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Cape Town - Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is likely to spring a surprise by retaining Jaco Taute at outside centre for their Test against Ireland in Dublin.
There was big speculation about who will wear the Bok No 13 jersey in Saturday's Test but according to Die Burger's website Meyer is set to stay with Jean de Villiers and Taute as his midfield generals. The two guarded the Bok midfield in their last Test, a 32-16 reverse to the All Blacks in Soweto.
This will come as a surprise to many, especially after Juan de Jongh's solid performance at No 13 in the Currie Cup final for Western Province.
Skipper De Villiers will start on Saturday, despite fears that he may miss the game due to a hamstring injury which ruled him out of WP's final two Currie Cup games. He trained with Taute in midfield on Tuesday before taking a breather when De Jongh and Taute combined in the practice session.
In further good news for the Boks, flank Francois Louw also looks likely to be included when Meyer names his side on Wednesday. Louw hurt his neck playing for his English club Bath a fortnight ago but he trained on Tuesday and should start ahead of Marcell Coetzee.
After the Test against Ireland on Saturday, the Boks face Scotland a week later in Edinburgh before concluding their tour against England in London on November 24.
Likely Springbok starting team:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
There was big speculation about who will wear the Bok No 13 jersey in Saturday's Test but according to Die Burger's website Meyer is set to stay with Jean de Villiers and Taute as his midfield generals. The two guarded the Bok midfield in their last Test, a 32-16 reverse to the All Blacks in Soweto.
This will come as a surprise to many, especially after Juan de Jongh's solid performance at No 13 in the Currie Cup final for Western Province.
Skipper De Villiers will start on Saturday, despite fears that he may miss the game due to a hamstring injury which ruled him out of WP's final two Currie Cup games. He trained with Taute in midfield on Tuesday before taking a breather when De Jongh and Taute combined in the practice session.
In further good news for the Boks, flank Francois Louw also looks likely to be included when Meyer names his side on Wednesday. Louw hurt his neck playing for his English club Bath a fortnight ago but he trained on Tuesday and should start ahead of Marcell Coetzee.
After the Test against Ireland on Saturday, the Boks face Scotland a week later in Edinburgh before concluding their tour against England in London on November 24.
Likely Springbok starting team:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
