Tri-Nations
Div lays down the law
2010-08-17 20:02
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Peter de Villiers (Gallo Images)
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Johannesburg - Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has laid down the law when it comes to team discipline ahead of Saturday’s massive Vodacom Tri-Nations test against the All Blacks.
De Villiers is well aware how costly the four yellow cards on the away leg of the tournament were for the Springboks in their three losses overseas. On each occasion the Boks had to start the game with 14 men after first Bakkies Botha, then Danie Rossouw and then Jaque Fourie were dispatched for acts of indiscipline.
BJ Botha was the fourth culprit, and while the Boks were rather vocal about how the referees had targeted them and not their opposition, they will be keen not to see a repeat of the indiscretions at home.
The Boks are already under pressure and will need to show why they are World Champions in one of the most eagerly anticipated games in their own history – a game in front of one of the biggest rugby crowds ever, the first in Soweto and a game marking the 100th test of their inspirational captain John Smit.
De Villiers was stern and forthright when he said the issue had been addressed within the team ranks and he didn’t expect any further cards from the Boks. He couldn’t help but point out that, apart from the cards, some of which were extremely debatable, the discipline in the camp was good.
“Discipline is one of the primary hallmark of our team and we put a high price on that. If you take away the yellow cards in the Auckland Test match and you look at our discipline, when we were under pressure, we only conceded five penalties. Those cards were the difference between us and our opponents in all three tests,” De Villiers said.
“So our discipline is not that bad. It is not acceptable for the team to play with 14 men. We did address that, there are measures in place and the guys know it is not acceptable.” South Africa will be holding its breath that the players take these words to heart, it may be a dark day if they don’t.
Kick-off is at
17:00.
Teams:
Springboks:
15. Gio
Aplon, 14. JP Pietersen, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Jean de Villiers, 11. Bryan
Habana, 10. Morne Steyn, 9. Francois Hougaard, 8. Pierre Spies, 7. Juan Smith,
6. Schalk Burger, 5. Victor Matfield, 4. Flip van der Merwe, 3. Jannie du
Plessis, 2. John Smit, 1. Gurthro Steenkamp
Substitutes: 16. Chiliboy
Ralepelle, 17. CJ van der Linde, 18. Danie Rossouw, 19. Francois Louw, 20. Ricky
Januarie, 21. Butch James, 22. Wynand Olivier
All
Blacks:
15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a
Nonu, 11 Josevata Rokocoko, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Kieran Read, 7
Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Ben
Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock
Substitutes: 16 Corey Flynn, 17
John Afoa, 18 Samuel Whitelock, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden,
22 Israel Dagg
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant
referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
TMO:
Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)