The final Springbok planning camp starts in Cape Town on Tuesday evening and Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, after consulting with the national selectors, has invited 31 players to the camp.
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All of the invited players are part of the DHL Stormers wider group. The camp starts on Tuesday and will run until Thursday.
“We know that a number of these players will feature for DHL Western Province in the Vodacom Cup quarterfinals next weekend, but we would like to work with them at some stage during next week. When they are needed for provincial duty they will, of course, attend those sessions,” said Meyer.
“The value of these camps can’t be underestimated. During the first two camps in Pretoria we not only had the opportunity to go through all our plays and game plans with the players, but we also had one-on-one talks with every single player in attendance and also assessed them medically.
“The wealth of information we’ve built up on the best players in South Africa is invaluable. At the end of next week, we would’ve worked with more than 100 players and although only 22 can feature in the first test against England, all of them know where they stand in the national set-up.”
Meyer added that next week’s camp will also allow the Springbok medical staff to assess serious injuries to a number of the DHL Stormers’ senior players.
“We know that guys like Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers, Andries Bekker, Duane Vermeulen and Gio Aplon, to name but a few, have been struggling with injuries and there has been a lot of speculation about the seriousness of these injuries, but after next week we’ll have a better idea of where they are in terms of fitness levels,” said Meyer.
Depending on the results of the various Vodacom Cup games this coming weekend, in the final round of league action, players from these teams may also be invited to the Cape Town camp.
“We don’t want to disrupt any of the teams as they prepare for their playoff matches, but there were some players we’ve seen that we’d like to work with,” said Meyer.
“This includes players selected for the South African under-20 team that might be involved in the Vodacom Cup playoffs whom we would like to assess.”
Players from the DHL Stormers invited to the final planning camp:
Forwards: Andries Bekker, Brok Harris, De Kock Steenkamp, Deon Carstens, Deon Fourie, Duane Vermeulen, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Nick Koster, Nizaam Carr, Quinn Roux, Rynhardt Elstadt, Schalk Burger, Siya Kolisi, Steven Kitshoff, Tiaan Liebenberg, Wicus Blaauw.
Backs: Burton Francis, Byran Habana, Danie Poolman, Dewaldt Duvenhage, Gary van Aswegen, Gerhard van den Heever, Gio Aplon, Jean de Villiers, Joe Pietersen, Juan de Jongh, Louis Schreuder, Marcel Brache, Nick Groom, Peter Grant
By conclusion of this final training camp, Heyneke Meyer will have worked with and gotten to know (although somewhat superficially) SA’s best 107 Professional Rugby Players.
30 Players from the Lions & Cheetahs
46 Players from the Bulls & Sharks (45 PLUS Pieter-Steph du Toit, called in later)
31 Players from the Stormers
—
107
Apart from the 107 players, there are still a number of overseas seasoned Bokke to consider, plus of course retired Victor Matfield, so let’s make it a round 115 SA players.
How much could Meyer have learnt from 107 players in such short time?
At most one could mostly assess their desire to play for the Bokke and their “Attitude”… but much less their actual ability to play and fit in.
I personally think the real value actually lies in 107 players getting to know Heyneke Meyer, and buying into his vision for the Bokke, from hereon in.
Still, the way Meyer has planned and brought this massive group under the same blanket must be commended and these 3 Training Camps should be seen as a massive positive move.
I see the papers and Rugby Web Sites now all speculate that Heyneke will suddenly choose a team full of youngtsers…. forget about that notion, what Meyer will do is select promising youngsters only in the positions affected by injuries to seasoned, retired and unavailable Bokke…. like No 4 lock, No 7 Blindside flank & No 13 Outside centre.
grootblousmile wrote:
I think he knew everything he needed to know, well beforehand. With Rassie, he would not only have had every available rugby stat, but names of grandmothers pet dish cloth and underpants size too. It was an opportunity to get to know all the players, get them to buy into his plan, and to give them a rating. And by all accounts, the players have really bought into it.
2 @ Just For Kicks:
Out of the 107 or 115 players… most of us would whittle it down to about the same 45… or even the top 30.
… but at least the rest would know where they stand… and have massive regenerated Bokke aspirations by the conclusion of the final training camp.
I’m still happy that Heyneke Meyer & Rassie for that matter, have not yet put a foot wrong as Bokke coaches.
But damn man, I’m still concerned about the short turn-around time between Super Rugby derbies and the 1st England Test. Fark, they’re dumping a huge one on Heyneke & Rassie going into that 1st Test.
Still, England in SA has never really bothered the Bokke that much, we’ve mostly taken care of business against them, here in good old SA.
Hope Meyer & Rassie’s preparations for the Tri Nations (now the expanded Castle Rugby Championship) is better than what Snor dished up with kak selections against the likes of Italy. Actually cannot wait for our International season to start, the wait is frustrating indeed.
I’m sure Heyneke likes playing combinations….and Rassie will be of the same mind. 9 and 10 starting are done and dusted…Hougaard and Steyn. Centres hmmmmm interesting, but inside centre I reckon will be de Jongh, 2nd centre there are a few good choices. Wings I think our Natal boy will be starting on the left…Lwazi, on the right wing I think he’ll play JP. Loosehead should be the Freestate boy, Bizzie at Hooker, tighthead not so clear. Locks Hennie Beckers little boy will start and a number of guys have put their hand up for the other berth….but I think Flippe’s little boy Flippie junior will get it. Loosies….ja I think the only certainty is Willem Alberts….I like this guy Potgieter from the Bulls…no 8 probably Spies but he must look out there are a few breathing down his neck….no 15 should be Lambie. The 7 on the bench…Schalk, Juan, Bizzies older Boet, Chili, Bresler, Habana, and the Transvaal scrummie who plays for the Bulls now. Young Goosen should be in the touring 30, the scrummie from Freestate, Beast, backup tighthead I dunno, then two other locks, a winger and a no 15.
4 @ 4man:
Your bench players.. Schalk is most probably out injured for the Tests against England, Juan Smith has clearly stated that he is out till at least November, recovering from injury… if he ever comes back. Johan Goosen is out for 4 months – injured yesterday.
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