Boks name 10 uncapped players for camp

[Amobokoboko]

Really curious about Lambie

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Really curious about Lambie

He's like a young Frans Steyn, but without the "big boot" and drop-goals, he kicks good, but not as far as F Steyn...

 

[Gavin]

He's like a young Frans Steyn, but without the "big boot" and drop-goals, he kicks good, but not as far as F Steyn...

Would you say he is better than Frans Steyn when he was Lambie's age?

 

[Seaton]

Would you say he is better than Frans Steyn when he was Lambie's age?

Well, their strengths lie in opposing areas ie. Steyn has the boot, not the hands, is big and physical whilst Lambie has a pretty short boot, is an inconsitent goalkicker, has very good hands and looks a little weak (for pro rugby, but given his age is not a problem) to me.



Their careers so far are very similair, Frans Steyn played well in his debut CC in 2006, was selected for the EOYT and the rest of history

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

And although I will never wish injury on a player, SOOOOO glad Januarie is out.

Just from the time he spent with the Ospreys last season, I'd rather have Januarie than Mike Philips- He has vison- Something so many SHs these days lack. He may be a fatty, but he can see where the ball should go better than most 9s.

 

[Boggle]

We are so boned for the Ireland game.

Actually injuries and all tings considered, I'm afraid we're probably going to lose every game on tour.
Unless Lambie magnificently comes to our rescue on more than one occasion, but I don't think he's ever had a proper test against the type of opposition the Home nations provide, I believe he might struggle.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Saw a list of the players missing this tour through injury (for SA) and it was something along the lines of 15 players,
Madness, they're rivalling Wales for injuries now

 

[Seaton]

The Boks have 13 players that are injured at the moment, and most of them would crack the nod at any national team bar Aus and NZ, it would normally be a pretty desperate situation, but looking at the selected squad one can see the depth that SA actually has, and Im worried that the youngsters will get their chance against Scotland, and that will be too much....

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Happy with the squad (considering all our injuries) and although I think we're going to struggle I am excited to see some young players get a chance. We are blessed for depth in some positions but that said, the new players have zero experience in test rugby and the conditions up North will be something to adjust too as well (apart from having no time whatsoever to gel as a team). One area where we are fooked with injuries is the midfield (Fourie, de Jongh, Olivier out, de Villiers carrying a knock, Jacobs not having played any rugby for how long..). Doppies? He has been playing some great rugby of late. Bosman or Murray maybe? Hell, bring in Peter Grant from Japan to play at centre.

How has Frans Steyn been playing for Racing? I hear he has at least been playing at 12. Lambie looked at his best at 12 IMO for the 2/3 games he played there. So we have 3 options at 12; JdV, Steyn and Lambie but 13? Jacobs? I'm not overly confident anymore.

My pick for a squad as it stands (F Steyn out of the first test):

1 Tendai Mtawarira
2 Bismarck du Plessis
3 Jannie du Plessis
4 Bakkies Botha
5 Victor Matfield (c)
6 Deon Stegman
7 Juan Smith
8 Willem Alberts
9 Francois Hougaard
10 Morne Steyn
11 Lwazi Mvovo
12 Patrick Lambie
13 Jean de Villiers
14 Bjorn Basson
15 Gio Aplon

16 Coenie Oosthuizen
17 Adriaan Strauss
18 Flip van der Merwe
19 Keegan Daniel
20 Ruan Pienaar
21 Elton Jantjes
22 Frans Steyn

That's a decent enough squad. The big name missing of course is Fourie du Preez but we've been without the entire year already so.. Really hope Spies and Kirschner doesn't get any gametime, especially Spies the showpony. Any of the Sharks loose trio or Duane Vermeulen at 8 for me although Vermeulen isn't in the squad. Backline a bit of a mix up but with all the injuries we are bound to have a bit of a patched backline.

 

[Shaggy]

Here's an interesting article on the Bok's chances be Sport24's JJ Harmse ... he doesn't seem to have a high opinion of the Irish with regard to how clean their play is, does he

http://www.sport24.co.za/Columnists/JJHarmse/This-will-be-a-good-Bok-tour-20101104

This will be a good Bok tour

JJ Harmse

You have to feel for Peter de Villiers. No, honestly, the poor man will need his good sense of humour over the next couple of weeks, because this tour to the UK could prove to be his downfall.

It reminds 2006 tour with Jake White at the helm, himself about to be fired, only a win against England saving his bacon.

At the time White was at odds with his administrators with poor results in the Tri-Nations – they just managed to beat New Zealand in Rustenburg - putting a lot of pressure on the coach.

White's team to play against Ireland in their tour opener, which at the time, was a celebration of the Springbok emblem's 100 year existence, was a weird one, with Jaco Pretorius, who was sensational for the Lions at 13, being picked at 14, and Bryan Habana picked at 13.

Bevan Fortuin and a young Frans Steyn were on debut on a miserable Dublin night, the last time a Bok team was to play at Lansdowne Road.

A lot of senior players also missed that tour and the coach had to go with a fairly makeshift team.
We lost heavily, but White survived - only just.

Will De Villiers survive without 14 of his senior players? Of course he will. I believe the Boks will surprise a lot of people on this one.

Providing there are no serious injuries to the likes of Bismarck du Plessis, Victor Matfield, Juan Smith and Steyn, the rest of the travelling party will rally behind their leaders.

There are many reasons why a good Bok tour is more than a remote possibility.

Our tight five will not take a step back on tour. With the Sharks trio in the front row, the Bulls locks in the second row and the likes of Smith, Spies, Stegmann, Kankowski and Alberts combining as a loose trio, we will get very secure ball and first phase possession.

This is of course a very big tour for Botha, who needs to show he has moved on from all those indiscretions earlier in the season and that he can still be a "Heavy" on tour without having to resort to any type of thuggery.

It will be tough in Dublin though. The Irish are probably the dirtiest international team around and there was a lot of bad blood after their test match against the Springboks in November last year.

There were also allegations of a favourite Irish past time, eye-gouging, but no one was found to be guilty of causing all the scratch marks around the eye of Heinrich Brüssow.

Botha will be tempted, tested and provoked, so let us hope he will bite his lip, hold his breath and use that anger to legal effect.

Our backline will have to be solid, rather than spectacular, but that is a good thing.

With Ruan Pienaar and Francois Hougaard as halfbacks, we have good readers of the game and both could prove very effective.

Morné Steyn will be solid, but the big question is what to do with Pat Lambie and Elton Jantjies? Both have good skills, but they are only 20 and yet to be tested at his level.

It will be important to give them some playing time on tour.

Our midfield is in crisis now, but we should be OK next week.

Jean de Villiers should be fit by then and Frans Steyn will join the team in Cardiff. Adi Jacobs normally plays well in Europe, while Lambie could also be an option there.

We do have some of the most exciting outside backs on tour. Lwazi Mvovo and Bjorn Basson should take to test match rugby as a ducks do to water. Both have so much talent, whilst Bryan Habana and Gio Aplon are proven match winners.

I also like the idea of Zane Kirchner on tour, as he is a very safe and reliable option at the back. He might have become a bit predictable on attack, but there is not much wrong with his defensive play.

Matfield will lead by example. I know he will revel in the idea of being captain on his own for an extended period. There will be no John Smit lurking in the shadows, so the Bulls lead man will have to show his mettle on his own.

How the management team will shape up, only time will tell, but I have an idea that the adversity they have endured will pull De Villiers, Gary Gold and Dick Muir together. They all respect the Bok jersey and will work their socks off to make sure the tour brings results.

You write the Boks off at your own peril!