Latest news with #Moerat
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
No underestimating Italy this week, says Boks skipper Moerat
The Springboks are ready to get down and dirty in a massive breakdown battle with Italy in their clash in Gqeberha. Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat says the team is ready for a massive battle at the breakdown against Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat says the team is fired up and ready to go toe to toe with Italy at the breakdown when the sides collide in their second Test of the incoming series at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday (kick-off 5:10pm). The Boks clinched a comfortable 42-24 win in the first Test at Loftus a week previously, but were unhappy with a number of facets of their game, one of them being the breakdown, which was dominated by the Italians. Despite a much changed Bok side being named for the second match, with just four survivors in the starting 15 from last week, Moerat claimed that the players coming in had seen enough and done enough prep in the week to be completely ready for the challenge. 'Their play at the breakdown definitely shocked us a bit and it was why we just couldn't get going, particularly when we were in their 22,' explained Moerat. 'It does help if you played them the previous week. But even as non-players we still get a bit of a feel of what they did and what their plans are. That can change this weekend. All teams have an identity. 'They pride themselves on their physicality, and their breakdown is really good. They disrupted us there, and that is one area we worked hard on this week. We're looking to counter that. We won't be underestimating them.' Heavy favourites Despite the Boks being heavy favourites, against a team that is weakened due to a number of their star and experienced players being left at home, Moerat echoed many of his fellow players and coaches when he urged caution against them. 'They are a quality makeup, and feature players from Zebre and Benetton who know each other well. So they are in sync with each other, they have quality players and several game-breakers,' said Moerat. 'Their set pieces and kicking game are big aspects of their approach. Their kicking game is really good, but we have an experienced back three playing for us.' Another poor aspect of the Boks game last week was at the lineout, and lock Moerat admitted that they were eager to improve drastically in that facet. 'The lineouts we lost were mainly down to our own standards. We are not going to change much, we just weren't happy with our standards last week and have worked on lifting that. It is one area that we have really looked at as it is something the Bok pack pride ourselves on,' said Moerat. Moerat also got a taste of what it is like to play in front of a passionate Gqeberha crowd when he featured for the Stormers in the URC in the city a few years ago and is looking forward to another great experience. 'We played against the Dragons here and it was amazing. You could see then that there are not many rugby matches played in Gqeberha and the people get really excited about and are very fond of rugby. There was a great vibe in that game and I am sure there will be again on Saturday,' he added.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Springbok captain Moerat and assistant coach Stick not underestimating Italy
Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick say they will need to 'fight fire with fire' in the second Incoming Series Test against Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday. Boks coach Rassie Erasmus was not entirely happy with the 42-24 win last weekend at Loftus Versfeld where they took their feet off the pedal after they comfortably led 28-3 at halftime. 'They are a very physical team, so it's going to be a massive game,' said Moerat. 'We are certainly not underestimating them. They are a passionate side that are mainly formed from two clubs. So, they have been playing together for a while, and they pride themselves on their set pieces. 'They also have quality backs with a good kicking game and they showed real fight at the breakdowns last week, so we have to fight fire with fire.' Stick shared Moerat's sentiments. 'Last week we started with good intensity, but they bounced back strongly in the second half. It's clear how much they have grown since the Six Nations, where they also delivered a few quality performances.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Salmaan Moerat: Springboks will fight fire with fire in second Test against Italy
SPRINGBOK lock Salmaan Moerat, right, with legend RG Snyman will get another go at showcasing his leadership qualities against Italy. | BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat says they are ready to front up physically against Italy in the second Test on Saturday in Gqeberha. Image: BackpagePix The Springboks have a clearer picture of what to expect from Italy on Saturday, and there has been a strong focus on their breakdown and rolling mauls ahead of the second Test. After their struggles in the second half against the Azzurri, the world champions want to deliver an improved performance in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (5.10 pm kick-off) to seal the series victory. While the physicality and kicking game of the Italians might have caught them a bit unawares in the six-try 42-24 victory at Loftus Versfeld, Bok captain Salmaan Moerat is confident that they've prepared adequately for what awaits them. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ They realise the magnitude of the task ahead and Moerat has emphasised that they must front up if they want to complete a second victory. He's also highlighted the strong kicking game of Italy that could pose a threat. With a much-changed side, the Springboks won't come into the game with a lot of continuity, but they possess some special players who will look to set the stadium alight with their electric plays. Having faced their opponents, the South Africans also know a little more about the new Italian players. 'It does help that we've played them the previous week, you get a bit of a feel of what they do and what their plans are,' Moerat said about the Italians and what they could bring. #Springboks skipper Salmaan Moerat speaks on what they worked on and what they expect from Italy on Saturday in the second Test in Gqeberha #RSAvITA — Leighton Koopman (@Leighton_K) July 11, 2025 'They shocked us a bit at the breakdown, but all teams have an identity, and they pride themselves on their physicality. Their breakdown play was good, and they disrupted us there. That is one area we worked on hard (this week), and we will look to counter it. They also have an excellent kicking game. I am fairly confident that our back-three can match that. 'I would not say we underestimated them. They are a quality side if you look at the makeup of the team. It is a majority of Zebre and Benetton players. That means they are in sync, and they know each other well. There are quality game-breakers, powerful forwards and we are expecting more of the same in this game. 'We must match fire with fire.' 'Every player knows what our focus is and what needs to be done, so hopefully we can go out there and do the job on Saturday' 🗣#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold — Springboks (@Springboks) July 11, 2025 Fullback Willie le Roux will be playing in his 100th Test for the Springboks, while newcomers prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, centre Ethan Hooker and utility forward Cobus Wiese are all in line to make their debut off the bench. Le Roux is in an exciting back-three with another veteran, Makazole Mapimpi and Edwill van der Merwe, who is making his home debut for the Boks. All eyes will be on the halfback pairing of Grant Williams and flyhalf Manie Libbok, though. They will be tasked to spark the attack to give the back-three and centres André Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie space with the ball in hand. Should the forwards generate that dominance up front, it could become a long day in Gqeberha for the visitors. The #Springboks want to sharpen up their breakdown play ahead of the second #RSAvITA match. "It's one area they shocked us in a bit." - captain Salmaan Moerat on the Italian physicality at the ruck — Leighton Koopman (@Leighton_K) July 11, 2025 The Springboks will look to start off the match in the same fashion as last weekend, where they generated a 28-3 lead, before taking their foot off the accelerator. According to Moerat, they do not want to fall into that same trap again. The South Africans also want to set the record straight in the lineouts. 'Those we lost came down to our standards,' Moerat said about the set piece. 'We won't change much, but we weren't happy with our standards when it came to our throwing and lifting. We looked hard at what we can improve on. 'As a Springbok pack, we pride ourselves on the lineouts, scrums and rolling mauls. It was tough for us to see, but we will look to rectify it. It is tough for any team to concede a maul try, but tougher as a Springbok. The outside opinion, when looking at mauls, is that you expect the side to be dominant in attacking or stopping them. That was hard on us as a pack of forwards.'
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Springbok team to face Italy in Gqeberha attended these SCHOOLS
Willie le Roux will become the eighth Springbok centurion on Saturday when South Africa meet Italy in the second Incoming Series Test at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. The new-look team, which will be led by Salmaan Moerat, includes three uncapped players on the bench. The players in Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus' team in line to make their Test debuts are Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), who featured in their 54-7 victory against the Barbarians two weekends ago, Cobus Wiese (utility forward) – brother of No 8 Jasper Wiese – and Ethan Hooker (utility back), who have all been in fantastic form for their respective franchises this year. With Siya Kolisi being managed as he recovers from a niggle, Moerat will lead the team, which features seven players from the side that defeated Italy 42-24 in Pretoria last week. Moerat last captained the Springboks in their 2024 Rugby Championship match against the Pumas in Argentina. The seven players who will face the Azzurri for the second week in a row are Le Roux, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese, all of whom have been named in the starting XV, while Ox Nche and Jan-Hendrik Wessels will make an impact off the replacements bench. Erasmus named an exciting new backline with Edwill van der Merwe and Eastern Cape local Makazole Mapimpi linking up with Le Roux in the back three, while Andre Esterhuizen will partner up with Canan Moodie in the midfield, and Manie Libbok joins forces with Grant Williams at halfback. Up front, Jasper Wiese and Van Staden form a loose trio combination with Pieter-Steph du Toit, while Ruan Nortje and Moerat will command the engine room, and Thomas du Toit will pack down with Louw and Marx in the front row. Erasmus named five forwards and three backs on the bench, with Wessels joining fellow front-rowers, Nche and Ntlabakanye, along with the versatile Cobus Wiese and Evan Roos, while Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Hooker will provide backline cover. Du Toit, Nortje, Williams, Mapimpi, and Roos will all make welcome returns from injuries which ruled them out of action at some stage since last season, while it will also mark a significant occasion for Van der Merwe, who scored a try in his first and only Test cap to date, against Wales in London in the opening game of the 2024 season. The match kicks off at 17:10. Below, a look at the SCHOOLS the Springbok squad for Saturday attended: Position Player School 15 Willie le Roux Paul Roos 14 Edwill van der Merwe Paul Roos 13 Canan Moodie Boland Landbou 12 Andre Esterhuizen Klerksdorp 11 Makazole Mapimpi Jim Mvabaza 10 Manie Libbok Outeniqua 9 Grant Williams Paarl Gimnasium 8 Jasper Wiese Upington 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit Swartland 6 Marco van Staden Hoërskool Bekker 5 Ruan Nortje Wonderboom 4 Salmaan Moerat Paarl Boys' High 3 Wilco Louw HTS Drostdy 2 Malcolm Marx KES 1 Thomas du Toit Paarl Boys' High Reserves 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels Grey College 17 Ox Nche HTS Louis Botha 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye St Stithians 19 Cobus Wiese Upington 20 Evan Roos Paarl Boys' High 21 Cobus Reinach Grey College 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu Bishops 23 Ethan Hooker Westville Paarl Boys' High lead the way with three representatives, while Grey Bloem, Paul Roos and Upington all have two old boys. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Le Roux gets Bok 100 against Italy as Erasmus names three uncapped players
Willie le Roux will become the eighth Springbok centurion in Saturday's second Test against Italy at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha in a new-look team that will be led by Salmaan Moerat and includes three uncapped players on the bench. The players in Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus' team in line to make their Test debuts are prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who featured in their 54-7 victory against the Barbarians two weekends ago; utility forward Cobus Wiese, the brother of No 8 Jasper; and utility back Ethan Hooker. The three have all been in fantastic form for their respective franchises this year. With Siya Kolisi being managed as he recovers from a niggle, Moerat will lead the team, which feature seven players from the side that defeated Italy 42-24 in Pretoria on Saturday. Moerat last captained the Boks in their 2024 Rugby Championship match against the Pumas in Argentina. The five starting players who will face the Azzurri for the second week in a row are Le Roux, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese. Ox Nché and Jan-Hendrik Wessels will make an impact off the replacements bench. Erasmus named an exciting new backline with Edwill van der Merwe and Eastern Cape local Makazole Mapimpi linking up with Le Roux in the back three. André Esterhuizen will partner Canan Moodie in the midfield and Manie Libbok joins forces with Grant Williams at halfback. Up front, Jasper Wiese and Van Staden form a loose trio combination with Pieter-Steph du Toit, while Ruan Nortje and Moerat will command the engine room and Thomas du Toit will pack down with Louw and Marx in the front row. Erasmus named five forwards and three backs on the bench, with Wessels joining fellow front-rowers Nché and Ntlabakanye, along with the versatile Cobus Wiese and Evan Roos. Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Hooker will provide backline cover. Du Toit, Nortje, Williams, Mapimpi and Roos make returns from injuries that ruled them out of action at some stage since last season. Commenting on Le Roux earning his 100th Test cap, Erasmus said: 'Willie has been a stalwart for us in the last few years after making his debut against Italy in Durban in 2013 and he's a fantastic playmaker, so we are thrilled to see him achieve this incredible feat. 'Only seven players in Springbok history have played 100 Tests before him, and to reach this milestone is testament to the player and team man Willie is. 'Having come a long way with him during his career, I have no doubt he'll put the team before his own achievements this weekend and as a team we would certainly like to make it a special and memorable occasion for him.' Erasmus said 'from the outset that we would rotate the team as we have a large and very talented squad, and all but three of the players have played Test rugby before'. 'What makes this squad particularly exciting is that many of them have done the job for us before on the biggest stage, while Edwill has been knocking hard on the door since making his debut last season. Other players such as Asenathi, Cobus and Ethan have made a fantastic impression on us both at their franchises and at training and they certainly deserve this opportunity.' The Wiese brothers will become the 37th set of brothers to play for the Springboks. The last pair were Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse. The match kicks off at 5.10pm. Springbok XV: 15 Willie le Roux (Bulls) — 99 caps, 75 pts (15t) 14 Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks) — 1 cap, 5 pts (1t) 13 Canan Moodie (Bulls) — 12 caps, 25 pts (5t) 12 André Esterhuizen (Sharks) — 19 caps, 0 pts 11 Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks) — 46 caps, 160 points (32t) 10 Manie Libbok (Stormers) — 19 caps, 98 pts (1t, 30c, 11p) 9 Grant Williams (Sharks) — 17 caps, 20 pts (4t) 8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) — 35 caps, 10 pts (2t) 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) — 86 caps, 60 pts (8t) 6 Marco van Staden (Bulls) — 26 caps, 20 pts (4t) 5 Ruan Nortje (Bulls) — 6 caps, 0 pts 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain, Stormers) — 10 caps, 0 pts 3 Wilco Louw (Bulls) — 17 caps, 0 pts 2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) — 77 caps, 110 pts (22t) 1 Thomas du Toit (Bath) — 23 caps, 5 pts (1t) Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls) — 4 caps, 5 pts (1t) 17 Ox Nche (Sharks) — 40 caps, 0 pts 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions) — uncapped 19 Cobus Wiese (Bulls) — uncapped 20 Evan Roos (Stormers) — 7 caps, 0 pts 21 Cobus Reinach (Stormers) — 39 caps, 70 pts (14t) 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers) — 8 caps, 52 points (14c, 8p) 23 Ethan Hooker (Sharks) — uncapped
