Victor Matfield is over his injury problems and will rejoin the Springbok squad when they get together for the Australasian leg of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, while Marcel van der Merwe has been called up for the injured Frans Malherbe.
Furthermore, Willem Alberts has also been drafted back into the squad, pending a fitness test on Thursday when the squad gets together in Johannesburg. Both Alberts and Matfield were part of the initial 30-man squad, but missed out on the victories over Argentina in Pretoria and Salta because of injury.
sarugby
Van der Merwe will join the rest of the touring party in Johannesburg on Thursday. Malherbe will have to undergo surgery on his fractured ankle and is likely to miss the rest of the season because of this injury.
With Matfield and Alberts, if passed fit, returning for the two-week tour to Australia and New Zealand, Warren Whiteley and Juan Smith will drop out. Smith, however, will remain on standby if Alberts is deemed unable to tour.
“Victor is over his injury and has been declared fit to travel with us for the next two tests, while we’re awaiting a final verdict on Willem,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“It will be good to have them back. Willem has been part of the squad for the last number of seasons and Victor showed he can still add a lot of value when he returned to the Bok fold earlier this year.
“Losing Frans is a huge setback and my heart bleeds for him, because he’s done well since returning from a long injury lay-off recently which saw him miss the June tests.
“It’s also a big disappointment for Frans, whose involvement with the squad was cut short because of injury last November as well, but Marcel has been with us before and will slot in seamlessly. He provides specialist tighthead cover as Tendai Mtawarira, Gurthrö Steenkamp and Trevor Nyakane are specialist looseheads.”
Meyer added that Whiteley had impressed him immensely during his week with the Springboks and that Smith had made a massive contribution during his time with the squad in the last fortnight.
“Warren and Juan know exactly where they stand and it was great to work with them, even if it was only for a limited period of time,” said Meyer.
The Springboks returned from Argentina on Monday and will enjoy a short break before reconvening in Johannesburg on Thursday. They are scheduled to depart for Perth on Saturday.
Springbok squad:
Forwards: Willem Alberts, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Brits, Marcell Coetzee, Lodewyk de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Teboho Mohoje, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Marcel van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen.
Backs: Damian de Allende, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Cornal Hendricks, Francois Hougaard, Patrick Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn.
Who’s going to reach his hundred first?
Faf or AB?
Faf it is. Well done boykie.
Coming into his own at no. 3.
AB folloing suit. His 1st hundred against Aus.
Faf out after a record 200+ partnership with AB.
Well played.
Macro in two minds here.
Must Duminy fail to prove him (Macro) right about the batsman or should he stay there and help AB take SA to victory?
Faf breaks Namas heart again.
😆
WOW well done Proteas chasing down that big score with 7 wickets and 20 balls to spare!
@ gunther:
Not at all. He is proving himself.
😉
Nama wrote:
That’s fair, they are the best in their position, but I don’t ascribe it to age, it’s just they are better and more talented than us and know how to play proper rugby, and maybe throw in that their SR and ITM coaches aren’t as useless and narrow minded as ours and can actually think of a game plan. Our coaches build character, theirs build a winning way with running rugby
NZ WC squad will also resemble a dads army, but their dads are better than ours on the field
Namas comments on faf were very similar to Bods on Philander.
And he continues to rub it in.
Too funny.
😆
Who says this?… Nortie?
“In theory, the second-ranked Springboks should have destroyed the side placed 12th in world rugby. However, in practice, three main factors determine the outcome of a match:
They are, your own team’s performance, the performance of the opposition and, last but not least, the standard of officiating delivered by the assigned referee on the day.
Admittedly the Springboks weren’t at their barnstorming best but, from a purely analytical and objective point of view, the home side were exceptionally strong in all facets of play.
The Pumas scrummed supremely, contested the lineouts skilfully, defended fiercely, attacked with purpose and penetration and kicked the ball into space at the right moments.”
116 @ Angostura:
Big Dissertation of meaningless facts… to be honest.
Is it not just the basic job of the coach to put the BEST SQUAD out there, no matter how old they are or how many previous Tests or Tournaments they have played in, under whichever coach?
You make a lot of assertions and assumptions that players like Schalk Burger, Spies, Frans Steyn and some others will be there… despite the fact that they are not available and / or are injured at present or have fallen way down the pecking order.
I agree with you we lack some tighthead grunt and Jualian Redelinghuys of the Lions might have been an astute call-up to alleviate that conundrum.
One can argue about little issues of who should be first choice and who not, but inevitably it is the discretion of the coach to decide who he sees in that position.
Personally I am worried about 3 positions, namely tighthead prop, outside centre and scrumhalf, but more than those 3 positions I am concerned about game plan or game approach and conditioning issues.
Other than that, what the freegin heck should colour have to do with any selection criteria… and should younger players be chosen just because they are young but not the best in their positions? Certainly NOT!
Overcomplication and over analysis will show huge gaps or “failures” in the tenures of any coach, including that of Hansen, McKenzie and all others.
If a player is good enough in his position, he should be in the squad… no matter his past exploits, no matter his age, no matter his provincial contract…. simple as that.
The chaps, in the comments below your # 116, have detailed how many All Blacks also come from the 2003, 2007 and 2011 Tournaments… but we do not criticize Hansen for continuing to include McCaw, Dag, Jane, Dan Carter, the Franks brothers, Keven Mealamu, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Kaino and now even Sonny Bill Williams (Special dispensation for End Of Year Tour choice)… to name a few.
I wish people would concentrate on the actual issues, the actual frailties, the stoid game plan… in stead of these needless and endless loops of arguments offered here!
@ gunther:
I’ve never said that he is “useless.” I did say that I am not a fan.
Moerse difference… but keep trying.
😉
Goeie naand mense,ongelukkig kon ek nie gister aand saam musiek vergun mu asb die kans om net twee lips hier te post van my gunsteling songs
132 @ grootblousmile:
Are you saying that it is a spurious argument?
131 @ Nama:
The piece by Brendon Venter?
I did place his opinion piece today
Dad allegedly attacks boy at rugby match
2014-08-27 14:50
Johannesburg – A case of assault has been opened with Gauteng police after a man allegedly beat up a schoolboy who was part of a rugby team playing against his son’s team.
King Edward VII School (KES) pupil Matthew Germishuizen was hospitalised at the weekend after a rugby match ended in a fight when player was given a red card, reported Beeld.
Germishuizen’s mother said her 17-year-old son suffered a concussion, broken cheekbones, a broken nose and a black eye.
The Golden Lions rugby union will hold a closed disciplinary hearing next week to look into the matter.
Police confirmed that a case of assault had been opened but no one has been arrested yet, The Star reported.
According to Maroela Media, Germishuizen has been discharged from hospital.
@ nortierd:
Yes.
@ Nama:
Brendan moet nie sulke goed kwytraak nie, hy gaan n paar lelike briewe in sy posbus kry 😀
@ Nama:
Charles Piutau is a definite squad member when fit.. Dane Coles is no1 hooker in Nz..but one thing Hansen did when he took over was go back to those players who got cut last when 2011 WC team were selected… Messam..Ben Smith..Wyatt Crockett..
119 @ Nama:
Also Nama, bear in mind that Smith, Ben, only usurped Israel Dagg last week for the first time.
He played different positions or at 15 when Dagg wasn’t available, but last week was the 1st time he played full back when Dagg was fit and available, basically the first time Dagg was dropped for Smith
@ Nama:
Average player you called him.
I can guess why you aren’t a fan.
😆
@ Angostura:
You’re comment makes sense to me..ignore Grootblousmile talk of meaningless facts …we know Meyers back to the future selection style is misguided and ‘doomed…doomed I say’..
@ gunther:
What would be your guess?
😀
@ Nama:
He’s a titans player.
🙄
@ gunther:
ABis a Titans player and I’m a fan. Steyn was a Titans player and I was a fa when he was there.
Come on now. Spit it out.
😆
@ Nama:
It must be the same reason your pal macro Bok isn’t a fan of JP .
Personality clash.
😆
Harare – AB de Villiers has admitted that some of Australia’s sledging during February’s Test series against South Africa may have gone too far but insisted that there were no grudges being held ahead of the first ODI between the teams in the Triangular Series at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday before training de Villiers laughed when told that Clarke had apologised for some of the language used by his team, especially during the third and deciding Cape Town Test in March, the last of Graeme Smith’s career, reports the supersport.com website.
“I didn’t know about that,” De Villiers said, “but apology accepted!
“It was a hard fought series back in South Africa but there are definitely no hard feelings.
“You don’t expect anything less when you play against an Australian team, or for that matter, one of the top three or four teams in the world.
“It’s always a tough series and personally, for me as a batter, when I get sledged at the wicket I don’t mind that at all.
“I really enjoy the challenge of facing some of the best bowlers in the world, it’s a huge privilege and I’m expecting to see more of that in this series.
“But we’re also here to win, and to win this series, whatever it takes, so hopefully we play some good cricket,” De Villiers said.
De Villiers did not shy away from the nature of the verbal exchanges and admitted that some of his teammates were more upset than he had been.
“There was lots of personal stuff and certain guys take it in a different way.
“I don’t mind it, I laughed at a couple of the chirps I heard on the field in that particular test match in Cape Town.
“It’s part of the game, I see it in that way … but they can’t expect us to be mates with them off the field if they get very personal,” De Villiers said.
“But that was Cape Town and now we move on, it’s a new series and we’re here to win some games of cricket.”
AB all class.
@ gunther:
My opinion of Faf being average is based on the fact that I think (MY OPINION) he’ll end his career with an average of between 40 and 45 despite him averaging above 50 at this stage. I believe that JP will end his career in the same range despite him averaging in the mid 30″s atm. Neither of them is in AB’s class (or Amla’s) who I think will have a career average of above 50.
40-45: average
46-50: good
50-59: very good
60+: all time great
My OWN ratings and my OPINION. You don’t have to agree with it. Just don’t try and accuse me of something or try and 2nd guess why I hold that opinion. You can disagree though and tell me WHY you disagree.
I’ve never accused Macro of anything or said that I could “guess” why he does not like JP. All I’ve ever did, wrt his dislike of JP, was to provide him with stats to prove that he is way off base in his claim that JP is not good enough.
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