Handré Pollard
Adriaan Strauss
Junior Springbok captain Handré Pollard, who was named IRB Junior Player of the Year on Friday, and experienced Test hooker Adriaan Strauss will join the Springboks in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.
Pollard superbly led the South African Under 20’s at the Junior World Championships in New Zealand. The Junior Boks twice beat the NZ U20s en route to the final, where they were edged 21-20 by England in Auckland on Friday.
Strauss has been a fixture in the Springbok squad since 2012 and missed out on the last three matches because of suspension. He is free to play again next weekend.
Seven players based in France and England have been released to their clubs and will not be considered for selection for next weekend’s final Test in the Castle Lager Incoming Series, against Scotland at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
They are Gurthrö Steenkamp (prop), Schalk Brits (hooker), Bakkies Botha (lock), Francois Louw (flank), Morné Steyn (flyhalf), Wynand Olivier (centre) and Bryan Habana (wing).
“I’ve always rated Handré very highly and with Morné returning to France and Johan Goosen struggling with a knee injury, we decided to bring him in,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“Adriaan has been with us since June 2012 and has played in every Test in the last two seasons. He knows our structures well and will slot back in with no hassle.”
“We will still travel to Port Elizabeth with a strong squad and will only consider calling up more replacements if necessitated by injury. The players in the squad who have not yet featured in one of our three matches this month have worked very hard.”
“I’m a believer in earning opportunities and I feel that some of them deserve a chance to play for the Springboks against Scotland as they’ve now become accustomed to how we play and won’t let their country down.”
Jurie Roux, CEO of the South African Rugby Union (SARU), explained that the Test against Scotland falls outside of the international window prescribed by the IRB.
“We have reached agreement with the South African provinces and certain clubs that their players may be made available for the match,” said Roux.
“The French and English clubs have exercised their right to withdraw their players from the Test and we respect and understand that.”
“All the matches during the Castle Lager Rugby Championship fall within the IRB window and players based in Europe and South Africa will be available for selection.”
“Because of the special nature of the Japanese season and the way in which it is structured, we have worked with these clubs to have players available for Springbok duty on an individual basis. That means Schalk Burger, Fourie du Preez and JP Pietersen will be available for certain matches, as agreed with their clubs.”
“All Rugby World Cup matches next year fall within an international window and therefore all South African qualified players based anywhere will be available for selection.”
@ grootblousmile:
@ Pietman:
GBS you will know the guys better having interacted with them but having read the bit on the Bulls site it seems Willemse was offered a pile of money with them saying they can’t compete with that. Just hope that he comes back an even better player after 2 years and isn’t persuaded to stay on and play for Les Blues.
@ Pietman:
Ja doesn’t look good with quite a lot of dust blowing about a big part of your region, how long is your drive from Riyadh and in which direction?
@ grootblousmile:
28 GBS Hi pal.Only 4 Boks were worthy were worthy of the jersey
on Saturday.Flo
Matfield
du Preez
Hendricks
The rest were abysmal and complacent
Sorry to go off subject.
Regards all and have a good day
t.
31 @ Bullscot:
Sure, there’s a pile of money, from a strong currency and all… but since Ian Schwartz left the Bulls a year and a half ago, the Bulls have lost probably the most players of any SA Union or Franchise.
I’m telling you, Xander is not up to standard!
He’s a chappie with a Law degree who articled but never practiced any form of Law, if I have my facts pretty straight. He’s young, inexperienced, no charisma, no convincing skills, no vision… no idea!
33 @ ryecatcher:
Yeah, the Bokke did not start well at all… and for the most part looked jaded.
That said, at least they showed the balls to get back into the game… and squeeked through.
Defence was woeful at times too, in the 1st half
@ Bullscot:
140 km from Riyadh, notherly direction, I am in the south towards the Emirates, desert city called Al-Kharj, mother city of the Bedouin tribe…hulle is wilder as Blou Bulle, hierdie spul!
34 @ grootblousmile:
Oh dear that is not good then
@ Bullscot:
This Grenoble, are they any good?
@ grootblousmile:
@34 Wie se familie is hy, hierdie Xander klong?
Sorry, but I must be missing something. If the Bulls were originally astute enough to get Willemse to play for them, and a host of other up and coming junior stars, then they must have done something right, including this Xander chappie?
If he was good enough to catch the eye of the frenchies, then they must have been onto something. As I understand the report, seems like he is not happy being down in the pecking order for Bok colors, and that played a big part in him moving. If that is indeed the case, well I’m sorry, but a 22 year old with limited first class experience surely can’t demand Bok inclusion?
Where the Bulls have erred, IMO, is by putting too many of their eggs in the one basket, the junior basket, and not keeping enough senior guys around to help the youngsters acclimatize. For instance, to have lost Jano because they spent so much on youngsters that they couldn’t afford to keep him.
The amount the spend on Arno, without any return, must be astronomical as well.
Looking at the 28 left in the Bokke squad… this would be my team for the weekend…. plenty fresh legs in the side:
Team:
15. Willie le Roux
14. Cornal Hendricks
13. S’Bura Sithole
12. Jan Serfontein
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Marnitz Boshoff
9. Fourie du Preez
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Schalk Burger (Willem needs a rest badly)
6. Marcell Coetzee
5. Victor Matfield (Captain)
4. Lood de Jager
3. Coenie Oosthuizen
2. Adriaan Strauss
1. Trevor Nyakane
Replacements:
16. Bismarck du Plessis (to only come on if needs be)
17. Beast Mtawarira (to only come on for 10 or 15 minutes at the end)
18. Marcel van der Merwe (to only come on if needs be)
19. Flip van der Merwe
20. Teboho Mohoje (Alberts is tired, Siya Kolisi is out of form)
21. Francois Hougaard (NOT Ruan farking Pienaar!!)
22. Handré Pollard (not Goosen!)
23. JP Pietersen (covering fullback, wing and outside centre)
This however won’t be the side, that I can tell you, and I won’t be surprised to see Ruan Pienaar start, as well as Johan Goosen, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck, Beast & Willem, with JP Pietersen at No 13.
39 @ Pietman:
Nee jinne, ek weetie!
40 @ nortierd:
Willemse was still contracted by Ian Schwartz.
It’s all these great Ian Schwartz contracts that are now running out, one by one, without Xander being able to re-negotiate their extensions properly. Let’s take an example, for instance the shitty deal Jano Vermaak was offered, where they expected him to stay on for HALF his existing package.
36 @ Pietman:
looks like more plumes upwind of you so will keep on getting sandblasted next few days but it should get better for a bit from around midweek. Do you guys interact with the folk or is it a very separated expat life style?
and #38. Sounds like a very interesting place you are in there, just remember if you are outside and you need to take a breath turn your back to the wind otherwise you might end up with a mouthful of sand
Regarding Grenoble, they look to be a team trying to build themselves, they were promoted to the TOP14 for the season that just finished and ended in 11th on the table so not very high up but possibly not too bad for a team in their first season of promotion and at least they didn’t get relagated straight back to PRO Division 2. Have not really seen them play, even though I can watch the TOP14 as part of internet contract, just don’t get the time. But think I did watch the game early in the season when they upset Toulon and won at home by 2 points, they also beat Stade Francais early in the season. They are somewhere in the Alps so it will be a lovely area Willemse is going to.
@ grootblousmile:43
Ok, you guys are much more up to date on the doen en late van die Bulle.
Tell Xander that he must stop breaking Macrobull’s heart, it’s not easy getting over your first crush
45 @ nortierd:
Pretoria – The Blue Bulls have confirmed the departure of promising lock Paul Willemse to France.
The 22-year-old will join French club Grenoble after the Currie Cup competition on a two-year deal.
According to the BBC High Performance Manager, Xander Janse van Rensburg, it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold on to players and to compete with overseas clubs.
“We tried our utmost best to retain the services of Paul. It is, however, very concerning that we are losing players at a younger and younger age to the overseas market. In Paul’s case, we are talking about a massive offer to the player and one that is very hard to say no to.
“We certainly cannot blame Paul for accepting such a lucrative offer, but even if we wanted to, we could not match it as this is one of the biggest offers I have seen for a player of his age.”
Willemse plans to return to South Africa in two years’ time to make a bid for the Springbok jersey and could well be back in Bulls colours then.
“Paul feels that he is not currently in the mix for Springbok selection and have a number of locks ahead of him in the line-up, so wants to add a different element to his game by playing in the French Top 14, game time in France will see him improve as a player and we can reap the benefits of that upon his return,” said Janse van Rensburg.
40 @ nortierd:
Nah nortierd I think it’s more about the money and maybe wanting to experience a different lifestyle, it says he wants to come back after two years and try get into Boks but if the Bulls can’t match what he is offered now how on earth will he come back, will he then be happy to play for less than in France. You hear a lot about players supposedly wanting to test themselves in other leagues and I suppose TOP14 is a strong domestic league, probably a bit above our Currie Cup but it is no Super Rugby, and Grenoble are not playing in the top European competition next season so for me that story can’t apply in this case. It is a concern that a player would opt out of playing at Super level for lower level rugby – may he like so many other people in other jobs is just looking to emigrate.
Ek hoop nie Macrobul gaan nou n Shark move op ons trek en ook AWOL nie…
Hy het gese as Willemse waai dan gaan hy saam.
@ Bullscot:
No, they are very friendly and peaceful people, and very helpful, it is just their driving that irks me, they are bored and reckless, these youngsters. Fast cars, cheap petrol, too much money….not a good mix.
49 @ Pietman:
Ek wonder waar in Grenoble gaan Macro ‘n jobbie kry waar hy so lekker heeltyd op die Net kan lê en boer… of gaan hy saam as Paul se “Lewensmaatjie”??
Ek gaan nou rus, ek is n mannetjie wat op siekverlof is….
dankie vir die nuus en geselsie.
Tjeers vir eers.
@ grootblousmile:
Good team pal.But noy your number1
Regards Rye
@ nortierd:
They actually acquired him from the Lions in 2012, it didn’t come for free either?
And Grant Hattingh as well?!
The Bulls got budget relief when released Styen, Kirchner, Kruger and Oliver, all Boks on the highest pay scale, I’ll rule out cash flow reason unless a mega fraud and embezzlement took place there
I believe the guy simply wanted to go abroad?
Pietman wrote:
Sounds like Alberton in 1980. We managed ok!
en dans dit nog n kaas en wyn franse span
53 @ ryecatcher:
That team I would choose, was chosen with regards to the rest needed by tired Bokke… and who’s left over in the squad at present.
It’s not the best side all in all, but should be enough to see the Scotland side off.
Interesting in my choices, all 23 played Super Rugby for SA Franchises this year!!
grootblousmile wrote:
56 @ MacroBok:
Franse wyn is fliipin suur. Kaas nie te sleg nie.
58 @ Pietman:
Miskien kry hy pos by die Haydron Collider!
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