DAVID LE PAGE, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.30pm.
THE day for which South African rugby fans have long waited — when popular Western Province captain Bobby Skinstad dons the Springbok green and gold — comes at last on Saturday when the South African team faces Scotland at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
Though Skinstad (22) has played seven times as a replacement in Tests, it could never have been quite the same as running onto the pitch as part of the opening fifteen.
His chances of making the team seemed slim at the beginning of the tour, given coach Nick Mallett’s determination to stick with a winning team and winning formula as far as possible — but the Boks’ dismaying performance against the Welsh last weekend must have shaken that resolve.
Skinstad will join the Springbok loose trio, with Johan Erasmus and skipper Gary Teichmann, replacing Andre Venter.
Christian Stuart is the other new entry into the lead team from the midweek side, replacing Franco Smith at inside centre.
The team for Saturday:
Percy Montgomery; Stefan Terblanche, Andre Snyman, Christian Stewart, Pieter Rossouw; Henry Honiball, Joost van der Westhuizen; Gary Teichmann (capt), Bobby Skinstad, Adrian Garvey, James Dalton, Johan Erasmus, Mark Andrews, Krynauw Otto, Robbie Kempson.
Reserves: Gaffie du Toit, Franco Smith, Werner Swanepoel, Ollie le Roux, Corne Krige, Andre Venter, Naka Drotske.
THEY SAID IT
“The guys are all motivated to play well because the Test team didn’t play well against Wales.
We want to put pressure on them and make the Test side.” — Springbok flanker Corne Krige on the Springbok dirt-tracker side’s players’ desire to make the Test side after the near-disastrous Test against Wales on Saturday.