Seven uncapped players, Damian de Allende, Lood de Jager, Cornal Hendricks, Teboho Mohoje, S’bura Sithole, Marcel van der Merwe and Callie Visagie, have been called up to Springbok duty as part of a 36-man squad for the Castle Lager Incoming Series next month.
The squad also includes experienced World Cup winners Schalk Burger and Victor Matfield, while there is a return to the Springboks for Schalk Brits, Juan de Jongh, Francois Hougaard, Lwazi Mvovo and Frans Steyn, all of whom last played Test rugby in 2012.
The national selectors have also kept a great deal of continuity. In total, 12 players who started the final Test of 2013, where the Springboks beat France in Paris for the first time in 16 years, have been retained in the squad.
However, notable omissions include Springbok captain and SARU’s Player of the Year in 2013, Jean de Villiers, who is out with a knee injury, and the Young Player of the Year for the last two seasons and IRB Player of the Year nominee last year, Eben Etzebeth, who has been given more time to fully recover from the foot injury which has kept him sidelined this entire season.
The Springboks will also be without one of their vice-captains, Adriaan Strauss, who has been suspended for three matches as well as the experienced Jaque Fourie, who started all three Tests last November but has been ruled out with an ankle injury and Pat Lambie, a regular member of the squad for the last two years.
“It’s never easy starting the international season without a number of key players, but it’s the same for our opponents as well and there are no excuses – we simply have to hit the ground running this week and make sure we start the season as well as possible,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, who will name the interim captain next week.
“Injuries also provide opportunities for new players and from what I’ve seen at the training camp in Durban earlier this week, they are also raring to go.”
“Oupa Mohoje got an opportunity at the Cheetahs following injuries to Lappies Labuschagne, Philip van der Walt and Jean Cook, and he took his chance. At the Sharks, Stephan Lewies came in for the injured Pieter-Steph du Toit and he came very close to inclusion in this squad.”
“It was also wonderful to see the excitement in the more experienced players, who have tasted what Test rugby is about. Everyone knows we’re at the start of a challenging season but everyone is raring to get going.”
Meyer said that all of the uncapped players deserved their opportunity.
“Damian, Cornal, Oupa, S’bura, Marcel and Callie have all been in great form recently for their various Vodacom Super Rugby franchises, while Lood was very impressive before his injury and he underlined that with a great attitude and work ethic at the Durban camp,” said Meyer.
“Some of them have been on the national selectors’ radar for a bit longer, while others have been very impressive at our training camp in Durban. They all deserve their selection and now it’s up to them to make the most of it.”
“Damian and S’bura both bring utility value to the team, as they can play in more than one position in the backline.”
“Cornal, who was the SA Sevens Player of the Year in 2013, is very fast and has a couple of very special attributes, so we’re very excited to work with him and hopefully improve him as a player.”
“Upfront, we’ve been very impressed with Lood and Oupa recently. Lood is a no-nonsense lock who will learn a lot from Victor and Bakkies, while Oupa is a superb line-out option, very fast and good with the ball in hand.”
“Marcel and Callie have been part of a resurgent Bulls pack recently and their play in the set-pieces is very good. Marcel can play on both sides of the scrum, which makes him a valuable option in the squad, while he also carries the ball well and has shown he can steal ball at the breakdown. Callie brings superb line-out throwing and great scrumming power, while he is never shy to do the dirty work on the field.”
Meyer added that he is looking forward to welcoming Matfield and Burger back into the Bok fold.
“Last year we saw what it meant to Bakkies, Fourie and Jaque when they returned and they showed that age should not be any measure when it comes to Test rugby – if you have the goods and can perform at world-class level, you deserve to be selected,” said Meyer.
“Victor and Schalk have both been out of the game for some time and for different reasons. A year ago, Schalk’s playing future was in doubt, so it’s great to have him back in the Bok fold and I’m looking forward to working with him for the first time. Their excitement at the Durban camp was palpable, but also contagious. The younger players fed off that and I know they will add a lot of value to the squad.”
On the inclusion of Brits he said: “Schalk was part of our plans from the beginning. He is one of the best hookers in the world, is one of the nominees for Heineken Cup Player of the Year and brings heaps of experience with him.”
Strauss, who has been suspended for three weeks for an illegal tackle last weekend, will rejoin in the squad for the final week of the Castle Lager Incoming Series, when his suspension has ended.
Injured players who were not available for selection after featuring in 2013, are De Villiers, Etzebeth, Lambie (bicep), Fourie (ankle), Frans Malherbe (concussion), Scarra Ntubeni (foot), Chiliboy Ralepelle (knee), Frik Kirsten (neck), Pieter-Steph du Toit (knee), Franco van der Merwe (ankle), Arno Botha (knee), Pierre Spies (bicep), Louis Schreuder (hand) and Gio Aplon (elbow).
Juan Smith was also in the selection frame, but as he has been struggling with an injury in recent weeks, he requested the national selectors not to be considered.
The Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Incoming Series 2014:
- Willem Alberts (Cell C Sharks), Loose forward – 30 Test caps
- Bakkies Botha (Toulon, France), Lock – 78
- Schalk Brits (Saracens, England), Hooker – 5
- Schalk Burger (DHL Western Province), Loose forward – 68
- Marcell Coetzee (Cell C Sharks), Loose forward – 15
- Damian De Allende (DHL Western Province), Centre / Wing – 0
- Lodewyk de Jager (Toyota FS Cheetahs), Lock – 0
- Juan de Jongh (DHL Western Province), Centre – 14
- Bismarck du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Hooker – 57
- Jannie du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Prop – 51
- Fourie du Preez (Suntory, Japan), Scrumhalf – 67
- JJ Engelbrecht (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Centre / Wing – 12
- Johan Goosen (Toyota FS Cheetahs), Flyhalf – 4
- Bryan Habana (Toulon, France), Wing – 95
- Cornal Hendricks (Toyota FS Cheetahs), Wing – 0
- Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Scrumhalf – 27
- Zane Kirchner (Leinster, Ireland), Fullback – 28
- Siya Kolisi (DHL Western Province), Loose forward – 10
- Willie le Roux (Toyota FS Cheetahs), Fullback / Wing – 12
- Francois Louw (Bath, England), Loose forward – 28
- Victor Matfield (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Lock – 110
- Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (Toyota FS Cheetahs), Loose forward – 0
- Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), Prop – 53
- Lwazi Mvovo (Cell C Sharks), Wing – 7
- Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota FS Cheetahs), Prop – 14
- Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland), Scrumhalf – 74
- JP Pietersen (Cell C Sharks), Wing – 51
- Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Centre – 9
- S’bura Sithole (Cell C Sharks), Wing / Centre – 0
- Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse, France), Prop – 49
- Frans Steyn (Cell C Sharks), Utility back – 53
- Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France), Flyhalf – 54
- Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Lock – 34
- Marcel van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Prop – 0
- Duane Vermeulen (DHL Western Province), No 8 – 16
- Callie Visagie (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Hooker – 0
5 off 6 balls. Easy
Any lucky 4 will do
Pandemonium amongst the commentators!
I seem to be invisible tonight…
Let’s have a draw
That’s it. Great game well done KKR
Yes man
Sorry Gummi, but I backed the opposition tonight
Morne Morkel, IPL Champion 😀
@ nortierd:
You get your wish. 😆
Hello GBS, you’ve been conspicuous by your absence today!
I will offer to console Preity tonight
@ grootblousmile:
haha hallo GBS
Sooorry Preity
@ MacroBok:
There is something about that statement that just does not sound right. 😯 🙄
Hello GBS
@ Nama:
It is all a conspiracy to make South Africa play him even longer.
Good days sport, rugby, cricket and the Arsenal WAGs. Cheers all, and good luck Babyboks
Just For Kicks wrote:
Cheers JFK
@ Just For Kicks:
Goodnight JFK
280 @ Just For Kicks:
It’s Sunday, I always stay away from the blog as much as possible on a Sunday.
This morning I updated the Super Rugby Logs, Results & the SuperBru Leaderboard of our Pool.
This afternoon I was busy doing some welding, had to make a new Manhole Cover in our driveway, as our cast iron Manhole Cover broke to shreds when they delivered bricks some time ago – when we were building on here.
One cannot find cast iron manhole covers anymore, the assholes steal them to sell for scrap metal, so now they make re-inforced concrete ones only.
So, I had to improvise, using 3mm mild steel plate for the cover, strenghtened by ribs of angle iron at the bottom and with an angle iron rim welded to the bottom too. The edges of the mild steel cover, I bent slightly downwards, so that the cover is a seemless fit onto the old cast iron manhole cover frame.
The new cover is better and much stronger than the old cast iron one, a truck can now cross it, no problem.
I am a man of many talents, I can do almost anything that needs fixing, making, improving.
I find it difficult to sit still though… a serious flaw…
Cape Town – Talented Stormers centre Damian de Allende might be the first post-squad announcement injury blow suffered by the Springboks ahead of the June matches against a World XV, Wales and Scotland.
It is not known at this stage how serious the injury is, but Meyer admitted that he is concerned about it. De Allende will be assessed by Bok team doctor Craig Roberts at the team hotel later on Sunday as the Bok management starts the dreaded process of assessing the latest injury situation after the weekend round of matches. Almost inevitably players get pulled out during the opening days of the build-up to the first international match of the new season, and it is feared that De Allende may be be one of the unfortunate players on that list this year.
As it was explained by the Bok management following a press conference at the team hotel on Sunday, De Allende could be out for up to two weeks if his ailment is diagnosed as a grade 1 ligament tear. However if it is found to be more serious, he could find himself missing out on the June series altogether.
@Nama
Nonsense, they should just send him to the Sharks doc for a second opinion.
Prognosis, slight chronic injury
Cure, take 2 panados and rest Monday and Tuesday
No reason he can’t play
@ nortierd:
Hahaha…
Would be a great pity if he has to withdraw after all the hard work that he has put in. Not having attended the “right” school in the Cape, having to take the train to training when he was with the junior teams etc.
@Nama
A huge pity, he has been in great form all year and deserves this call up.
I joke about the Sharks prognosis, but actually it’s sad the way White has played some of the Bok regulars without rotation.
Hindsight is an exact science they say, but it didn’t help him or his players much yesterday.they might as well have taken the week off
CoachPete contacted me, he will be joining us some time soon, here on Rugby-Talk.
Things are just a little hectic in his life at present.
He sends regards!
@295
A very knowledgable and nice blogger, and he supports the underdog team as well
@ nortierd:
They also say that it is good to learn from your mistakes but that it is better to learn from somebody else’s mistakes. Jake should’ve learnt from AC’s mistakes.
He is doing exactly what AC had been doing the last 5 years. Game plan, no regard for BP’s, no rotation of players etc, etc.
nortierd wrote:
They are softies nowadays. Where is the days when Springboks finished matches with broken arms, dislocated shoulders …….
I am working everyday with a farked shoulder…..OK maybe not such a good idea, i need help to pick up stuff.
Who must stand in for a player?
But lets face it they have too many human rights, Buurman van Zyl would have fixed then at Police Koppies
@Nama
I thought AC learned by him? 😀
They have the same philosophy, that’s for sure.
We saw it coming though, as we have been through it.
No boom!!! This week, and I’m guessing some ex Keo bloggers will be conspicuous in their absence on the sites they now blog at
Would love to have heard Skoppies take on the game
@SB 298
Ha ha
That’s the truth
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