The selection of 8 uncapped players and the return of a further 6 are the features of the Springbok squad named on Saturday for the 5 matches leading up to the Rugby World Cup later this season.
In addition to the 36 squad members, the national selectors have identified 13 players who are currently injured or will be in rehabilitation, but will form part of an extended squad for the matches against the World XV, Castle Lager Rugby Championship and the Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
The uncapped players in the squad are Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Rudy Paige, Faf de Klerk, Jesse Kriel, Franco Mostert and Lionel Mapoe.
Back in the Springbok fold after not featuring in any Springbok Tests last year, are Elton Jantjies, Frans Steyn, Jaque Fourie, Heinrich Brüssow, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Heinke van der Merwe.
The currently injured players included in the squad are Springbok captain Jean de Villiers, Lionel Mapoe, Heinrich Brüssow, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Steyn, Coenie Oosthuizen, Lood de Jager, Duane Vermeulen, Cobus Reinach, Pat Lambie, Jaque Fourie, Jan Serfontein and Fourie du Preez. The latter suffered a knee injury while training with his Japanese club earlier this week.
“It’s a long list of injured players but all of them are in the selection frame and we’d like to work with them to assist with their rehabilitation,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“Some of them are close to full fitness and they will start training as soon as possible. We’ll assess and manage all the injured players individually with their return to play in mind and will do what is the best for the player and the team, even if it means that some of them play for their clubs or provinces if deemed necessary by our medical team and in consultation with their unions.
“Coenie Oosthuizen has been selected, but he has a neck injury which will rule him out of joining the squad immediately. We will wait for medical clarity to ensure we do what is best for Coenie before a decision is made on the way forward.
“Even though Jaque Fourie announced that he had retired from Test rugby late last year, we have had positive talks with him and his club, Kobe in Japan, and an agreement was reached that he will be available for 1 last season of Test rugby. As soon as he’s back to full fitness, we’ll consider him for selection.
“Jean de Villiers’ rehabilitation is going very well but his return to play will be strictly monitored before an announcement in this regard is made.”
Scarra Ntubeni (hooker), Rudy Paige (scrumhalf) and Lionel Mapoe (outside back) have been part of Springbok tour squads before, but this will be the 1st involvement at international level for Faf de Klerk (scrumhalf), Franco Mostert (lock), Steven Kitshoff and Vincent Koch (both props).
Meyer added that Vodacom Super Rugby form weighed heavily and as always there were a number of players who were desperately close to selection, but just missed out in the end.
“This is testament to the great depth we’ve managed to build in most positions over the last few years. It’s good to know we have players outside this squad who will be able to slot in should it be necessary,” said the Springbok coach.
“Scarra has been with us before and he has done a great job specifically in the scrums with Vincent, Steven and Frans Malherbe for the DHL Stormers this year.
“Lionel, Franco, Faf and Elton have been part of the ever-improving Emirates Lions, while Rudy and Jesse grabbed their opportunities for the Vodacom Bulls this season.
Meyer added that he was pleased to have Heinke van der Merwe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Heinrich Brüssow, Frans Steyn and Jaque Fourie back with the Springboks.
“They are players with international experience and we know what they can do. It will be great to welcome them back into the Springbok fold and I know they will add value,” said the Springbok coach.
“It was great to see players such as Morné, Heinke, Bryan, Schalk Brits and Francois play in and win finals with their clubs in Europe.”
“We also talked to Andries Bekker as we wanted to consider him for selection, but upon a request from his club in Japan he was ultimately not picked for the squad at this stage. Hopefully he will be available at a later stage during the season.
“Flip van der Merwe was on our radar but ultimately he has decided to rule himself out of Springbok contention.”
Meyer said that he didn’t want to go into the 2015 Test season without exploring all options available to the Springboks.
“We will be guided by our medical team and specialists to ensure no stone is left unturned as we manage the injured players’ return to play. The players who have been included in the squad because of injuries to others must use this opportunity to break down the door to ensure they remain part of the squad as we look forward to the World Cup.
“As certain players regain fitness, others will be sent back to their provinces, but that doesn’t mean they are out of our thinking completely as the door to World Cup selection will never be fully closed. We talked to every player we thought could add value and considered every option available to us.
“The next 5 matches, before we finalise the squad for the Rugby World Cup, will be very important as we want to ensure the right 31 players are on the plane to England on 11 September.
“We have done a lot of planning and research and are well-prepared for the season. We’ll use the matches against the World XV, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina to fine tune where necessary, but the next 2 months also provide the players with an opportunity to put themselves in contention to make the World Cup squad.”
The Springbok squad is (in alphabetical order):
- Willem Alberts (Cell C Sharks), Loose forward, 32 Test caps
- Schalk Brits (Saracens, England), Hooker, 7 caps
- Schalk Burger (DHL Stormers / Suntory, Japan), Loose forward, 75 caps
- Marcell Coetzee (Cell C Sharks), Loose forward, 26 caps
- Damian de Allende (DHL Stormers), Centre, 3 caps
- Faf de Klerk (Emirates Lions / Steval Pumas), Scrumhalf, 0 caps
- Bismarck du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Hooker, 70 caps
- Jannie du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Prop, 62 caps
- Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), Lock, 33 caps
- Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions), Flyhalf, 2 caps
- Bryan Habana (Toulon, France), Wing, 106 caps
- Cornal Hendricks (Toyota Cheetahs), Wing, 11 caps
- Zane Kirchner (Leinster, Ireland), Wing / Fullback, 29 caps
- Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Prop, 0 caps
- Vincent Koch (DHL Stormers / Steval Pumas), Prop, 0 caps
- Siya Kolisi (DHL Stormers), Loose forward, 10 caps
- Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), Fullback, 0 caps
- Willie le Roux (Toyota Cheetahs), Fullback / Wing, 25 caps
- Francois Louw (Bath, England), Loose forward, 34 caps
- Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Prop, 4 caps
- Victor Matfield (Vodacom Bulls), Lock, 121 caps
- Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (Toyota Cheetahs), Loose forward, 7 caps
- Franco Mostert (Emirates Lions), Lock, 0 caps
- Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), Prop, 64 caps
- Lwazi Mvovo (Cell C Sharks), Wing, 10 caps
- Scarra Ntubeni (DHL Stormers), Hooker, 0 caps
- Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls), Prop, 13 caps
- Rudy Paige (Vodacom Bulls), Scrumhalf, 0 caps
- Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland), Scrumhalf, 80 caps
- JP Pietersen (Cell C Sharks), Centre / Wing, 59 caps
- Handré Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Flyhalf, 9 caps
- Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France), Flyhalf, 59 caps
- Adriaan Strauss (Vodacom Bulls), Hooker, 44 caps
- Heinke van der Merwe (Stade Francais, France), Prop, 4 caps
- Marcel van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls), Prop, 4 caps
- Warren Whiteley (Emirates Lions), Loose forward, 2 caps
Injured / Conditioning squad:
- Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Cheetahs / Docomo, Japan), Loose forward, 20 caps
- Lood de Jager (Toyota Cheetahs), Lock, 9 caps
- Jean de Villiers (DHL Stormers), Centre, 106 caps
- Fourie du Preez (Suntory, Japan), Scrumhalf, 70 caps
- Pieter-Steph du Toit (Cell C Sharks), Lock, 2 caps
- Jaque Fourie (Kobe, Japan), Centre, 72 caps
- Patrick Lambie (Cell C Sharks), Flyhalf / Fullback, 40 caps
- Lionel Mapoe (Emirates Lions), Centre, 0 caps
- Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota Cheetahs), Prop, 21 caps
- Cobus Reinach (Cell C Sharks), Scrumhalf, 6 caps
- Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Bulls), Centre, 20 caps
- Frans Steyn (Cell C Sharks), Centre, 53 caps
- Duane Vermeulen (DHL Stormers), No 8, 29 caps
118 @ Pietman:
Notshe het n helse goeie game gehad teen die Brumbies op flank.
Naand Wyndrinkers en die ander gesuipdes!
Hel, maar ek het ‘n oulike aanstaande skoondogter… as sy dit so vêr kan maak… hehehehe
@ MacroPolo:
Notshe! Daar is die naam, ek smaak hom…
Ons Load-verfokken-shed al weer innie Panne… net my Kantoor hardloop nog soos ‘n droom met my woeste 6KVA UPS!
Huis self is in donkerte gehul, met so klompie LED liggies wat aan is, paar kersies wat brand.
So ek sit maar op kantoor, waar ek kan sien, kan lees en skryf… en my ding kan doen!
@ grootblousmile:
Moenie te gooi opgewonde raak nie, ek het ook so gevoel aan die begin….todat ek die eerste kukdoek in die badkamer moes optel terwyl haar hoogheid slaap want sy moes kamtig heelnag koliek dokter…toe is sy nie meer vir my so oulik nie
Ah, daar’s die krag dinge weer aan….
125 @ Pietman:
Nee jong die jonge dametjie, ene De Vos, is ‘n wakker girltjie, mooi dingetjie… maar voete plat op die aarde.
Ingelse Ma, Afrikaanse Pa… nes ou BonzaiGBS se stories.
Natuurlik kyk die tweetjies heeltyd diep in mekaar se verlepte ogies…
Ou BonzaiGBS het ek mooi geleer, die man maak deure oop vir die ou liefietjie, en gedra hom soos ‘n ware heer…
Fok, die babies kan wag… ek willie oupa wees nie, nie nou al of binnekort nie… so geen kakdoeke en daai klagtes nie!!
@ grootblousmile:
Nee maar dan is dit reg! Kannie glo Bonzai vry al nie, nou die dag nog n klein snotneus op Nuweland gewees wat hotdogs verorber het…
128 @ Pietman:
Flok, hy is 22 jaar oud, die man… gebaard en al!
128 @ Pietman:
O, en ek het die beste vergeet, sy’s ‘n Bulls ondersteuner… in Natal… hahaha
If Bok play Abs in WC semi…in my mind it’s a 50/50 game…very fine margins at that level…with all that pressure…
JDJ also did not make the squad.
Geez, I cant imagine what Hougie must be feeling today, I hope Mvovu, JP and Cornal enjoy the moment… Geez id pick Senatla above them as well, but at least he still has a chance to prove himself during the CC. Leaves a sick feeling in my stomach.
and that is all just from a larger squad of 49 players!
18 more still to lose their spots in the next three months.
@ Te Rangatira:
finals pressure can be a great leveler… so hopefully we get to the Semi’s 🙂
So…final squad:
Beast, Trevor, Malherbe, Jannie, Kitchoff
Strauss, Bissie, Scarra
Matfield, PSDT, Eben, Oupa
Kolisi, Duane, Flouw, Coetzee, Schalk, Whitely
Fdp, Pienaar, Paige, Reinach
Morne, Pollard, Lambie, Elton
Habana, Cornal, JPP, Mvovu
DDA, Mapoe, JdV, Fourie
Willie, Zane
That’s 36 players! There is absolutely no way we can go to the WC with 4 flyhalves, and it is also uncertain what the orders from SARU will be regarding players of colour, but with only 13 P’sOC in the 49 man squad, it is almost certain that at least 10 maybe even all 13 of them will make the final team for the WC if not injured (though this will hardly be an excuse if the RWC is a failure, i think it already can show the outline of the squad that will be selected.
Possible RWC squad
Props – Beast, Trevor, Jannie(ugh), Malherbe, Kitchoff
Hookers – Scarra, Bissie, Strauss
Locks – Oupa, Vic, Eben, PSDT
Looseforwards – Kolisi, Duane, Flouw, Coetzee, Schalk
Scrumhalves – Paige, Fdp, Pienaar
Flyhalves – Lambie, Morne
Wings – Habana, Cornal, Mvovu, JPP
Centers – DDA, Mapoe, JdV
FB – Zane, Willie
This team though does not inspire me.
I think it was also suggested that we may take 6 props? that would be ridiculous.
14 P’sOC
@ MacroPolo:
Jantjies must be there….on merit.
134 @ MacroPolo:
There will be 4 centres (and most of them can also play wing), so there should be 1 less wing and possibly a 3rd flyhalf which can double as a fullback, so only 1 fullback will be picked.
I also strongly doubt Rudy Paige will crack the nod as the 3rd Scrummie, so I think that one will go to Cobus Reinach.
Pity that one absolutely have to find spots for Siya Kolisi & Oupa Mohoje, as Warren Whiteley is miles better than either of those 2 and neither of the 2 are the best in their respective positions or alternative positions.
I doubt that Morné Steyn will be above Handré Pollard in the pecking order, and therefore I would not be surprised if the flyhalves are: Handré Pollard, Pat Lambie & Elton Jantjies.
I do not think Zane will be in the final squad, but maybe on stand-by, in case of injuries.
136 @ Pietman:
I believe so too, Pietman, above Lambie (who’s been injured for 3 months) and maybe even above Pollard, who had to battle in a struggling Bulls side!
132 @ MacroPolo:
I would have preferred Juan de Jongh in the broader Bok squad, above Frans Steyn or Jaque Fourie!
I would have picked Francois Hougaard & Seabelo Senatla above JP Pietersen & Cornal Hendricks in the broader squad too!
@ grootblousmile:
I put jpp there to cover both center and wing. Also like i said due to the fact that there are so few players of colour in the large training group that the guys there would have to mess up not to make the 31 man squad. Paige is also not bad either but untested. It all becomes quite a tactical technical balancing act, big players will be disappointed and atm i have my doubts as to pollard making the squad currently unless he plays really well for the boks in the RC. At this stage morne is above pollard imo and probably even jantjies.
The “broad” squad is a sham though, most of these players will be robbed off game time during the currie cup.
I see that Fourie du Preez has a medial knee ligament injury and is out for 4 to 8 weeks… and Coenie Oosthuizen had a neck operation today and is out of contention for The Rugby Championship.
Maybe time to let those 2 go… permanently and build on what is left!
A d the whole purpose of the broad squad is to keep provincialism at a distance and to prevent non bulls supporters from turning against the boks so early in the year.
140 @ MacroPolo:
I think we’ll see a number of “Injury Returnees” playing some Currie Cup games, to get them match ready and for possible World Cup inclusion.
Jean de Villiers, Pieter-Steph du Toit and maybe even Pat Lambie, immediately springs to mind.
@ Pietman:
Yes piet maybe jantjies above zane…
Like i said many of these players of colour could well be there on merit bar 3 of them… But it should be a good indication of the wc squad already.
If the whole squad stays fit there will definitely be some shock obmissions. Schalk, Jannie, Pollard, Alberts…
143 @ grootblousmile:
You would think thats logic.
But werent a few guys prevented from playing currie cup last year?
I agree they should though, but SARU makes some questionable decisions.
The first indication is that jdv is already preparing for the world xv game with little mention of the currie cup.
I aso dont thing fdp will make the squad. We should cut the cord sooner rather than Later
145 @ MacroPolo:
The news in the press about Jean de Villiers is quite clear… he should only be on the bench for the World XV game and play a few minutes there, then take part in 2 WP Currie Cup warm-up games and possibly (according to himself) in some Currie Cup games.
We’ll see though… time will reveal all!
@ grootblousmile:
Well if thats the case its acceptable.
Hopefully the same will apply to the others, even Duane. Would be nice to atleast give Whitely a little game time for the boks.
I personally feel the “Cut-Off Date” for injured and rehabilitating players should not extend much beyond the World XV game…
The Springboks only have 5 matches before the start of Rugby World Cup 2015 and although the 1st few games at the Rugby World Cup is against relative minnows, one would want the squad already gelled into playing style and patterns before the Bokke leave SA soil for England around 10 September.
So, for me Fourie du Preez & Coenie die Boef would now already be out of contention… and a number are knocking on the door of exclusion.
But I suppose we have to trust what Heyneke Meyer’s plans and meticulous planning envolves and how he sees progression towards the Rugby World Cup.
I think we can look forward to a dismal Rugby Championship, from a Springbok perspective… unfortunately.
@ MacroPolo:
144 Can only agree on Jannie.To leave Shalk out
would be ludicrous.Could only be cosidered due to
political issues.
Alberts vital as impact player on heavy NH fields.
Pollard.???
Agree with your later comment on Fdp.
Regards
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