Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is reportedly targeting tighthead prop Brian Mujati as his 32nd squad member for their European tour.

Sport24

The 28-year-old Mujati, who played 12 Tests for the Boks in 2008, currently plies his trade with English club Northampton Saints.

And according to the EWN Sport website, Meyer is looking to add Mujati to his squad, which travels to Europe on Saturday.

However, whether Meyer would be allowed to pick Mujati remains a mystery. Current eligibility rules extended to selection for the national team precludes Mujati from being picked as he is not a South African passport holder and is a Zimbabwean citizen.

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) was unable to confirm as to whether team management had asked them to re-investigate whether Mujati would now be available, or indeed if they were looking at re-visiting the situation with the relevant government authorities.

Former Bok coach Peter de Villiers also looked at picking the prop ahead of last year’s Rugby World Cup but was unable to do so.

Should the Boks not be allowed to utilise Mujati, Western Province tighthead Frans Malherbe is likely fill the last place in the squad.

The other props in the Bok squad are Pat Cilliers, Tendai Mtawarira, CJ van der Linde, Gurthrö Steenkamp and Jannie du Plessis.

The Springboks play Ireland on November 10 in Dublin, Scotland a week later in Edinburgh before concluding their tour against England in London on November 24.

14 Responses to Bokke target Mujati as player 32

  • 1

    Jeeeez, I hope this rumour is unfounded and devoid of any truth… that would be the kakkest option possible!

    Don’t think anyway that Brian Mujati is eligible for the Bokke anymore, he has NO SA Residency Permit and no SA Passport, he is just a Zimbabwean living and working in the UK now.

  • 2

    “The South African Rugby Union (SARU) was unable to confirm as to whether team management had asked them to re-investigate whether Mujati would now be available, or indeed if they were looking at re-visiting the situation with the relevant government authorities.” – Just shows what a state SARU is in, if they don’t even know what they, themselves are doing, and this is at the highest level of rugby – imagine what it must be like down at grass roots level!

  • 3

    This is a ministers Lotto pick. Same as the pencil pushing Tsolikile in the cricket team. Reverse racism at its finest….

  • 4

    grootblousmile wrote:

    Jeeeez, I hope this rumour is unfounded and devoid of any truth… that would be the kakkest option possible!

    i am seriously worried, who else does mr Knowitall coach HM have in mind, flippit he brings back the weirdest names out of the woodwork.

  • 5

    Anyone who watches any Aviva and Heineken Cup games with any regularity will know that Mujati has in fact developed into a WORLD CLASS Tight Head Prop.

    Do you all really think it’s Meyer making this call? My money is on Pieter de Villiers wanting Mujati. I think HE of all of the people involved with the SA National side should know what is needed in an international Tight Head prop.

    Having said that, I doubt Mujati will be allowed to play for SA unless he has somehow gained citizenship in the last few years.

  • 6

    Oh and “Good Morning” to all RT bloggers.

    Just a flying visit before heading off to Leopards’ territiry to visit a place where they pull shiny metal out of the bowels of the earth.

    Have a great Monday all. Another day closer to the weekend!

  • 7

    5 @ Scrumdown:
    Morning Scrumdown,

    Spot on bud, I also think it is our scrum coach wanting Mujati. In any case I think it is a excellent move if we can get him. Also doubt at this stage we will get him due to the citizenship thing. Then you never know, I wont be too suprised if we can pull strings here to get him that citizenship, which he should have had when he played for the Boks before. We get him and we have Jannie we are sorted at tighthead.

  • 8

    Good morning Puma, superBul and Scrumdown, as good as Mujatie has been for Northampton I think his selection would maybe be a tricky one for the Boks if the facts are as we are being presented ie. that he isn’t an SA passport holder and is a Zimbabwean citizen – not sure if this means that he is definetely NOT a South African citizen or that he merely doesn’t have a SA passport, he has been with Northampton for quite a while now so I guess another question is given the length of the rugby season he must be living in UK most of the time (if not all the time) where does he go in the off season is it back to Zimbabwe or South Africa does he have an address in South Africa still? How long did he live in South Africa before he left for Northampton etc?

  • 9

    8 @ Bullscot:
    Howzit Bullscot,

    Yes agree it is a tricky one, but if we can clear him and get his citizenship that he should have had already he is the right player to get on board with the Boks. We only truly have Jannie right now for th. I don’t rate the rest there at the moment. We really short at th for now.

    Have no idea if he comes back to SA when he comes this way or Zim. He should have had a SA passport way back already when he played for Boks. I know it was a up hill battle with Beast but his citizenship got sorted, then of course he does live here and has done for years. Anyhow I think they can sort Majuti’s citizenship out if they want, it depends how they go about it.

  • 10

    9 @ Puma:
    sorry meant = Mujati

  • 11

    9 @ Puma:
    How are you doing Puma? Yes this is a tricky one man, I guess the problem was quite a while ago its a pity that Mujati didn’t stay in SA and get his citizenship sorted and get to play more for the Boks after he initially played for Boks, can’t remember exactly what happened was he just chosen for a few games and then dropped and then decided to leave? I guess the question that should be asked with all of these cases is where does the players allegiances lie, thats why I asked if he still has a place he calls home and that he goes back to in SA.

  • 12

    4 @ superBul:

    Superbul,

    This time I think they have it right. Remember with Jake when he brought back Os from retirement and everyone I can remember went beserk and critized Jake by doing that, well it turned out to be one of the smartest moves by Jake.

    We don’t have a tighthead in the country that is as good as Jannie rigt now, if he goes down injured we will struggle. Think Mujati is the answer and if we can get him, think this is a smart move by probably the scrum coach. Also doubt it is Meyer, but rather Pieter trying to get Mujati on board.

  • 13

    Talking about another Zimbabwean born Springbok Tonderai Chavanga – saw highlights clip of the game he played on Friday for Dragons against Glasgow – didn’t get to see much of the ball so didn’t see him stretch his legs and have a good run BUT he did try and get back to save a try scored by Glasgow prop Gordon Reid but Reid just had too much momentum so that by the time Chanvanga tackled him he was just about over the try line. It was a very impressive break from Reid at quite a pace for a prop, so much so that the commentators were commenting about the pace of Reid and that he out ran Chavanga who is one of the fastest players in the world – but I guess it was tongue in cheek as you could clearly see that Chavanga came from off his wing to the middle of the field (under the posts) to try get Reid whereas Reid just ran in a straight line from the ruck. But I’m sure its one that Reid will dine out on for a long time – “I a prop outran speedy Chavanga” and no doubt the distance he ran will get longer with time Happy

  • 14

    Ok Puma I must head away to work, hope you have a great day mate. Just before I go yet another Zimbabwean sports person – I went to listen to Henry Olonga (former Zim fast bowler) speak over here on Friday, what an inspirational man, I know you interested in cricket Puma so you may want to get Olonga’s book Blood, Sweat and Treason. He also sang a few songs has an amazing tenor voice you can find some of him singing on youtube well worth a listen. Anyway must dash cheers for now.

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