Schalk Burger
Experienced and versatile loose forward Schalk Burger has been called up to the Springbok squad for the final two Tests in the Rugby Championship for the injured Francois Louw.
Burger, capped 71 times for the Springboks, will play for his Japanese club, Suntory, on Friday and join the squad in Cape Town as soon as possible thereafter.
Sport24
It will be Burger’s second involvement with the Springboks this year after he made a highly successful return to the national side in June following two years out of the game with injury and serious illness.
Burger featured in all four of the Springboks’ matches in June, starting in the final Test against Scotland, but because of his club commitments in Japan he was not available for the first four rounds of the Rugby Championship.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer confirmed Siya Kolisi was also an option to replace the injured Louw, but the Western Province loose forward was injured over the weekend ruling him out for approximately a month.
“I feel for Siya as he’s been hitting great form again, but it’s also good to be able to bring Schalk back into the squad,” said Meyer.
“With Willem Alberts still out injured, Schalk’s versatility helps as he can cover any position in the loose trio. He is also very experienced, brings leadership qualities and has been with us so he will slot back in easily.
“Schalk played a superb role in June mentoring the younger players in the squad, and he’ll be able to carry on with that especially with players such as Warren Whiteley and Oupa Mohoje, who has shown massive improvement after only playing in a handful of Super Rugby matches and making his Test debut earlier this season.”
Meyer added that Mohoje has come through exceptionally well in his breakthrough-season and can fill the void left by Louw and Alberts: “Oupa is a strong ball carrier, very fast and hard-working on defence, but he is also a superb option at the back of the line-out.”
The Springbok squad for the final two Tests in the Rugby Championship will gather in Cape Town on Sunday evening and start their preparations on Monday.
@ MacroBok:
Its that guy Hooper that needs to be nullified…but it will take a joint effort by all the loosies to achieve that…allow him to dictate proceedings and it could be a long day…
I really think Heyneke Meyer has missed a trick here by not replacing Flo Louw (due to injury) for a similar player, and in this case my pick would have been Jaco Kriel of the Golden Lions.
He is a fantastic hybrid fetcher, but adds great value to get over the gain line every time… and is in superb form.
Once again, we have to look at the loose trio as a combo, not the sum of individuals and the 3 totally different type of loosies must compliment each other precisely because they are so different in their qualities and application.
Kriel is also a big unit!
Schalla, as much as I like the fella, is now well past his prime.
Jaco Kriel is rather small/light, given HM’s apparent specifications for Bok loosies.
Also, HM is already compromising his specs somewhat by playing Marcell in the loose trio – no ways he would play Marcell & Jaco in the same trio. Besides, Jaco is not even a dead cert CC & SR selection for the Lions, as he is sometimes required to sit on the bench whilst any combo of Minnie, Whiteley, Tecklenburg & Britz is preferred as a starting trio.
@ Angostura:
The size issue is always so easy.
“Oh Heyneke did not pick him because of his size, shame” While mentioning Marcel Coetzee in the same post? but but but
Jaco Kriel is a star. It just shows how blessed Akkerman is with his loose forwards that he can have a rotation system going, which, most of the time is a hit except against the bulls, they also have this Kwagga character now who will be difficult to replace as he is in unbelievable form.
@ MacroBok:
With HM there is no such thing as a “size issue”
His own words and rugby philosophy has always been “a good big guy is better than a good small guy”
That’s what he believes and that’s how he picks his sides.
No secret, no hidden agendas, just a fact of life
@ nortierd:
Ettiene Botha though was a damn good little guy.
@ MacroBok:
Do you think Meyer would have picked him if he had a Frans Steyn size player at the same time competing for the same position?
@ nortierd:
yes, ettiene was a that good.
The “Take the bigger player of both are the same” mantra wouldn’t apply
@ MacroBok:
Won’t even say I will disagree, it’s HM and it’s the Bulls, so your mind is set 😉
No evil word may be spoken 😆
@ nortierd:
lol Im just using the example that Meyer “obsessing” about size is not so simple case and point.
@ MacroBok:
Ok, to me Botha was a similar player to Kolbe and Aplon.
Explosive, X factor, exciting, could turn a nothing situation into a try sort of a player.
You agree?
I have no doubt that Kolbe won’t be near a Bok group or a team where HM is. There will always be bigger wings to select, maybe not as exciting, perhaps equally adept, but bigger
@ nortierd:
Kolbe has also had a mixed year… Id say thats the biggest reason why he is not “there” yet.
I admit that size plays a large part to Meyer, but some players wont be ignored for a fact.
“He didnt make the team because he is small”
Simply is a lazy arguement to me. It is similar to parents moaning because their boy didnt make the team because of kwotas… there is always a scapegoat.
If all the player who are supposedly to small to make the team the Springbok squad would at least be 40 strong for every test match.
@ nortierd:
Did you go for the Bulls this weekend? Stegmann is a huge blow…
@ MacroBok:
Yep, pretty much every prediction I’ve seen is for the Bulls
Most sites are unanimous, Bulls, WP, Lions and Cheetahs
Margins will be key
@ MacroBok:
I picked on Tuesday, didn’t see the teams, but don’t think that will make a difference.
I was going to go Lions last week, waited for the teams, saw them and then changed my mind, and how did that work out for me?
@ nortierd:
Geez, Calie Visagie back for the Bulls, I just don’t get it.
I am worried.
@ MacroBok:
He is bigger than Tyson, what don’t you get?
Just kidding
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