As expected, Springbok coach Jake White has named six players of colour in his starting line-up for Saturday’s crunch Mandela Challenge Test against the Wallabies at Ellis Park.
He also named three more on the bench to bring the total number to nine in the match 22 — a record for the Boks in Tests — for a match that could have a major bearing on the success of the 2005 season.
Defeat would see the Boks relinquish the coveted Mandela Challenge Plate and leave them with a mountain to climb with the Tri-Nations starting a week later, also against Australia, at Loftus.
The team line-up for Saturday also sees eight changes and one positional switch from the team thrashed by Australia two weeks ago.
”This is not a knee-jerk reaction,” stressed the coach.
Breyton Paulse returns at right wing, while Andre Pretorius gets his chance at flyhalf. Perhaps the most significant change is in the midfield, where Jean de Villiers moves from wing to partner Jaque Fourie at centre.
A complete new-look loose trio will see Joe van Niekerk, Juan Smith and Solly Tyibilika add plenty of pace to the cause.
Up front, CJ van der Linde has failed to recover from severe headaches, so Eddie Andrews gets another chance to cement his place.
Gurthro Steenkamp comes in for Os du Randt in the number-one jersey.
”Today’s announcement is a special one for me,” said White. ”I said 18 months ago that there are black players who are good enough to play for South Africa.
”To pick a squad to play against the Wallabies containing nine players [of colour] makes me feel very good. There might be times, though, when I pick three black players. I don’t want to be asked when I have one black player finishing the Test, because I am preparing a squad for the World Cup and that is my primary concern.”
However, should the Boks put the ignominy of the 30-12 defeat suffered at the hands of the Australians in Sydney a fortnight ago behind them with a confident victory, this line-up could provide the core as the Boks prepare to defend their Tri-Nations title.
”If they play well, it will be difficult to leave them out for Loftus,” admitted White. ”I don’t want anyone in the team to feel that they have a guaranteed place.”
Captain John Smit, playing in his 18th consecutive Test as Bok skipper, was confident the shoddy performance in Sydney was a thing of the past.
”Optimism has come through in the way we have trained this week. We disappointed ourselves hugely in Australia and we desperately want to put that right,” he said.
A number of non-rugby factors could count in the Boks’ favour: former president Nelson Mandela will be present and his legendary ”Madiba magic” could spur the Boks to a fabulous win; the match is being played at altitude (the Wallabies last won at Ellis Park in 1963); and the Boks have a proud unbeaten home record under White to protect.
”The guys don’t want to lose any game, but the fact that we haven’t lost at home does come into it. That record is special to us and we’ll defend it with our lives.” — Sapa
Team:
Springboks: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Andre Pretorius, 9 Enrico Januarie, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Solly Tyibilika, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Eddie Andrews, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Hanyani Shimange, 17 Lawrence Sephaka, 18 Albert van den Berg, 19 Schalk Burger, 20 Fourie du Preez, 21 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 22 Wayne Julies.