Boks name 10 uncapped players for camp

[Intercept King JDV]

South Africa named 10 uncapped players in a 39-man training squad on Saturday to attend a two-day camp in Johannesburg ahead of their five-match European tour next month.

The group, which comprises 24 forwards and 15 backs, is expected to be whittled down to between 30 and 35 before the side departs for a tour that includes tests against Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England, as well as a match against the Barbarians.

The final Springbok touring squad will be named on October 30 after the conclusion of the domestic Currie Cup final, between the Natal Sharks and Western Province in Durban.

Among the uncapped are teenage flyhalf Patrick Lambie, who helped the Sharks beat defending champions the Blue Bulls in a Currie Cup semifinal on Saturday, just one day before his 20th birthday.

Lambie is joined by 20-year-old flyhalf, Elton Jantjies of the Golden Lions, in the training squad as head coach Peter de Villiers, who has hung on to his job after a poor season, looks to inject fresh energy into his squad.

De Villiers, who planned to leave frontline players such as Victor Matfield and Schalk Burger at home in order to rest ahead of next year's World Cup, looks to have had a change of heart.

Apart from Matfield and Burger, the squad also boasts a further seven players who appeared in the 2007 World Cup final, namely Bryan Habana, Danie Rossouw, CJ van der Linde, Juan Smith, JP Pietersen, Bakkies Botha and Bismarck du Plessis.

Regular skipper John Smit and star centre Jaque Fourie have been ruled out of the tour through injury.


Preliminary Springbok Training Group:

Backs: Gio Aplon (Vodacom Western Province), Bjorn Basson (GWK Griquas), Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana (all Vodacom Western Province), Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Adrian Jacobs (The Sharks), Elton Jantjies (Xerox Lions), Ricky Januarie (Vodacom Western Province), Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Patrick Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo (both The Sharks), Wynand Olivier (Vodacom Blue Bulls), JP Pietersen (The Sharks), Morne Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls).

Forwards: Willem Alberts (The Sharks), Bakkies Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Schalk Burger (Vodacom Western Province), Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis (both The Sharks), Dean Greyling (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Alistair Hargreaves (The Sharks), Ashley Johnson (Vodacom Free State Cheetahs), Ryan Kankowski (The Sharks), Werner Kruger, Victor Matfield (both Vodacom Blue Bulls), Gerhard Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira (both The Sharks), Coenie Oosthuizen (Vodacom Free State Cheetahs), Dewald Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw (all Vodacom Blue Bulls), Juan Smith, Adriaan Strauss (both Vodacom Free State Cheetahs), Pierre Spies, Deon Steggman (both Vodacom Blue Bulls), CJ van der Linde (Vodacom Free State Cheetahs), Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Western Province).

Source

Pretty strong training group that.

My 30 man squad for the tour would be all those backs (15 in total) +

Props: (4) Jannie du Plessis, Coenie Oosthuizen, Tendai Mtawarira & Werner Kruger.
Hookers: (3) Bismarck du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle & Adriaan Strauss.
Locks: (4) Bakkies Botha, Alistair Hargreaves, Victor Matfield & Flip van der Merwe
Backrows: (4) Duane Vermeulen, Ryan Kankowski, Juan Smith & Schalk Burger.

If a 35 man squad, add:
*Pierre Spies
*CJ van der Linde
*Ashley Johnson
*Danie Rossouw
*Dewald Potgieter

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hopefully a lot of them make the cut/get game time,
Always good to see a load of new players coming through the ranks

Don't know how you could consider leaving Potgeiter behind!
He's cracking, I hope he gets a lot of gametime before the WC: I remember being impressed with him and Pocock this time last year. Australia gave lots more time to Pocock and he's really established himself in the Wallabies, whereas Springboks didn't with Potgeiter and he's sort of faded to the back (i realise that there's already a fairly established backrow for the boks, but it'd be nice to have some more experienced choices for there)

 

[Darwin]

Random question: Where is Francois Louw? Is he injured, or has he fallen right out of favour?

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Random question: Where is Francois Louw? Is he injured, or has he fallen right out of favour?

Well he is not out injured because he played today for WP, so I guess he's probably fallen out of favour with PDV

 

[Boggle]

Which is silly since he destroyed the cheetahs single handedly at times, Although I couldn't watch too much currie cup this year, he seemed to be playing very well when I did get to watch a game.

Interesting selections by PDV, I guess we should be thankful for some possible new caps, Elton Jantjies sounds very promising. I'd have picked COnrad Jantjies over Zane Kirchner for a FB though.

 

[Amobokoboko]

It looks indeed a strong squad, really looking forward to see the new guys getting some game time

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Pretty happy with the training squad, considering the rest Smit and Matfield clearly need and injury to the likes of Brussouw, Bekekr, du Preez, Fourie etc.

Gerhard Mostert? Would have preferes Sykes or Franco van der Merwe myself.

My 30 man squad:

Bakcs:
The 15 backs minus Zane Kirschner to make it 14 (Gio and Lambie have it covered). Also, drop Wynand and Jacobs (we know who our centers are) and add extra cover at scrumhalf in either Jano Vermaak or Dewald Duvenhage and bring in either Ruan Pienaar or Frans Steyn as utility cover looking toward teh AIs.
Very happy for both Basson and Mvovo; truly were the form wingers this year alongside Aplon.
Not too sure about Januarie but if he can keep on improving his experience should be valuable.

Forwards:
CJ v/d Linde, Jannie du Plessis (played brilliantly in the semi), Coenie Oosthuizen (give him 2 years and he will be a regular), Werner Kruger (Solid player), Adriaan Strauss, Bismarck, Chiliboy (Pity Liebenberg is injured), Danie Rossouw, Flip van der Merwe, Bakkies Botha, Allistair Hargreaves (I would rest Matfield and Juan SMith is a 5th lock option), Juan Smith, Schallas, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts (perfect for Europian weather) and Dewald Potgieter



Francois Louw, Keegan Daniel and Brok Harris all very unlucky IMO. Peter Grant also should have stayed at home but I guess he has good reason to have given up on a Bok call-up.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Looks like a decent enough side to blow away Wales and then go on to lose every other game.

And why don't they just write all their names then (All sponsered by Vodacom)? Would be easier.

 

[wertas]

Where is van den Heerve? Habana should be rested. So it means four wings. I think it would be interesting to see de Jong at 13 and F.Steyn maybe at 12 with Aplon at 15, flyhalf - Jantjes/Lambie.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Where is van den Heerve? Habana should be rested. So it means four wings. I think it would be interesting to see de Jong at 13 and F.Steyn maybe at 12 with Aplon at 15, flyhalf - Jantjes/Lambie.

SA won't have a white wing again. Ever. It is the one position where we do have quality black depth. v/d Heever would be my 4rth/5th choice in any case behind Aplon/Habana/Basson and probably Mvovo. You would have to be miles ahead of the pack or offer something extra and v/d Heever isn't/doesn't really.

Steyn would be my back-up 12 as well with Fourie and de Jongh covering 13:

9 du Preez / Hougaard
10 Steyn / Jantjes
11 Habana
12 de Villiers / Steyn
13 Fourie / de Jongh
14 Basson / Mvovo
15 Aplon / Lambie

with Pienaar as utility cover

I'm getting ahead of myself again. Fourie and du Preez out injured (our 2 most influential backs! Ouch) so lets see how these fringe players perform on the international stage.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn both make the squad (despite not being named above), along with uncapped Patrick Lambie, Elton Jantjies, Lwazie Mvovo, Willem Alberts (<--One of my fave Currie Cup players), Keegan Daniel and Coenie Oosthuizen


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12321_6477526,00.html

 

[munster2010]

reckless

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Ricky Januarie is definatly out, Jean de Villiers and Juan de Jong have taken knocks and could also miss out.

 

[Draggs]

Adi Jacobs has been called in.
If both JdV and JdJ are out, seems like Frans Steyn and Adi Jacobs would be the only centre solution.
Can Lambie play midfield?

Begs the question-Who is more injured: Wales or South Africa?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Frans Steyn at centre would be interesting, when's the last time he played there?
Januarie out is good news for SA, but JdV and JdJ both out wouldn't be great

Could end up being another long tour for them...

 

[User1245]

Yep we lacking in centres with injuries to Fourie, Olivier, de Villiers, and De Jongh. Jacobs has hardly played this year, at any level, so seeing him there makes me a bit uneasy but he is experienced and seems to have gotten over that shoulder injury that has plagued him since the Lions tour. Bosman has been in and out of extended training squads since P Divvy has been coach so he could feature as well. Another realistic option is the impotent Jaco Pretorius who was capped during the Jake White era. Frans Steyn can also stand in I guess..

NOT happy that there is no specialist FB in the squad. Honestly both Jantjes and Ludik have been playing some awesome rugby. I predict Ludik will be the Boks first choice FB by at least 2012. Maybe even for the WC. I rate him. He has not made a mistake since he's joined the Sharks and joins the line beautifully on attack. Dare I compare it to the way Rolls Royce used to do it... Not yet at least

So glad Oosthuizen is there. He's been looking good for a few years now and I think now is a perfect time to introduce him. Some coaching from Os in the Bok camp will do wonders. No surprise that he's progressed well since he's been coached by Os with the Cheetahs for a couple of years now.

Overall I'm happy with the team. Can't wait to see Alberts in a Bok jersey. Geez that guy is destructive. And although I will never wish injury on a player, SOOOOO glad Januarie is out. Also I'm surprisingly excited to see Chiliboy get some genuine game time in the Bok jersey. He's pulled up his socks lately, looking really for him. He's gonna be around anyhow so at least he is doing good.

 

[Draggs]

Last time Steyn started at centre was in '08.
He was the starting centre for most of the WC as well.

Surprised Kirchner isn't in the squad, he seemed to be pretty good.

 

[Seaton]

Last time Steyn started at centre was in '08.
He was the starting centre for most of the WC as well.

Surprised Kirchner isn't in the squad, he seemed to be pretty good.

Well, apart for him playing centre for his club.

If Jean de Villiers could still run-around at the end of the CC final, I don't see how he won't be fit for the tour.

@ Draggs

Yes, Lambie played 12 for a few games this season, and arguably had his best spell there

 

[TRF_Olyy]

JdJ and Schalk Burger both out of the tour now:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport1/hi/rugby_union/9146024.stm

Adrian Jacobs and Deon Stegmann called up to replace them, also Zane Kirchner comes into the squad for Januarie

The article also says that Willem Alberts (calf), Chiliboy (flu) and JDV (groin) all missed training today


Aaaaaalso F.Steyn isn't being released by Racing Metro for the first test: http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,9817_6481112,00.html

 

[madflyhalf]

Still no Rory Kockott