Springbok coach Allister Coetzee will hand prop Ruan Dreyer his debut in the third and final test against France at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Announcing the squad at the team’s hotel in Fourways on Thursday afternoon‚ Coetzee also included experienced scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and outside centre Jesse Kriel in the starting XV.
Dreyer‚ who will become Springbok number 886‚ replaces Frans Malherbe in the front row in one of the two changes to the starting pack that defeated the French team in Durban last week.
The other change is at flank where injured Oupa Mohoje is unavailable after he took a blow to the head last week and his place has been taken by 21-year old Jean-Luc du Preez who came on for him last weekend.
In the backline‚ Hougaard replaces Ross Cronje‚ who was not considered after he had shown symptoms of a delayed concussion while Rudy Paige comes into the squad as replacement No.9.
“I said this week that we want to build capacity in the tighthead position‚ Ruan (Dreyer) has trained and worked very hard and it is the ideal time to give the opportunity because of the combination with Malcolm Marx‚” Coetzee said.
“This is a very important position and it is great to have players such as Coenie Oosthuizen and Steven Kitshoff coming off the bench as a combination‚ while Ruan will start next to his Lions hooker in Malcolm Marx.
“The same applies for Jaco Kriel‚ who has fully recovered from his knee injury and he was very good in training the past three weeks. He deserves his chance in the match 23 and he is very eager to play. Jaco was in brilliant form before he got injured and I am sure he will make a huge impact off the bench.”
Springbok XV: 15. Andries Coetzee‚ 14. Raymond Rhule‚ 13. Jesse Kriel‚ 12. Jan Serfontein‚ 11. Courtnall Skosan‚ 10. Elton Jantjies‚ 9. Francois Hougaard‚ 8. Warren Whiteley‚ 7. Jean-Luc du Preez‚ 6. Siya Kolisi‚ 5. Franco Mostert‚ 4. Eben Etzebeth‚ 3. Ruan Dreyer‚ 2. Malcolm Marx‚ 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi‚ 17. Steven Kitshoff‚ 18. Coenie Oosthuizen‚ 19. Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ 20. Jaco Kriel‚ 21. Rudy Paige‚ 22. Frans Steyn‚ 23. Dillyn Leyds
- TimesLIVE
Coetzee gives Dreyer debut at prop for third test against France
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee will hand prop Ruan Dreyer his debut in the third and final test against France at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Announcing the squad at the team’s hotel in Fourways on Thursday afternoon‚ Coetzee also included experienced scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and outside centre Jesse Kriel in the starting XV.
Dreyer‚ who will become Springbok number 886‚ replaces Frans Malherbe in the front row in one of the two changes to the starting pack that defeated the French team in Durban last week.
The other change is at flank where injured Oupa Mohoje is unavailable after he took a blow to the head last week and his place has been taken by 21-year old Jean-Luc du Preez who came on for him last weekend.
In the backline‚ Hougaard replaces Ross Cronje‚ who was not considered after he had shown symptoms of a delayed concussion while Rudy Paige comes into the squad as replacement No.9.
“I said this week that we want to build capacity in the tighthead position‚ Ruan (Dreyer) has trained and worked very hard and it is the ideal time to give the opportunity because of the combination with Malcolm Marx‚” Coetzee said.
“This is a very important position and it is great to have players such as Coenie Oosthuizen and Steven Kitshoff coming off the bench as a combination‚ while Ruan will start next to his Lions hooker in Malcolm Marx.
“The same applies for Jaco Kriel‚ who has fully recovered from his knee injury and he was very good in training the past three weeks. He deserves his chance in the match 23 and he is very eager to play. Jaco was in brilliant form before he got injured and I am sure he will make a huge impact off the bench.”
Springbok XV: 15. Andries Coetzee‚ 14. Raymond Rhule‚ 13. Jesse Kriel‚ 12. Jan Serfontein‚ 11. Courtnall Skosan‚ 10. Elton Jantjies‚ 9. Francois Hougaard‚ 8. Warren Whiteley‚ 7. Jean-Luc du Preez‚ 6. Siya Kolisi‚ 5. Franco Mostert‚ 4. Eben Etzebeth‚ 3. Ruan Dreyer‚ 2. Malcolm Marx‚ 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi‚ 17. Steven Kitshoff‚ 18. Coenie Oosthuizen‚ 19. Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ 20. Jaco Kriel‚ 21. Rudy Paige‚ 22. Frans Steyn‚ 23. Dillyn Leyds
- TimesLIVE
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