Springbok coach Allister Coetzee on Tuesday named a 31-man squad for a three-Test series against France in June.
Warren Whiteley was named as the 58th Springbok captain and will get his first opportunity to lead the team when a much-changed squad, which includes eight uncapped players, gets together for the series at a training camp in Plettenberg Bay next week.
The national selectors also recalled six experienced players to the squad. They are Rugby World Cup winner Frans Steyn, Jan Serfontein, Francois Hougaard, Duane Vermeulen, Coenie Oosthuizen and Chiliboy Ralepelle. They have more than 200 Test caps of experience between them.
Of the eight uncapped players in the squad, six are backs and two play in the forwards. They are Lukhanyo Am, Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Dillyn Leyds, Raymond Rhule, Courtnall Skosan, Ruan Dreyer and Lizo Gqoboka.
Four of these, Rhule, Cronje, Dreyer and Gqoboka have previously toured with the Boks, but are yet to play in a Test match for South Africa.
The Springboks will face France on Saturday, June 10 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, followed by Tests at Kings Park in Durban (June 17) and Ellis Park in Johannesburg (June 24).
Whiteley succeeds Adriaan Strauss, who retired from Test rugby at the end of last season.
The 31-man Springbok squad will assemble on Monday, May 29 for a week-long camp in Plettenberg Bay before moving camp to Pretoria where they will fine-tune final preparations for the first Test.
Steyn, who plays for French side Montpellier and was a member of the 2007 Rugby World Cup winning squad, last featured in a Springbok Test in 2012, while Ralepelle is back in the Bok squad after four years – his last Test was in 2013.
Serfontein was injured and missed the entire 2016 season, while Oosthuizen, who played in 23 Tests between 2012 and 2015, is also back in the squad having fully recovered from his injuries.
Vermeulen featured in only two Tests in 2016 before suffering an injury during the home series against Ireland, while Hougaard returns after missing the outgoing tour to the United Kingdom and Italy at the end of 2016 due to injury.
Flyhalf Pat Lambie is still symptomatic following his concussion. After discussions with the player and the medical teams of both the Springboks and the Sharks, it was decided not to consider him for selection for the Springbok squad.
Apart from Lambie, the following players were not considered for Springbok and SA ‘A’ selection because of injury, or as stated otherwise: JC van Rensburg (prop, Stormers), Julian Redelinghuys (prop, Lions), Francois Louw (flank, Bath, UK), Roelof Smit (flank Bulls), Marcell Coetzee (flank, Ulster, Ireland), Handre Pollard (flyhalf, Bulls), Jean-Luc du Plessis (flyhalf, Stormers), Kurt Coleman (flyhalf, Stormers), Robert du Preez (flyhalf, Stormers), Howard Mnisi (centre, Lions), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (centre, Lions), Nico Lee (centre, Cheetahs), Leolin Zas (wing, Stormers), Curwin Bosch (flyhalf, Sharks, Junior Springboks), Andre Esterhuizen (centre, Sharks, suspended) and RG Snyman (lock, Bulls, suspended).
Springbok squad:
Forwards
Lood de Jager, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Ruan Dreyer, Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi, Jaco Kriel, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Lizo Gqoboka, Coenie Oosthuizen, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Duane Vermeulen, Warren Whiteley (captain)
Backs
Lukhanyo Am, Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Damian de Allende, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Dillyn Leyds, Rudy Paige, Raymond Rhule, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan, Frans Steyn
news24
The SA ‘A’ squad to face French Barbarians:
Forwards
Ruan Botha (lock), Sharks
Uzair Cassiem (loose forward), Cheetahs
Chris Cloete (loose forward), Kings
Thomas du Toit (prop), Sharks
Andries Ferreira (lock), Lions
Jason Jenkins (lock), Bulls
Wilco Louw (prop), Stormers
Jean-Luc du Preez (loose forward), Sharks
Franco Marais (hooker), Sharks
Ox Nche (prop), Cheetahs
Sikhumbuzo Notshe (loose forward), Stormers
Andisa Ntsila (loose forward), Kings
Trevor Nyakane (prop), Bulls
Ramone Samuels (hooker), Stormers
Backs
Ruan Combrinck (wing), Lions
Lionel Cronje (flyhalf), Kings
Juan de Jongh (centre), Stormers
Warrick Gelant (fullback), Bulls
Makazole Mapimpi (wing), Kings
Lionel Mapoe (centre), Lions
Dewaldt Duvenage (scrumhalf), Stormers
Jamba Ulengo (wing), Bulls
Francois Venter (centre), Cheetahs
Jano Vermaak (scrumhalf) Stormers
Harold Vorster (centre), Lions
Fred Zeilinga (flyhalf), Cheetahs
Happy for Warren Whitely. Pity that Combrinck misses out. Can’t understand why Da Allende gets selected after an indifferent season last year, and 30 minutes of rugby, while Combrinck play an outstanding 80 minutes?
John Mitchell joins the Bulls, being unveiled now at press conference
Welcome to the Bulls John Mitchell
Not been able to follow the press conference too closely but looks like Mitchell is fairly relsxed.
John Mitchell has been appointed “Executive of Rugby” by the Blue Bulls /Bulls, what that role exactly entails I don’t know. Nollis Marais remains at the Blue Bulls to be Currie Cup head coach.
@ Bullscot:Mitchell is a great signing for the Bulls.
I just hope for their sake that they embrace him fully. Warts and all…..
His people management skills are questionable at best.
appetitizer
France-SA U20
live here in 1hour
http://www.ffr.fr/Equipes-de-France/Haut-niveau-jeune/France-20/Coupe-du-monde-moins-20-ans-France-Afrique-du-Sud
French squad
lock: Uini Atonio, Eddy Ben Arous, Mohamed Boughanmi, Xavier Chiocci, Jefferson Poirot, Rabah Slimani
hooker: Camille Chat, Guilhem Guirado, Clément Maynadier
second row: Arthur Iturria, Julien Le Devedec, Yoann Maestri, Romain Taofifenua
loose forward: Yacouba Camara, Loann Goujon, Kevin Gourdon, Anthony Jelonch, Bernard Le Roux, Louis Picamoles
scrum half: Antoine Dupont, Maxime Machenaud, Baptiste Serin
flyhalf: Jean-Marc Doussain, Camille Lopez, Jules Plisson
center: Henry Chavancy, Jonathan Danty, Gaël Fickou, Damian Penaud,
Wing full back: Nans Ducuing, Brice Dulin, Yoann Huget, Vincent Rattez, Scott Spedding, Virimi Vakatawa
four missing Lamerat (to rest) Vahaminua (wounded) Trinh-Duc (wounded) Fofana (wounded)
Toulon and Clermont-Ferrand guys will miss the first game
ie Spedding Chiocci Guirado Lopez Penaud Taofifenua Iturria
Hello guys
French barbarians
AVANTS
hooker BONFILS Rémi (Stade français Paris)
flanker CANCORIET Judicaël (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
lock DEBATY Vincent (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
flanker ERBANI Antoine (SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne)
hooker ETRILLARD Anthony (RC Toulon)
second row FLANQUART Alexandre (Stade français Paris)
lock HAMADACHE Malik (Section Paloise)
second row JEDRASIAK Paul (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
second row LAMBEY Felix (Lyon OU)
second row MELA Arnaud (CA Brive Corrèze Limousin)
lock RIC Clément (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
flanker SAZY Romain (Stade Rochelais)
8 TAULEIGNE Marco (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
second row TCHALE-WATCHOU Robins (Montpellier HR)
lock VARTANOV Khatchik (Racing 92)
ARRIERES
center AGUILLON Pierre (Stade Rochelais)
fly half BELLEAU Anthony (RC Toulon)
wing BONNEVAL Arthur (Stade Toulousain Rugby)
center DUBIE Jean-Baptiste (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
fly half DUMORA Julien (Castres Olympique)
wing DUPICHOT Louis (Section Paloise)
wing DUPONT Lucas (FC Grenoble)
center LACROIX Gabriel (Stade Rochelais)
srum half LESGOURGUES Yann (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)
fly half MICHALAK Frédéric (Lyon OU, cap)
center MIGNARDI Arnaud (CA Brive Corrèze Limousin)
scrum half PEJOINE Jean-Baptiste (CA Brive Corrèze Limousin)
to follow
bonfils, cancoriet, etrillard, lesgourges, hamadache, lambey, jedrasiak
A strong pack
with one (very) bad guy Mela
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