The Springboks have set themselves, as motivation for Saturday’s third and final Test against France at Ellis Park, the goal of whitewashing the French. Their chances are good given the confidence, flair and momentum with which this team is currently playing. Another factor in the Boks’ favour is the advantage of playing at Ellis Park, where altitude can have the edge in the final 20 minutes for the players used to the conditions. There’s also the psychological advantage – Ellis Park tends to be a happier place for the Boks than the other SA Test venues. It’s home turf for eight of the players in the 23-man squad, including captain Warren Whiteley. The last time a Joburg-based player captained the national team at Ellis Park was when Andre Vos was in charge 16 years ago. Vos, who played 33 Tests, led the Boks out twice at Ellis Park. The first time was in August 2000 when the Boks won a titanic 46-40 battle against the All Blacks, outscoring their bitter rivals by five tries to two. The second time was against France 11 months later with a team that had 10 changes. The result was unhappier, with the French winning 32-23. Here’s hoping Whiteley can restore the winning ways for a Lions/Bok captain at the usually impregnable fortress of Ellis Park. – David O’Sullivan
From Sport24
Warren Whiteley will break a 16-year drought when he leads the Springboks onto his home ground of Ellis Park in the third Test against France on Saturday (17:05).
He becomes the first Lions-based skipper of the national side to perform that honour at the famous stadium since June 2001, when Andre Vos, also from the No 8 berth, led the Boks out.
The opponents, coincidentally, were also France in the first of a two-Test series, the visitors captained by scrumhalf Fabien Galthie at the time.
With South Africa already holding an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 2017 hostilities, Whiteley is especially unlikely to see any sort of omen in the fact that the French beat the Boks 32-23 that day under “Avos”.
Besides, a week later the host nation bounced back to split the short series – in what would also be Vos’s last game as skipper before Bob Skinstad assumed the role – by winning 20-15 in Durban.
Like Whiteley held in esteem as a strong “people person”, Vos did keep a starting spot for several further Test matches after Skinstad took the reins, albeit having switched to flank.
Older Johannesburg-based fans are sure to be reminded too, as a particularly deafening roar greets Whiteley this weekend, of a couple of slightly more distant captains of the then-Transvaal who led the Boks either in the period immediately leading up to the key political transition in the country of 1990 (Jannie Breedt) or not too long afterwards (the particularly idolised 1995 World Cup winner Francois Pienaar).
It is doubtful whether Whiteley will ever emulate the iconic status commanded by Pienaar – desperately few would, considering the uniquely happy timing and tumultuous events of his international heyday.
But the current Bok captain – the 59th; Vos was 49th – is an inspiring presence in his own right and quite possibly enjoying his rugby, aged 29, more than at any other period in his first-class career.
Although Durban-born and educated at Glenwood, Whiteley has been on the books of the Lions at either Currie Cup or Super Rugby level since 2010 and his assured, astute leadership has played an invaluable role in their ascension in the last couple of years to genuine title-chasers in the latter competition.
Losing finalists to the Hurricanes in Wellington last season, the Lions are firmly in contention once more for the 2017 honours when Super Rugby resumes in just over a week.
But he has also very quickly made his mark on the Bok leadership since succeeding the internationally-retired Adriaan Strauss for the start of this year’s campaign against the French.
Whiteley was singled out for praise only a day or two back by powerful Bok wing of the past Ray Mordt, who felt he had been instrumental in the major turnaround displays evident so far at Loftus and then Kings Park.
“Warren is outstanding as captain and plays a very big role (in the resurgence) … the jersey is treasured again and something to strive for,” said ex-Transvaal favourite Mordt.
The skipper will earn his 18th cap and 13th start when he runs onto Emirates Airline Park, surrounded in the starting XV by six Lions colleagues including debutant tighthead prop Ruan Dreyer, so “Lions fever” will be far from absent in the crowd.
Huge respect for the @Springboks captain!@Elmakapelma shows us what @WarrenWhiteley does every time he walks into his press conference. pic.twitter.com/qDlDChsdhz
— SuperSport (@SuperSportTV) June 23, 2017
Whiteley has represented the Boks as a rank-and-filer twice previously at the venue, albeit as a substitute each time.
He first wore green and gold at formerly-named Ellis Park in 2015, when he replaced injured Francois Louw at the start of the second half against New Zealand (a 27-20 loss), and then came on at a similar juncture, this time for a crocked Duane Vermeulen, against Ireland in the tense second Test last season.
The Boks were under the cosh at 19-3 down at the time, but a try by the rangy Whiteley in the 63rd minute aided a gritty fightback to seize the spoils 32-26.
Last Saturday’s highly satisfying team performance in prevailing 37-15 at Kings Park may also have been Whiteley’s best personal display yet in national colours, as he struck an excellent balance in loose-trio alliance with Siya Kolisi, who played out of his skin at open-side flank, and early-appearing substitute Jean-Luc du Preez who provided much-needed grunt and close-quarters industry at blindside.
The same three now begin the final Test on Saturday, and presumably in upbeat mental fettle…
Teams
South Africa
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 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
France
15 Brice Dulin, 14 Nans Ducuing, 13 Damian Penaud, 12 Gael Fickou, 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Baptiste Serin, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Kevin Gourdon, 6 Yacouba Camara, 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Yoann Maestri, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado (captain), 1 Jefferson Poirot
Substitutes: 16 Clement Maynadier, 17 Xavier Chiocci, 18 Uini Atonio, 19 Paul Jedrasiak, 20 Loann Goujon, 21 Maxime Machenaud, 22 Francois Trinh-Duc, 23 Vincent Rattez
Source: http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/whiteleys-special-day-in-big-smoke-20170623
