South Africa have made three changes to the match day squad, and two to the starting team, beaten by Australia last weekend for their second battle in The Rugby Championship on Saturday.
Marvin Orie takes over at lock from Lood de Jager, who misses the game after suffering concussion but is expected to play against the All Blacks a week later. Trevor Nyakane was named at loosehead prop, with Steven Kitshoff coming onto the bench in place of Ox Nché.
Nienaber told a media conference on Thursday his team had worked on their discipline after allowing Quade Cooper the opportunity to kick seven penalties, in a game they lost despite scoring three tires to one.
“Our dicipline was poor for our standard,” Nienaber said.
“They had 21 points from goals and they were offside penalties. That’s the most in which I’ve been involved in as a coach.
“I felt there were some offside penalties we conceded that weren’t called for. We were in control and in our system. That was poor for me.
“Our first time tackle wasn’t as good as it should have been and our kicking game wasn’t where it should have been.”
Nyakane, who boasts 48 Test caps, and Orie last played in the team’s second Test against Argentina in Nelson Mandela Bay last month.
Nienaber has again opted for a six-two split of forwards on the bench where Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith and Jasper Wiese will add impetus along with the front row of Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx and Vincent Koch, while Herschel Jantjies and Damian Willemse will provide cover in the backline.
“This is an experienced group of players who knows what it takes to deliver under pressure, and we all know what we need to do to bounce back from last week’s defeat,” said Nienaber.
“Trevor is a Rugby World Cup winning prop and his experience, as well as Steven’s experience off the bench, will be valuable against the Wallabies, who place a big emphasis on the scrums, much like we do.
“Marvin has also been in our system for a while. He has been working hard at training, and this will be another great opportunity for him.
“We identified the areas in which we need to be more effective this week, and we have been working hard at training to rectify the mistakes we made, so the key for us will be to be as competitive as possible in every contest during the match so that we can lay a good foundation to attack from and to use our point-scoring chances.”
Nienaber said the Springboks’ brilliant winger Cheslin Kolbe returned to running at training on Wednesday but was still short of team training.
“Cheslin is an experienced guy, and our team is experienced so we will take guidance,” Nienaber said. All we can do is hope he will be ready next week or the one after [against the All Blacks].
“We wouldn’t have kept him if we didn’t think he’d be ready in the next two weeks. But rehab is a funny thing. Projection will tell us he’s available in the next two weeks but it’s up to his recovery.”
Springboks team
Springbok team to face Australia at the Suncorp Stadium:
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 67 caps, 60 pts (12t)
14 – Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks) – 13 caps, 40 pts (8t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 20 caps, 20 pts (4t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 52 caps, 30 pts (6t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 19 caps, 80 pts (16t)
10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 54 caps, 532 pts (6t, 83c, 108p, 4d)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks) – 33 caps, 25 pts (5t)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Bulls) – 55 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 45 caps, 5pts (1t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 57 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 –Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) – 6 caps, 0 pts
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 91 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 44 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 42 caps, 45 pts (9t)
1 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 48 caps, 5pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 40 caps, 45 pts (9t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 53 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 25 caps, 0 pts
19 – Marco van Staden (Leicester Tigers) – 7 caps, 0 pts
20 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 13 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 6 caps, 0 pts
22 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 15 caps, 25 pts (5t)
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 13 caps, 5pts (1t)
Armtwister
Roar Rookie
All they have to do is deny the Boks a bonus point.
Jimbob
Roar Rookie
The injuries are piling up - that bench doesn’t look as good as it did before the first lions test…
Rusty
Roar Guru
so good
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Yes, a legend. In his early days, the ‘punishment’ for an England player on tour who broke player-imposed rules was to go out drinking with ‘Funbus’ and try and match him pint for pint. My favourite story is the 2003 RWC final where Andre Watson is pinging Phil Vickery off the park at scrum time for reasons I’ve never worked out. Woodward pulls him and Funbus saunters on in those last few minutes, goes up to Watson and says: ‘Don’t worry Andre, mate, I’m on now so all this nonsense will stop.’
Emery Ambrose
Roar Rookie
Nail those kicks this week and they will have it. They had the right idea last week, just the misses and a drop when the line was there cost them.
Ex force fan
Guest
Rassie still deny that he leaked the video...WR need to make the case...as it is pretty important to know how the video ended up on social media.
MO
Guest
Boks should win by 7 - 12 points but they may not. Three tries but from lineout drives. A ref could be a bit harsher on the way the drives were set up. You can bet that it has been discussed with the Ref. So if they only score one or two tries from the lineout drive then the Wallabies are closer.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Thanks I would agree BTW - I was a massive fan of your namesake, all props should be great characters that like a beer. I also enjoyed his retort to Woodward not selecting him by helping the Barbarians win a Twickenham.. perhaps it was time to move the England squad on but he was still in the top echelons of props at that time.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I think their kicking game will be much better this week; they’ll up their intensity by 20%; Pollard will be better off the tee; and their discipline will improve hugely meaning there won’t be 7 kickable penalties for the WBs. I think they’ll win by more than 10 points.
Rusty
Roar Guru
interesting comment mate - interested to know why do you think that will be the case?
FunBus
Roar Rookie
The Boks win this one with a lot to spare…unfortunately.
Jonty Shonty
Roar Pro
I'd feel more comfortable with PSDT being back and starting and then a bench of: Kitshoff, Marx, Koch, RG Snyman, Mostert, and Van Staden. This ain't no bomb squad! But it's probably the best of what we've got. Expecting another game as tight as Jagger's pants. Put simply - if the Boks play like last week but Pollard converts they'll win. But. But. The Boks rivalry with the Wallabies is very close. And this Wallaby team can do damage. Looking forward to it!
Bluesfan
Think that's a bit unfair. In his role as back up 10, Willemse should have nailed that conversion - it was not a tough kick but he missed and at this level it the difference between a draw/loss. It's why the AB's will probably select Mo'unga over Barrett, which is that at test level you are required to kick your goals - So given his role off the bench he deserves the criticism. As for Bongi - well as an AB fan I clearly know who I would rather the AB's face in the front row, same I would also say around Nyakane - how he get's in the team is a head scratcher to me - but on the good side also helps the AB win/loss record.
Android-angler Cartman-brah
Roar Rookie
I totally agree with you on this. I remember when Rassie took over Marx overall from was not so great and Bongi had a few stellar performances. Hence he was most of the time first option and it worked
Android-angler Cartman-brah
Roar Rookie
You now sound like Matfield criticism post match of Willemse and singling him out when others like Pollard Vermeulen also didn't perform. No wonder Ashwin Willemse walked off stage. And that spineless Breyton Paulse just agreeing with everything the others are saying. When a black player underperforms it's politics when its a white its a bad day in the office. Bongis form the last few years after Erasmus took over merited his starting roll. Marx had a few off games and Bongi won starting selection fair and square. I'm not taking a dig at you Harry but too many times in the past players of colour must perform 3 times better than their white counterparts to be reckoned. Same goes with our cricket. Look what comes out now during that enquiry where Adams testified.
Cooper Fan
Guest
Boks have the WC trophy. But All blacks are the best team in the world by a mile .The Boks are looking slow and rusty. Expect ABs to dominate this championship.
Harry Jones
Expert
Yes, I think the loose trio will change vs ABs. Against the Wallabies, the Boks will win plenty of ball. They need to use it better; by foot or hand.
Bluesfan
Sometimes people just go a little to long and at 35 - that is OK for a lock but at 8 - when you need a little bit more? Will watch him with interest but physically he looked heavy and with Mosert - who is a converted lock, bulk and strength are there but speed around the ground? Could see a lot of turnovers this weekend and will be interested to see if the Wallabies attempt to run the Boks off their feet, which is what I would imagine that AB's will attempt to do.
Harry Jones
Expert
He’ll come right. I thought the Boks won the breakdown. But yes, I’d like to see a faster flank than Mostert FFS!
Bluesfan
Re:Thor Thought that he looked overweight and heavy last Saturday, maybe lady time is calling him. That loose forward trio of Mostert, Kolisi and Thor look heavy to me and if you consider loose forward trio of AB's - wonder if they have the necessary speed.