Four players have been called up to the Springbok squad of 30 for the final two Tests of The Rugby Championship, in South Africa against Australia and New Zealand.
The four new faces in the squad who did not tour to Australasia, are the uncapped MTN Golden Lions duo of Jaco Taute (utility back) and Elton Jantjies (flyhalf), their experienced provincial team mate CJ van der Linde (prop) and Coenie Oosthuizen (prop) from the Toyota Free State Cheetahs.
“I’d always wanted to include Jaco in the squad but an untimely injury meant we could not select him earlier. Jaco is big, strong, fast and versatile and it will be good to get him involved,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“Elton was part of the squad before this season, against England in June and in the first part of The Rugby Championship. He only missed out when we had to cut the numbers of the squad and it’s good to have him back.
“CJ, who took part in our training camps earlier in the season, brings a lot of experience to our pack and he is no longer injured. Apart from being the second most experienced prop in Springbok history, after Os du Randt, he is versatile and can play loosehead and tighthead.
“And it’s great to have Coenie back with us after he picked up an injury on debut in the first Test against England in June. He is a world class prop and losing him was a big setback.”
Meyer added that only two scrumhalves had been selected for the Tests, which meant Jano Vermaak misses out. The national selectors felt that Vermaak is familiar with the game plan and can easily be brought back in should his services be required.
The following players, who were part of the squad earlier in the season, were not considered for selection because of injury: JP Pietersen, Bjorn Basson, Pierre Spies, Siya Kolisi, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Bismarck du Plessis.
SPRINGBOKS SQUAD FOR REMAINING TESTS:
Willem Alberts
Andries Bekker
Craig Burden
Pat Cilliers
Marcell Coetzee
Juan de Jongh
Jean de Villiers (Captain)
Jannie du Plessis
Eben Etzebeth
Johan Goosen
Bryan Habana
Francois Hougaard
Elton Jantjies
Zane Kirchner
Juandré Kruger
Pat Lambie
Tiaan Liebenberg
Francois Louw
Tendai Mtawarira
Lwazi Mvovo
Coenie Oosthuizen
Ruan Pienaar
Jacques Potgieter
Frans Steyn
Morné Steyn
Adriaan Strauss
Jaco Taute
CJ van der Linde
Flip van der Merwe
Duane Vermeulen
Greyling out???? What has the poor boy done to deserve that?
Good to see Jantjies back – deserves his spot. Taute’s call up well deserved. Coenie was also always going to be back as soon as injury healed, and CJ, well.
Brussouw not in squad, and Flo earning more air miles than an airline pilot doing overtime, but all in all, a good squad (bar Stain, who, in my opinion just need time at his franchise to get his confidence back). Would like to have seen super Sarel in the squad.
Now if only the Ostrich could take a few risks. Goosen to start, Jantjies on the bench. Lambie to start, and Taute to the bench Coenie to bench too.
Still don’t like scrum half, but makes no difference to me, with Hougie and Pienaar as the only scrummies in the squad, who starts.
How the hell J Potgieter is back in this squad, Zibi only knows.
Mvovo? Did Zibi not watch him play against the Lions?
Not shabby at all… glad Jantjies, Taute & Coenie are all in.
Bodes well, and it certainly looks like Heyneke Meyer is at the end of his tether with Morné Steyn, having selected another flyhalf in Jantjies into the squad. I recon Goosen will start at flyhalf on Saturday, if I read the signs correctly.
Taute adds depth at centre and at fullback, so hopefully Lambie could start at fullback, with Taute on the bench as cover for centre and fullback.
CJ van der Linde is a bit of a surprise but with Coenie only just back from injury and only having played 35 minutes against the Blue Bulls yesterday PLUS still being a bit raw in the tighthead position envisaged for him to play from now on… another versatile prop was to be expected. Thank goodness Dean Greyling is not only banned but is also out of the squad completely.
Heinrich Brussow had a rather subdued game yesterday for the Cheetahs, so maybe it’s good that Flo is retained… in fact I would just go with the same loosie combo of last Test against new Zealand… hell, make that the same forwards pack which started and put Coenie and Burden & Eben Etzebeth on the bench (not Langbek & Liebenberg, please).
Things looking good, the squad is evolving for the positive, all round.
@ grootblousmile:
Verstaan net nie wat kopskud en val daar maak nie,brussow se game is af en dink ook flou is n goeie roep.
@ smallies:
Dis nie juis of potgieter die cheetahs oordonder het nie,as ek HM was het el vir cj stander nader getrek,daai laaity beindruk my geweldig
Good squad, but still don’t understand why Morne, Zane and Potgieter are still there? We now have 4 of our best fhs in South Africa in the squad? What for? Also 3 fullbacks.
Taute and Lambie probably could cover the whole backline. Taute covers: Fullback, outside centre and wing. Lambie covers: Fullback, inside centre and flyhalf. Will both be on the bench? Not sure as think Taute will become Meyer’s first choice fb, as he has given Lambie just about no game time, so that is obviously why. I mentioned that on another blog a week or so ago. Still don’t get it though, if you don’t have your preferred choice players as they are out injured, why not play the best you have on tour? Lambie should have been given game time at fh in Mendoza and really should have been given at least 40min against Oz and Nz at fb. He only really got some game time when Zane was injured in the England test and he was really very good there. Meyer’s treatment of Lambie has been really poor. Anyhow I do rate Taute, but think we should be playing all these great players and not having them come off the bench for 10 or 20min. Also pleased to see Jantjies there, though I still worry about his bmt against top teams at this level. He never has done that well in Super Rugby mostly at Currie Cup level. Still good that he got called up, very fair as he has been playing well in cc.
Could start with any of these two teams and we would do the business against Oz.
15. Lambie
14. Hougie
13. Taute
12. Fransie
11. Habs
10. Goosen
9. Ruan (has to get the ball out much quicker and stop that kicking it back into the ruck)
8. Vermeulen
7. Alberts
6. Flo
5. Bekker
4. Eben
3. Jannie
2. Strauss (capt)
1. Beast
Or:
15. Fransie
14. Mvovo
13. Taute
12. Lambie
11. Habs
10. Goosen
9. Hougie (must be allowed to play his natural game)
8. Vermeulen
7. Coetzee
6. Flo
5. Bekker
4. Eben
3. Jannie
2. Strauss (capt)
1. Beast
There could be a few other variations for starting XV.
The Team Meyer will start:
15. Zane
14. Hougie
13. Jean ( Just not sure about Jean anymore. Has not had a great RC so far in the 13 jersey)
12. Fransie
11. Habs
10. Steyn
9. Ruan
8. Vermeulen
7. Alberts
6. Flo
5. Kruger
4. Eben
3. Jannie
2. Strauss
1. Beast
6 @ smallies:
Wie is “Kopskud” en wie is “Val Daar”?
7 @ smallies:
Ek sou vir Arno Botha of CJ Stander kies bo Jacques Potgieter… daai 2 MOET bitter naby die Bokgroep wees… hulle is die toekoms, saam met loosies soos Kolisi, Marcell Coetzee. Hopelik kom Brussow ook weer in volle vorm.
Another think, also can not understand why Keegan and Brussow is not there. Potgieter could have been totally dropped.
10 @ Puma:
think = thing
9 @ grootblousmile:
Meyer missed something with CJ Stander. He will turn out for Ireland in 2015. That will be a bloody shame, as he has preferred Potgieter over CJ. Terrible shame that.
8 @ Puma:
Hougie has actually played 11 (Left wing), not 14 (right wing)… and the opposite with Habana in the last few Tests.
Please tell me you saw that, and saw the numbers on their backs and know the difference…. eishhhh! It’s like a lot of people who confuse No 1 (loosehead) and No 3 (tighthead) all the time…. ask Loskoppie how radically different that is.
On the wing, some wings (Like Habana and JP Pietersen) easily change to the other side of the field, but it’s not just a given, it depends which is your favoured kicking foot, it depends which side you sidestep off better and it depends on which is your preferred receiving and passing sides when getting and getting rid of the ball.
A left wing is most often right footed when he kicks, whereas it is preferred that a right wing is left footed or at least has a very strong left foot to kick for touch.
Heyneke has indicated Fransie Steyn is only considered as No 12, not at all as fullback….. Fransie’s own preferred choice.
Recon we might just see Goosen preferred over Morné Steyn for Saturday….. I will be at the Springbok practice tomorrow (Monday), so will look to see how they run in practice and let you guys know.
It’s touch and go between Flip van der Merwe and Etzebeth at No 4, Flip provided more grunt up front than Etzebeth did… but then again Etzebeth is the future….
I also believe Jean de Villiers has not been great at all, but he won’t be dropped as Captain and will therefore start at No 13… and maybe he shapes better when Goosen starts at No 10, but I would also prefer Taute at No 13 above Jean.
@ grootblousmile:
Jaques skud sy kop en val potgieter
13 @ grootblousmile:
Yes relised my mistake there. Just change it around. Habs at 14 with Hougie at 11.
13 @ grootblousmile:
I know he will never drop his captain. Was just my team selection I would start with. Think mine would do better than his… 🙂
13 @ grootblousmile:
Could also have this team, only a slight change from my fist one up there.
15. Lambie
14. Taute
13. JdJ
12. Fransie
11. Habs (I think Habs is best at 11 wing)
10. Goosen
9. Hougie
8. Vermeulen
7. Coetzee
6. Flo
5. Bekker
4. Eben
3. Jannie
2. Strauss (capt)
1. Beast
Not Meyer’s team, but if that was the team selected and they could add attack into the game plan, we would klap Oz to Perth and back… 🙂
13 @ grootblousmile:
I KNOW boeta, just a mistake there. No problem just switch it around.
13 @ grootblousmile:
Of course I saw it. Just always thinking of Habs at 11 just a mistake man, why taking it so serious?
13 @ grootblousmile:
Can Taute play 14 wing? I have him there, otherwise change that around too.
I think Taute could become a excellent 13 though.
20 @ Puma:
Taute is very versatile… I believe he is equally good at fullback and at No 13… so will only play him there.
Long term JP Pietersen will come back to slot in at No 14, so won’t bugger Taute around by selecting him at 14.
19 @ Puma:
Hey, I was’nt taking it so serious…. was just giving a good explanation why No 11 and No 14 is so radically different.
Eish, got to get ready to go to the Good Food and Wine Expo at the Dome…. not looking forward to the ordeal…
@ Puma: I am not on the Keegan train. Not at Springbok level IMO.
This isn’t a Shark thing, he’s a good player but there are Better players than him at the moment for me.
But just my opinion.
21 @ grootblousmile:
I know we have JPP coming back, best 14 wing in our country by a long way. Was just thinking of the RC in the next two games.
23 @ BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan:
I suppose we all have our own opinions on Keegan. I personally think he would add huge value especially coming from the bench in the last 20min. Especially against a team like Oz.
@ Puma:
He’s a player who loves an open game for sure, and he loves to run with the ball, but the reason that I think he falls short is his defense. He regularly slips and misses tackles and put the other players under pressure. Yesterday though I saw him run with the ball in hand and span the whole width of the field, closing down all the space only to be tackled into touch. Bad running from such a “running” player.
Just thought I’d explain my thinking so you know where I came from.
@ Puma:
Daniel, Potgieter, Mvovo, CJ, Burden, Kirchner and Liebenberg are all not Bok quality players.
@ Loosehead:
Add Liebenberg, JJ (yet) to the list.
CJ vd Linde, Kirchner, Morne, Potgieter, Liebenberg (phuleeeeezz!), Pienaar and Mvovo very lucky to be in the team.
Keegan Daniel and Jano Vermaak very, very unlucky indeed not to be included.
Hope we will see Chiliboy, Guthro Steenkamp and JPP back in the mix asap.
I suspect we are going to have the same run-on team as in Dunedin come Saturday…..
@ Piet-Springbok-Jan:
Spelers na wie meyer moes gekyk het is volgens my,cj stander,wp nel,phillip van der waldt,lional mapoe,janno vermaak,jc kritzinger,brussow aplon en bressler van die tjarks
@ Piet-Springbok-Jan:
Pietman hierdie link is net vir jou, ek verlang vanmore na Gansbaai en jou en jou broer en jul kitare.
http://www.busyhands.co.za/saamsing1.htm
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