MENDOZA – Heyneke Meyer has chosen horses for courses for the Springboks’ second Castle Rugby Championship Test, the return game against Argentina in Mendoza tomorrow.
After a long morning training session, Meyer confirmed the starting XV with two changes to the team that took the field against Argentina last weekend in Cape Town and with the availability of winger Bryan Habana and Andries Bekker, who were both carrying minor injuries from a week ago.
Adriaan Strauss will be the vice-captain, as starting hooker and Jacques Potgieter has been preferred to Keegan Daniel in the loose forwards. This has meant a redistribution of roles in the back row with Willem Alberts starting at No 8 in his 13th international.
“It was a huge sense of relief to be able to select Bryan and Andries and the medical staff must be given their credit,” opened the coach in Mendoza. “After yesterday, we thought Bryan wouldn’t play, but he is in and it is great to have some continuity. We also thought Marcell Coetzee might be in trouble, but he is OK and will play tomorrow. They all came through their fitness tests.”
With regards to Keegan Daniel being demoted to the reserves, Meyer was adamant that given Argentina’s style of play, he would be used as an impact player.
“Keegan is a great player. He’s had a great Super Rugby, but the first match was very physical, specially the first 60 minutes, so I just thought that it would be great to start with Jaques as it will be a physical game. And later in the game when it opens up, Keegan is a better impact player than Jacques.
“We need to stop their mauls. Jacques is a physical player and we expect a physical game, again.”
