Siyabonga “Scarra” Ntubeni is one of four uncapped players who will join three stalwarts of the Rugby World Cup winning squad of 2007, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie and Bakkies Botha, in 32-man Springbok squad for the forthcoming Castle Lager Outgoing Tour to Wales, Scotland and France.
It will be Botha and Fourie’s first involvement with the Springboks since the previous Rugby World Cup, in 2011 in New Zealand, while Pietersen is back in the squad for the first time this year.
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For the 22-year-old Ntubeni, this tour will be his first involvement with the Springboks.
The other three uncapped players in the touring party, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Louis Schreuder, have been part of the national squad previously.
Gio Aplon, who was part of the squad in June, and Johan Goosen, who recently returned after seven months out injured, were recalled to the team.
“Scarra’s inclusion, like that of Gio, is also just-reward for continuous great form,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“He’s still young and will learn a lot from our two front-line hookers, who both rate amongst the best in the world, on this tour. I want to expose him to this environment and the Springbok ethos and I’m very excited to work with him.
“It will be great to have Bakkies, Jaque and JP in the squad – all of them are really excited to play for the Springboks again, they have heaps of experience and are world-class players.
“Pieter-Steph missed a large part of the season because of injury but has been exceptional since his return to the playing field last month, while we’ve always rated Frans very highly and look forward to working with him again.
“And Louis has always been on our radar – he is only 23, fits in with the way we want to play and was impressive when he worked with us in June. Since then he’s established himself as first-choice at DHL Western Province, starting in nine of their 12 Absa Currie Cup matches, and I believe he will learn a lot on this tour, improving even more.”
Meyer said the Springboks would like to build on their performances during the Castle Lager Rugby Championship in the Tests against Wales (9 November in Cardiff), Scotland (17 November in Edinburgh) and France (23 November in Paris).
“We’ll play in conditions we’ve not yet encountered this year, but we want to keep our positive mind-set on the field and hopefully keep on scoring tries,” said Meyer. “We’re up for the challenge. I know the players are keen to finish 2013 off on a high.
“The Welsh have won the Six Nations the last two seasons. It’s our first Test against them since the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and they will be fired up at the Millennium Stadium.
“This year Scotland finished third in the Six Nations and in our two Tests against them in the last two seasons, they have been a tough nut to crack. We’re not expecting anything different at Murrayfield this year.
“We finish off against France at the Stade de France, where the Springboks lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 2007. But we’ve not beaten Les Bleus in France since 1997 and will have to be sharp and focused for this last Test of a challenging season.”
Injuries to Arno Botha, Pierre Spies, Francois Hougaard and Jaco Taute meant they were not considered for selection.
Springbok squad:
Fullbacks:
- Zane Kirchner Fullback 28 caps 25 points 29 years
- Gio Aplon Fullback/Wing 17 caps 25 points 31 years
- Willie le Roux Fullback/Wing 9 caps 15 points 24 years
Wings & Centres:
- JP Pietersen Wing 48 caps 70points 27 years
- Bryan Habana Wing 92 caps 265 points 30 years
- JJ Engelbrecht Centre/Wing 10 caps 20 points 24 years
- Jaque Fourie Centre 69 caps 160 points 32 years
- Jean de Villiers (captain) Centre 93 caps 120 points 32 years
- Jan Serfontein Centre 9 caps 5 points 20 years
Flyhalves:
- Morné Steyn Flyhalf 51 caps 618 points 29 years
- Johan Goosen Flyhalf 4 caps 8 points 21 years
- Pat Lambie Flyhalf/Fullback 29 caps 55 points 23 years
Scrumhalves:
- Fourie du Preez Scrumhalf 65 caps 70 points 31 years
- Ruan Pienaar Scrumhalf 71 caps 130 points 29 years
- Louis Schreuder Scrumhalf 0 caps 0 points 23 years
Looseforwards:
- Duane Vermeulen No 8 13 caps 5 points 27 years
- Siya Kolisi Loose forward 8 caps 0 points 22 years
- Francois Louw Loose forward 25 caps 25 points 28 years
- Willem Alberts Loose forward 27 caps 30 points 28 years
- Marcell Coetzee Loose forward 14 caps 5 points 22 years
Locks:
- Pieter-Steph du Toit Lock 0 caps 0 points 21 years
- Eben Etzebeth Lock 20 caps 0 points 22 years
- Flip van der Merwe Lock 31 caps 5 points 28 years
- Bakkies Botha Lock 76 caps 35 points 34 years
Props:
- Jannie du Plessis Prop 51 caps 5 points 30 years
- Frans Malherbe Prop 0 caps 0 points 22 years
- Coenie Oosthuizen Prop 11 caps 5 points 24 years
- Gurthrö Steenkamp Prop 46 caps 30 points 32 years
- Tendai Mtawarira Prop 50 caps 10 points 28 years
Hookers:
- Bismarck du Plessis Hooker 54 caps 40 points 29 years
- Adriaan Strauss Hooker 30 caps 25 points 27 years
- Scarra Ntubeni Hooker 0 caps 0 points 22 years
10 Overseas Bokke…. eish!
Luckiest guys to be included… Louis Schreuder & Johan Goosen
Unluckiest guys, not to be included…. Pat Cilliers, Lourens Adriaanse, Rory Kockott, Charl McLeod & Demetri Catrakilis.
not bad but as always people will tear this apart
No Frans Steyn – then he must just Serfontein
Schreuder – heard previously he can back up fly-halves as well but still he is no where close to the best currently in SA
Scarra – how much of a political move is this, thou I rate him highly
Zane – was a great time to move on… (thinking Frans Steyn here)
Bakkies – always nice to see him back, same with the other older Boks
Really though Jannie could do wit a rest though
Glad Schalk, Damian and Kolbe not there (yet) they need more time at S15 level
3 @ Gena_ZA:
People may well tear the team choices, but we have to remember that Heyneke carries the can… it’s his head on a block, so it’s only right that he chooses who HE wants to take on tour.
Let’s be real… doubt Scarra will get game time, he is there for the Bokke exprience, not to play.
Same with Schreuder, yet I think Heyneke missed a vital call there.
Frans Steyn… if anybody thinks he would have displaced Jean de Villiers at No 12 on tour, they are dumber than I thought… so maybe it’s a good thing he does not go on tour. Frans also clearly prefers No 12, so why would one take him as a fullback, makes no sense… once again I understand Heyneke’s reasoning here.
I think Johan Goosen is extremely lucky… he was clearly not ready yet and it would have been good to see where Catrakilis fits in.
I agree with HM 99% of the time – these moaners I was referring just amuses me
Just for Frans Steyn – I honestly feel he is the perfect 15 with his long range drop goals, will also not conciser him at 12, hence me saying moving on from Zane
Goosen is clearly one of HM favorite players, he must see something remarkably in him, let’s hope he is right and the lads body holds up.
Out of 32, I am happy with 30…. therefore I am happy overall
8 WP players
7 Sharks
4 Cheetahs
3 Bulls
10 Overseas players
Could have done without the services of Ruan Pienaar & Gurthro Steenkamp as well… as far as overseas players is concerned
Well, we have to back the boys, they have been selected…
With Psdt added, that is becoming a pretty awesome pack now! I am happy with the squad, perhaps it would have been nice to give a couple of guys a break, as it isn’t going to be the hardest of tours, but selfish me, with my Murrayfield tickets clenched tightly in my grubby little paws, am quite happy to see the best out there! Go Bokke!!
10 @ Just For Kicks:
Lucky sod!
@ grootblousmile:There’s always a bed for you here, mate!!!
12 @ Just For Kicks:
And a Ticket to Murrayfield?
@ grootblousmile:You know me, I’d give you the shirt off my back, but not my tickets!!! Seriously, though, there are still tickets available.
7 @ grootblousmile:The o/seas debate is going to become very interesting in the near future, I predict.
14 @ Just For Kicks:
Farkit pellie… I would dearly have loved to come, not this year though…. saving for the big one, Rugby World Cup 2015.
Freegin hell, do not even have a currently valid Passport…. fark, need to sort that out soon, want to also go sit on an island somewhere and drink mohitas… and look at the senoritas…. hahaha
15 @ Just For Kicks:
Yip, the overseas debate will flame up soon enough….
Over all n goeie groep, die cheetah in my wil graag vir lappies daar sien. Maar donners bly oor oupa bakkies
16 @ grootblousmile:There’s a great island just a couple of hours away from you – called Deben. Great beaches, full of colour and vibrancy after the tiny nation has come together as one after their unifying sporting achievement. Smiles are gushing, drinks are flowing and happiness is infectious on the beaches down there at the moment. A couple of lovely buxom senorita’s for you, as well, on the golden sands, I am sure.
All that, and you won’t even need a passport!!!
19 @ Just For Kicks:
No man, want to go to Thailand or Phuket or something else, off these SA shores…. not take my Notebook or Cell phone, leave you okes in charge of R-T for the whole time… then come pick up the pieces and burnt-down shit you guys left over… hehehe
@ grootblousmile:
En lekker gebraaide tarantulla eet saam met hond pastei…..
21 @ smallies:
Nee flok, so honger was ek nog nie!
20 @ grootblousmile: Thing is, you’d just never get that same upbeat feeling that the Debenites have if you went off to the golden triangle. Lifes a party at the moment…..hang on, have just read some comments around the web rugby world – all doom and gloom is fast descending again in the aquarium as news if filtering out that Prince Fransie Steyn, the national hero, has been omitted from King Heynekes official Christmas Party Rave!
On second thoughts, head off to Phi Phi instead, but do take a blow-up senorita with you – you’re going in the wrong direction for a real one!
23 @ Just For Kicks:
Each and every sharks supporter must be livid that Frans Steyn is not in the squad… after all he is a Shark, a World Cup winner, walks on water (between multiple hamburgers)… and all Sharks deserve to be Bokke… am I right in their assessment?
Oh, did I mention he is a Shark…
Flok!
Heyneke Meyer was never going to pick anybody else but Jean de Villiers as captain and No 12… Frans himself wants to play No 12, not fullback… it is a toss-up between Jaque Fourie, JJ Engelbrecht and JP Pietersen for No 13… so why take Frans, for what ungodly reason, specially as he is recently back from injury, had a kak Currie Cup semi-final and was only good on defence in the Currie Cup Final?
Phi Phi Island?? I use my lawn to phi-phi on…. makes the grass grow bloody well!
Anyway… miserable weather here, for days on end already, wet, cool…
Need some serious sunshine!!
A lack of experienced, scrummaging tight head props may be the downfall of this group.
A few strange selections to say the least.
25 @ Scrumdown:
Only 3 Tests… do not think any position will be a serious hassle… in fact 32 players on a 3-Test tour is taking it bloody wide…
Did you get my Mail, by the way… Bullscot sent a Scotish Rugby jersey to donate to your Club, for some money!
26 @ grootblousmile:
Yes thanks.
Saw your mail a short while ago and answered.
You’re probably right, but if we don’t start looking at TH now for 2015, it could be a disaster.
You can rest assured that the NH teams will make sure that the scrum plays an important part of the RWC, and it seems to continually be SA’s weak point when playing in the NH.
Don’t forget RWC 2015 is in October so weather WILL be a factor at some stage in the competition.
Pienaar en Schreuder! Eishhhh….
GBS , at last some time to check the Bok side, no complaints.
Just one observation, this must be fewest Bulls in a Bok team for years. Just shows where we are, down at the bottom of the pile.
The Bok squad is Big, so expect a few players to just carry tackle bags. There is enough talent there to pick a great run on team. What is important is to build a team, not dish out gifted jerseys,
@ superBul:
Bly ek vang jou hier, sterkte met die operasie broer!
Wat die span betref,die drie belangrikste Bulle afwesig is Jano en Chili (beide het moosa games gehad vir Toulouse verlede Saterdag), en natuurlik Arno Botha (beseer). CJ Stander is n verdere verlies uit die Blou kamp, daai ou moes ook in die Bokspan gewees het.
Bulle sal moet begin keer teen oorsese uittog van hul spelers….
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