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Cape Town - The Springboks are likely to drop lock Andries Bekker for their Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Perth on Saturday.
Beeld reports that Bekker will in all likelihood be dropped from the 22-man squad altogether with Juandré Kruger expected to be named as the starting lock alongside Eben Etzebeth.
The 2.08m Bekker had a poor game, especially on defence, in the 16-all draw against Argentina in Mendoza, with many believing he's slacking off due to ongoing back problems.
Apart from Kruger's selection ahead of Bekker, Ruan Pienaar looks set to be picked at scrumhalf ahead of Francois Hougaard, with Hougaard shifting to left wing.
No 8 Duane Vermeulen is also likely to make his Test debut in the place of Willem Alberts, who's expected to shift to flank ahead of Jacques Potgieter.
All the above mentioned shifts became more apparent at Tuesday's training session, according to Beeld.
The Boks will name their team on Wednesday with the game at the Patersons Stadium kicking off at 12:35 (SA time) on Saturday.
Teams:
Australia:
15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (captain), 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson
Substitutes: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Scott Higginbotham, 19 Liam Gill, 20 Nick Phipps, 21 Mike Harris, 22 Anthony Fainga'a
South Africa:
TBA
Beeld reports that Bekker will in all likelihood be dropped from the 22-man squad altogether with Juandré Kruger expected to be named as the starting lock alongside Eben Etzebeth.
The 2.08m Bekker had a poor game, especially on defence, in the 16-all draw against Argentina in Mendoza, with many believing he's slacking off due to ongoing back problems.
Apart from Kruger's selection ahead of Bekker, Ruan Pienaar looks set to be picked at scrumhalf ahead of Francois Hougaard, with Hougaard shifting to left wing.
No 8 Duane Vermeulen is also likely to make his Test debut in the place of Willem Alberts, who's expected to shift to flank ahead of Jacques Potgieter.
All the above mentioned shifts became more apparent at Tuesday's training session, according to Beeld.
The Boks will name their team on Wednesday with the game at the Patersons Stadium kicking off at 12:35 (SA time) on Saturday.
Teams:
Australia:
15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (captain), 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson
Substitutes: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Scott Higginbotham, 19 Liam Gill, 20 Nick Phipps, 21 Mike Harris, 22 Anthony Fainga'a
South Africa:
TBA
