The South African Rugby Union on Wednesday named 51 players who have been called to a national team planning session at the start of next month. The players will attend two days of meetings and logistical discussions in the first of three national camps in preparation for the international season.
SA Rugby
“SARU’s priority is first and foremost with Springbok preparations in this Rugby World Cup year and with the support of the provinces our national teams department has been able to plan three squad get-togethers during Vodacom Super Rugby,” explained Jurie Roux, SARU CEO.
“There are many demands on the Springboks as well as off-field operational matters to be attended to in a Rugby Wold Cup year and as part of Peter de Villiers’ long-term planning he requested that time be made now so that the team can get straight to on-field work once they gather for the first Tests of the year in July.”
De Villiers said: “Our first Tri-Nations Test kicks off only two weeks after the Vodacom Super Rugby final and I wanted to make sure that we can get straight to work on the field with some quality preparation when we get together and not be compromised by players familiarising themselves with our structures or understanding logistical issues.
“By the end of this series of camps I hope that any of the players we call on will be familiar with our on and off the field systems and the logistical boxes have all been ticked. These sessions are not about selection now – they’re about being ready when we make the final selections.”
The selectors named seven uncapped players in the planning group although only three of them are not already Springboks: wing Lionel Mapoe, scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius and looseforward Duane Vermeulen.
The four uncapped Springboks among the group are flyhalf Elton Jantjies, scrumhalf Charl McLeod and props Coenie Oosthuizen and Werner Kruger. All four appeared for the Springboks against the Barbarians in December, 2010. Overseas based players were not considered for the sessions.
The closed planning session will take place in Cape Town on May 1 and 2.
The first Springbok squad of the season will be named on July 2 or 9, depending on South African representation in the Vodacom Super Rugby final.
The players called to the national team planning session are (in alphabetical order):
| Player | Province | Tests |
| Willem Alberts | The Sharks | 3 |
| Gio Aplon | DHL Western Province | 13 |
| Bjorn Basson | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 4 |
| Andries Bekker | DHL Western Province | 24 |
| Bakkies Botha | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 72 |
| Heinrich Brüssow | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 13 |
| Schalk Burger | DHL Western Province | 63 |
| Keegan Daniel | The Sharks | 1 |
| Juan de Jongh | DHL Western Province | 6 |
| Jean de Villiers | DHL Western Province | 67 |
| Bismarck du Plessis | The Sharks | 36 |
| Jannie du Plessis | The Sharks | 24 |
| Fourie du Preez | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 55 |
| Jaque Fourie | DHL Western Province | 62 |
| Peter Grant | DHL Western Province | 5 |
| Bryan Habana | DHL Western Province | 68 |
| Alistair Hargreaves | The Sharks | 2 |
| Francois Hougaard | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 8 |
| Adi Jacobs | The Sharks | 32 |
| Elton Jantjies | MTN Golden Lions | – |
| Ricky Januarie | DHL Western Province | 47 |
| Ryan Kankowski | The Sharks | 17 |
| Zane Kirchner | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 14 |
| Werner Kruger | Vodacom Blue Bulls | – |
| Pat Lambie | The Sharks | 4 |
| Francois Louw | DHL Western Province | 7 |
| Bandise Maku | MTN Golden Lions | 1 |
| Lionel Mapoe | MTN Golden Lions | – |
| Victor Matfield | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 105 |
| Charl McLeod | The Sharks | – |
| Tendai Mtawarira | The Sharks | 26 |
| Waylon Murray | MTN Golden Lions | 3 |
| Lwazi Mvovo | The Sharks | 2 |
| Odwa Ndungane | The Sharks | 7 |
| Wynand Olivier | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 31 |
| Coenie Oosthuizen | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | – |
| JP Pietersen | The Sharks | 36 |
| Dewaldt Potgieter | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 6 |
| Sarel Pretorius | GWK Griquas | – |
| Chiliboy Ralepelle | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 18 |
| Danie Rossouw | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 54 |
| John Smit | The Sharks | 102 |
| Juan Smith | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 69 |
| Pierre Spies | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 40 |
| Gurthrö Steenkamp | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 31 |
| Deon Stegmann | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 4 |
| Morné Steyn | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 25 |
| Adriaan Strauss | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 9 |
| CJ van der Linde | DHL Western Province | 69 |
| Flip van der Merwe | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 10 |
| Duane Vermeulen | DHL Western Province | – |
No real surprises in here. happy for Sarel Pretorius and Duane Vermeulen.
It’s too big a group to really see how Divvy is thinking.
I suppose the one name that I didn’t expect there is Waylon Murray
@ Pokkel:
All i can read in that is that Div is impressed by the Lions helter skelter backline. Scary indeed.
Doppies unlucky. He is a better 12 than Wynand and Adi.
4@ superBul:
Come now SB. Murray has been one of the players at the Lions that has least been consistent.
I think he’s still a long way from JF, but he hasn’t been k@k.
Very surprised that Jantjes is there. He’s been out of his depth at Super Rugby level IMO.
Also very surprised at Mapoe. His defense has been suspect in most games he’s played in this season.
Would hate to start using the Q word here, but this squad smack of it methinks.
I would have had Riaan Viljoen there….he is probably one of the most gifted rugby players in SA….and he has a boot as big as Frans.
He does have the occasional brain fart though.
Any notable exclusions?
Dewaldt Duvenage should have been there ahead of Januarie
Doppies ahead of Adi Jacobs…. we have Jaque and Juan de Jongh for possible No 13 Center… and Murray has been OK in a struggling Lions side.
Elton Jantjies should not have been there, there are already 3 flyhalves, so maybe Riaan Viljoen should have been there as extra fullback
The breakdown into Provinces seems to be:
Bulls 16
Sharks 14
WP 12
Cheetahs 4
Lions 4
Griquas 1
Stem saam met Pokkel, Doppies verdien n kans.,
@ Scrumdown:
i wanted to follow up on my comment that i also think that Murray actually played some good games. Sometimes one forget in a team like the Lions that some players do play a good consistent game.
The Bulls have lost Jaco Pretorius to injury
it would inappropriate to say i am glad to give Stephan another chance or not.
Sorry Jaco.
@ superBul:
less kinder words are said on N24
So, no overseas based players after all. That puts an end to Mujati, Steyn and Pienaar coming back.
@ Loosehead:
The overseas player were never conciderd for this round. Logistically it would have been difficult to get them here while still in middle of their season.
@ Loosehead:
I’m not sure how Mujati would qualify. He’s not a SA citizen( similar to Beast before he got citizenship) and he is not even resident anymore. Does anybody know whether he’ll be allowed to play for the Boks again?
Why am I not surprized to see Ricky and Elton there? Foooooking hell waermme is Divvy besig?………….wonder of die poepol self weet
@ Pokkel:
Ah! Thanks for letting me know.
@ Pietman:Agree Piet, Doppies should have been given a chance. He deserves it.
Not surprised to see some players names there that probably should not be there. But this is a time for them to put their hands up I suppose. Early days yet, this is a massive group that will be cut I think to 30 players. Heard it could be 32 but that could be a rumour.
I have a problem with the selections of
Adie Jacobs – defensively suspect
Elton Jantjies – has more brainfarts and mistakes in a game than anyone else
Zane Kirchner – loses ball in possession and doesn’t pass
Lionel Mapoe – not so sure he belongs in international level
Wynand Olivier – suspect defense, distribution often non existent and in poor form.
@ Pokkel:
Ja…thats what I was thinking. He is a bit better this year, but we have lots of better centres.
Butch James…..is coming back to the Lions, so whats happening with him now?
@ biltongbek:
But Wynand Olivier does have nice hair! 😉
@ 4man:
Ahh, dear old Butch….with ‘kak knees’ rather like our own dear Puma.
I like to see some of the Old Timers run on, makes me all nostalgic.
Will Percy be carrying the water again for the W.C ? I may have to invest in a flat screen TV if Percy is going to be assisting again
@ Blue Bird:
Hahaha Puma will be on your case soon 😆
23@ Blue Bird:
SURELY Puma’s knees can’t be THAT kak…. hehehe
@ Blue Bird:
Yeah, perhaps if he mows that lawn he’ll be able to see the ball carriers.
Elton Jantjies is due to come on as an impact fetcher for the Lions on Saturday.
“Go fetch that ball that just cleared the crossbar from behind the dead ball line.”
@ Blue Bird:
What do you know about k*k knees!! have you been crawling around?
No Deysel in the Bok set up?
@ 4man:
Nope, I leave crawling around to you old Special Forces types…..
Now, can I please have some feedback on the last superBru pick….I am hesitating over Lions and Chiefs, Lions are at home but both sides are a bit hopeless at the moment….what is your feeling on the outcome of this match??
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