Victor Matfield made it easy in the end for South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer.
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The Bok coach named his side earlier today with only one change made to the starting XV that beat U.S. last week. Now, though, he hoped the 38-year-old Matfield would be available if the Springboks reach the semifinals. “It’s tough losing both captains, especially Victor for this game – Wales are really good at lineout time”.
“I begged him to come back because I know he is the type of guy if you have him in your team and he clicks, he is like Richie McCaw for the All Blacks”, said Meyer of the 74-times capped du Preez.
Many in South Africa will be satisfied with the locking status quo, after the critical acclaim for the way Lood de Jager has paired with Eben Etzebeth. “Luckily in Pieter-Steph du Toit we have another young player who has been performing very well and will slot in easily”, said Meyer.
“But I have said to the players this week we are right back to where we started and we have to go through”.
“But the youngsters have done well and we are going to back them”.
“I’ve been playing with him all my Test career and I enjoy seeing him at his best”.
The 63-capped wing, who has recovered from a knee injury which kept him out of the USA Test, will wear the No 14 jersey and Bryan Habana will revert to the leftwing for this encounter.
“We were planning to use Victor from the bench to add even more experience to our replacements, but we’re also not prepared to risk him if he’s not ready”.
On Saturday’s possible direct opponent North, Pietersen said: “He’s not just a good player, he’s a great player”.
“Bryan gets better as he gets older”, added Pietersen, who was part of the 2007 World Cup winning side alongside Habana.
LONDON – Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer appears to have been spared the difficulty of making a big decision at lock with Victor Matfield set to miss out on Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal against Wales at Twickenham.
The bench shows four changes, with the experienced quartet of hooker Adriaan Strauss, prop Jannie du Plessis, scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar and flyhalf Pat Lambie all returning.
The youngest, by a week on average, was the lineup last week which thrashed the Eagles at the Olympic Stadium.
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Team: 1-Tendai Mtawarira, 2-Bismarck du Plessis, 3-Frans Malherbe, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 5-Lood de Jager, 6-Francois Louw, 7-Schalk Burger, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 9-Fourie du Preez (captain), 10-Handre Pollard, 11-Bryan Habana, 12-Damian de Allende, 13-Jesse Kriel, 14-JP Pietersen, 15-Willie le Roux.
