18. Jake Cooper-Woolley (Wasps)

19. Mitch Lees (Exeter Chiefs)

20. Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)

21. Micky Young (Newcastle Falcons)

22. Sam James (Sale Sharks)

23. Christian Wade (Wasps, 1 senior England cap)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Nice.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I did think Thompkins would start @13, but everyone told me he wouldn't

Wade behind Lewington not sure, prob proves how low Wade is in the order

Happy with pack thought ewers would start.

 

[Raggs]

Or we going to see rotation of all/most players? 1. Winger gets 2 games (almost certainly Roko), Cips and probably Haley get both too.

 

[saulan]

SA 'A' team:
15 Leolin Zas, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Garth April, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Oupa Mohoje (captain), 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Thomas du Toit
Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Francois Brummer, 23 Lukhanyo Am

 

[Peat]

I'm assuming Raggs is right and that we'll see a certain amount of rotation - and that they've also saved some of the stronger players for the second game so as to have two strong teams.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I would say that other than Ewers that is our first choice pack though.

Apparently this tour is a trail run for Hepher and the England backs job.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

SA 'A' team:
15 Leolin Zas, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Howard Mnisi, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Garth April, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Oupa Mohoje (captain), 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Thomas du Toit
Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Francois Brummer, 23 Lukhanyo Am

Bar Groom that's an exciting backline. Whether they'll get much opportunity is the question.

 

[Peat]

Ewels ahead of Lee/whoever the other lock is? Debatable.

 

[tsof]

Tompkins ahead of James, too??

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ewels ahead of Lee/whoever the other lock is? Debatable.

Ahead of Craig 100% yes
Ahead of Lees IMO yes