Lions 2009 - Burger back for Boks

Eurosport - Wed, 24 Jun 11:02:00 2009

Schalk Burger returns to the starting line-up for South Africa when they take on the British and Irish Lions in the second Test in Pretoria on Saturday.

Schalk Burger - South Africa - 0

The Stormers flanker (pictured), who was excluded for the first game due to a calf injury, is a straight replacement for Heinrich Brussow and will make his 50th Test appearance when he runs out against the tourists.

The rest of the team that started the first game remains the same, with the only other changes coming on the bench where Chiliboy Ralepelle is named ahead of Gurthro Steenkamp, while scrum-half Ricky Januarie makes way to accommodate Brussow.

That change means that South Africa will have a five-two forward split, with fly-half Ruan Pienaar acting as cover for Fourie du Preez at number nine.

South Africa won the first Test 26-21 in Durban last weekend but almost saw victory slip from their grasp after a brave fightback by the Lions.

"We believe in the abilities of our players and we are confident that they will take things up a few notches on Saturday," said Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.

"We are a squad of 22 focused on a common objective, which is to go out and win a Test Series against a very good Lions team.

"We know that we will be faced by a Lions team that will be playing to level the Test Series and will provide us with a stern test. We must make sure that we are more than equal to the task."

The combined number of caps in the starting line-up is 617. The squad of 22 has a combined total of 725 caps.

Bryan Habana and Jean de Villiers will both be playing their 48th Test match for the Springboks.

South Africa: 15-Frans Steyn, 14-JP Pietersen, 13-Adi Jacobs, 12-Jean de Villiers, 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Ruan Pienaar, 9-Fourie du Preez; 8-Pierre Spies, 7-Juan Smith, 6-Schalk Burger, 5-Victor Matfield, 4-Bakkies Botha, 3-John Smit, 2-Bismarck du Plesiss, 1-Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: 16-Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17-Deon Carstens, 18-Andries Bekker, 19-Danie Rossouw, 20-Heinrich Brussow, 21-Jaque Fourie, 22-Morne Steyn.

Terence O'Rorke/ / PA Sport

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  1. hahahahahaha.. almost got your had your @#$%'s­­ handed to you by a bunch of kids! just shows the­­ Authourity of the Southern Hemisphere and South­­ Africa's young powerfull talent... Cant wait for­­ the next test!! Bring on the Lions!

    From sergio.ramos01, on Wed 24 Jun 9:54PM

  2. pity no ferris to beat him up.

    From ptothej, on Wed 24 Jun 4:06PM

  3. The Lions are tamed,a whimper and a meeow is what we­ got so far.

    From teatotaller, on Wed 24 Jun 4:40AM

  4. Great to see burger back, especially because he hasnt­ played for so long and brussow was doing a good job.­ Shalk used to be a dead cert for a yellow card in the­ past. hopefully he hasnt changed in that regard.

    From Ads A, on Wed 24 Jun 4:35AM
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    From Sohyor T, on Wed 24 Jun 12:51AM

  6. need to get hines in to deal with him, dont think there­ is a hardman in the lions squad from last week and with­ burger in there we deffinitely need one! replace­ o'connell with hines, vickery with jones, mears­ with reas and wallace with williams aswell as jones­ with o'gara and monye with fitzgerald and the lions­ have a decent chance. although i would agree that may­ be too many changes which could disrupt the team but­ bear in mind... was that really a team in the first­ half?

    From Niall A, on Wed 24 Jun 12:00AM

  7. de Villiers shoots himself in the foot again
    Jacque­ Fouries one of the most underrated centers in world­ rugby, so thankgod the pudgy Adi Jacobs is­ starting
    Broussow has caused us nothing but aggro the­ entire tour and Burger hasnt played a decent game since­ last years tri-nations
    and no replacement scrum-half?­ .. if mcgeechan has any sense then whoever plays 4 or 8­ for the lions HAS to make du Preez life hell. no­ armchair ride and do everything to wear him out. slow­ service equals slow springboks

    From moggie2727, on Tue 23 Jun 11:40PM

  8. I do not think it was a wise move to replace Brussow,­ the best ball fetcher in SA, with Burger. How can Div­ also keep both Bekker and Russouw, both locks,on the­ bench. He should have dropped Bekker and selected a­ tightnhead prop on the bench. I think the Lions can be­ lucky with this selection. Brussow out of their hair­ and no replacement tighthead can only benefit them.

    From Ignoramus, on Tue 23 Jun 11:19PM

  9. o callaghan should start

    From sugruejames55, on Tue 23 Jun 10:54PM

  10. An even harder time for the Lions at the breakdown­ methinks . It appears the forward domination that the­ Lions thought they might have in light of the 'boks­ poor showing against Scotland in November has not been­ in evidence. Could it be that Scotland were not as bad­ as they were being painted in the 6 Nations, and that­ the backs let the team down, not the forwards. Its a­ pity that the front row that day of Jacobsen, Ford and­ Murray were not available to the Lions now, because we­ need scrummaging of the highest order to even­ contemplate a win.
    As a team what about an ALL Welsh­ front row, Shaw and Hines, with Wallace, Croft and­ Powell as the forwards..lots of grunt and some decent­ ball players. As for the backs, Phillips,Hook,­ Moyne,Roberts, BOD, Bowe and Byrne. O'Connell­ hasn't showed he's any better than average on­ this tour..although I will admit Shaw and Hines have­ not been outstanding either! Subs of Sheridan, Ford,­ O'Connell, M.Williams, Blair, Jones and Shane­ Williams

    From Iain, on Tue 23 Jun 10:46PM

  11. SPRING BOKS!

    From psenayme, on Tue 23 Jun 10:15PM
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