Cheslin Kolbe
Springbok coach, Heyneke Meyer, has announced 2 sets of 44 players to participate in training camps in May and June in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively.
The squads include a total of 19 uncapped players, including rising stars Jesse Kriel, Vincent Koch, Cheslin Kolbe and Bongi Mbonami.
Players that are currently injured but invited include Heinrich Brüssow, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean de Villiers and Pat Lambie.
Suspended Sharks player Frans Steyn was not invited due to not making himself available to play for the Springboks.
While no overseas based players were considered for the training camps the greater squad gives good idea of who is on Meyers radar for the upcoming inbound Tests and later in the year the Rugby World Cup.
The 1st training camp will take place on 3 – 6 May and will not feature any Cell C Sharks players due to touring commitments. The 2nd training camp will not include any Vodacom Bulls players and will run from 31 May to 3 June.
Springbok Training Squads:
Johannesburg Camp (no Sharks players) 3-6 May:
Forwards: Arno Botha, Ruan Botha, Heinrich Brüssow, Schalk Burger, Nizaam Carr, Robbie Coetzee, Lood de Jager, Jacques du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Dean Greyling, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Lappies Labuschagne, Frans Malherbe, Victor Matfield, Oupa Mohoje, Trevor Nyakane, Scarra Ntubeni, Coenie Oosthuizen, Pierre Spies, Adriaan Strauss, Marcel van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen, Warren Whiteley.
Backs: Bjorn Basson, Demetri Catrakilis, Damian de Allende, Juan de Jongh, Faf de Klerk, Jean de Villiers, Cornal Hendricks, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lionel Mapoe, Rudy Paige, Handré Pollard, Jan Serfontein, Kobus van Wyk, Francois Venter.
Cape Town Camp (no Bulls players) 31 May to 3 June:
Forwards: Willem Alberts, Ruan Botha, Heinrich Brüssow, Schalk Burger, Nizaam Carr, Marcell Coetzee, Robbie Coetzee, Lood de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean Deysel, Eben Etzebeth, Lizo Gqoboka, Ryan Kankowski, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira, Scarra Ntubeni, Coenie Oosthuizen, Michael Rhodes, Duane Vermeulen, Warren Whiteley.
Backs: Demetri Catrakilis, Damian de Allende, Juan de Jongh, Faf de Klerk, Jean de Villiers, Nic Groom, Cornal Hendricks, Elton Jantjies, Cheslin Kolbe, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, JP Pietersen, Cobus Reinach, Kobus van Wyk, Francois Venter.
@ MacroBull:
The glaring weakness right now is that ever since Jaque Fourie retired from international rugby, is that no one has managed to step-up into the Bok no. 13 shirt.
JJE didn’t cut the mustard.
Mapoe and JDJ are the two form 13’s right now.
JDJ has played international rugby before. But been overlooked by HM for too long, imo. And currently De Allende’ centre partner.Will that tilt it in his favour? Who knows.
It is still early days. There’s still a long way to go in this comp.
And the Bulls and Sharks still have to travel. Let’s see how they perform downunder.
89 @ Bullscot:
probably even stommer supporters
hehe happens to the best of us
I think that the writing is on the wall, at this stage the only combination that is realistic is DDA at 12 and Serfontein at 13
@ IAAS:
I’m sorry. I don’t agree with that.
I remember when Quintus van Blouen proposed back in the day that Tommy du Plesis should partner Naas for the Bokke since they play as a combination for the Blou Bulle. I did not agree with him back then and I’m not going to agree with this “combination selection policy” now.
Mapoe is playing better rugby than JdJ this season and as such deserves to be selected ahead of him.
A DDA/Mapoe combination will do quite well imo.
@ IAAS:
as Nama touched on, you will rarely have rhythm in your centers if you dont have any in your 9/10 axis @ Stormersboy:
Me too,
Like Nama touched on, the biggest worry is 9 and imo ball retention, and actually protecting the scrumhalf, for too long the 9’s have got the blame for the forwards not doing their job and giving clean quick ball.
For the best part of consistency it will be dda and jan.
Anyway… who should be scrumhalf?
Props?
Loose forwards?
@ Stormersboy:
“I think that the writing is on the wall, at this stage the only combination that is realistic is DDA at 12 and Serfontein at 13”
It’s not the only realistic combination but it is the combination that HM will go with if JdV does not recover in time to be ready.
MacroBull wrote:
Agreed on the 9 conundrum. For me the best 9’s are not playing in SA at the moment with FDP, Jano Vermaak and (dare I say it) Ruan Pienaar.
I have long been a very vocal critic of Pienaar, and remain so, and his inclusion at no 3 choice says more about the lack of alternative options than it does about him.
@ Nama:
All I am trying to say is that an existing combination is a starting point. A reference point. It doesn’t always work. I never said it did. De Allende and Mapoe can work. I have no problem with that. Can be quite exciting if they are given at least 3 to 4 games to settle.
De Allende and Serfontein can also work.
But then HM will have to pick out of position at 13. 🙄
Serf is happier at 13 but plays 12 for the Bulls and Boks.
De Allende is a natural 12 but played at 13 for the Boks.
Watch HM stuff this one up.
@ IAAS:
Hahaha… agree.
@ Nama: 😆 And on that note I need to hit the sak.
Chat tomorrow.
@ Tassies:
Cheers Tassies
@ Tassies:
Cheers Tassies
While Chelsea have all but wrapped up the title in England things are not as clear cut in the top league in Algeria. With the 16 teams all due to play another 4 games they all have a mathematical chance of winning it as top team has 41 points and 16th team has 30 points. Maybe you Suprebru supremos could try test your skills in a pool for Algerian football 😛
http://www.rippa.com/category/soccer/algeria-premier-league-ladder-201504270007/
MacroBull wrote:
Surely you are not suggesting the Stormers fans are not amongst the best of us
@ Nama:
94
Just don’t bet the house’s bonds on it, treat it as a wistful thinking only!
😆
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