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
1. Flo, Alberts & Vermeulen.
2. Flo, Schalk & Vermeulen
3. Brussouw, Flo & Vermeulen
Against NZ I’ll go with option 3.
My team to face the ABs in 2 months with a chance to make it 🙁
1 H vd Merwe, 2 Bismarc Dup, 3 B j Botha, 4 Etzbeth, 5 PSDT/Lewies, 6 Brussow, 7. F Louw, 8 Whitely, 9 Pienaar, 1o Lambie 11 W. Le Roux, 12 F Styen, 13 Sadie/jj, 14 Allende, 15 Taute
Reserves: Coenie, Strauss, Adrieanse, Flip v d Merwe, Albert, Marcel Coetzee, Reinach, Marniz Boshoff
Not gonna happened though ;(
@ Tuff Gong:
Few Comments:
SB is a damaged good now,
Albert is now an off the bench lock
Vermeulen is too slow against the ABs and the Wallabies, to beat them you need to scarify size for skills and speed, Whitely has it all + some hefty rugby brain too
You’ll also need speed to support the backs against the ABs’ counter attacks
@ Nama:
@ 89
what happened to your preferred mid field test partnership;
Sithole and JdJ?
Out of favour?
😉
@ Hondo:
HAHAHAHA…… your life must be a living hell in this NSA. 😈
@ Hondo:
I also thought Schalk was finished goods.
But he is clearly not, based on recent form.
@ Nama:
@ Hondo:
Who said that they were my preferred partnership?
JdJ should definitely be in he starting line up if FORM and MERIT are the determining factors but we both know that that won’t be the case. 😉
Looks to me like Meyers men will look like this:
1. Doc Jannie.
2. Eye Gouger Bizzy.
3. Coenie Oosthusiesen.
4. Flip.
5. Vic.
6. Louw.
7. Fat Alberts.
8. Vermeulen.
9. FdP. (Meyer loves this Guy…………..but Hougaard should be the man, or even Sarel.)
10. Morne. (another Meyer loves, there is no other explanation.)
11. Wee Willie.
12. Sithole. (I had to be careful with the spelling here).
13. de Jough.
14. Henricks/Brian Habs. (depends of form or reputation)..
15. Frans.
Not sure if I have enough spread over the Franchises,
and the Ethnic diversity required in SA.
But Meyer is not one prone to change, or thinking outside the box. We expect the expected.
@ Hondo:
No Hondo. It’s not going to happen.
😉
98 A cretinous Kiwi joins the site and the peurile comments start.
What are you trying to start here with your eye gouger comment,?You may have noticed that
people here generally try to be decent towards each other.
As to the eye gouger comment”Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”@ cane:
Do i take offence.?Damn right I do.
Hello old friend.I see that your love affair with Fransie continues unabated.Kind regards @ Nama:
@ ryecatcher:
Springbok du Plessis handed three-week suspension
Sun 13 Jul 2008, 7:49pm AEST
Springboks hooker Bismarck du Plessis was suspended for three weeks for “very serious” contact around the eye area of All Black Adam Thomson in the second Tri-Nations rugby test on Saturday.
Du Plessis admitted at a judicial hearing his fist came into contact with Thomson’s lower cheek with the knuckle near the eye.
The world champion Springboks took the match 30-28 on Saturday to post their first win in New Zealand for a decade and end the All Blacks’ record 30-match run of victories on home ground.
But the victory has come at a cost with du Plessis, South Africa’s second string hooker, in the starting line-up after regular rake and captain John Smit was injured in the first Test won by the All Blacks 19-8 the previous week.
Their third-ranked hooker Schalk Brits is now likely to start when the Springboks play Australia next weekend.
Although Thomson showed no visible marks to the face, du Plessis was cited after the match to appear before SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia rugby) judicial officer Kim Garling.
After viewing video evidence, Garling found the contact was “careless and not deliberate.”
However, he said contact around the eye area “is very serious and the IRB recommended penalties reflect that because of the potential for permanent damage to the sight of a player.”
-AFP
(good enough for me Ryeman).
I remember the incident vividly.
“Very serious Contact around the eye area.”
Peurile………………………I think you meant puerile.
However, puerile and cretinous,…………………………………………………………. wow, I have exceded my wildest expectations.
@ cane:
98.
Took a while for the Johnny Black to kick in.
😎
Thats if you still sticking to the basics.
102 Congratulations on your spelling ability and your memory.2008 vs 2014 Awesome.
Hore,Thorne, and just to show that my memory is not so bad,the Driscoll thuggery.And then there was Skinner.
Too fa r back for you?
So what was taught at the AB training squad.?Refinements to the jersey tugging technique?Tackling
playersoff the ball.?The sneaky punch?
You have introduced a sour note to what is essentially a good and decent site,But then I suppose that it is
what one is used to.Was Bissie suspended??
Spelling OK for you.?
Can we bring up the episode of sexual misconduct and violence in a Durban Hotel.?I too have a vivid
memory.
@ ryecatcher:
The Bokke props were infringing at scrum time, Skinner warned them they continued so he sorted them both out.
I have “spell check”, Ryeman.
Without it,
Peurile Cretins like me, would never be understood.
@ cane:
Late night for you Caner.
@ NZINCHINA:
Queens Birthday Weekend China.
Do they have that in the Gobi Desert?
106 No hard feelings this side Cane,But let us please stop characterising(GOOD GOD SPELLING)by physical
attributes,or long forgotten issues.Good night pal.
@ cane:
@ ryecatcher:
😉
@ cane:
Oh, i’ve been away so long i’ve forgotten the holidays back home, actually we have the dragon boat festival this weekend up here so tomorrow is also a public holiday. Good AB sqaud the young AKL lock looks very promising.
Eng 5/0 Bar. 12min Ewers over the line
Slade converts. Eng 7/0 Bar
Great try by the BaBaa’s as Benson Stanley powers over the line. Eng7/5 Bar, 18min
@ NZINCHINA:
Very strong squad China.
.
Many very good players missing out.
A wealth of talent at 9, 10 and 15.
The best ever available in those positions. IMHO. (In living memory).
Eng10/7Bar. 22 min
Sharples in the corner for England. 15/7 Bar. 24 min
@ cane:
Yip bodes well for another strong season, although going unbeaten again might be a stretch.
And Hernandez on the rebound. Eng 15/12 Bar, 27min
Conversion good. Eng15/14Bar
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