BOKS MAY LOOK OFFSHORE FOR CAPTAIN

THE SPRINGBOKS are looking hard at the possibility of making one of their overseas-based players captain in 2017.

Last year’s skipper, Adriaan Strauss has retired and the Boks don’t have a natural or obvious successor. Having seen many of their most experienced and best players head o shore in recent seasons, coach Allister Coetzee says he may have no option but to look at someone not playing in South Africa to be captain.

“I am casting the net wider than normal to make sure,” Coetzee told News24, meaning that long-time candidate Duane Vermeulen and Bath captain Francois Louw could be in with a chance.

“He will probably be young if it’s going to be a local guy. He will make mistakes and if appointing a young captain is the route that I’m going to take then we’ve got to build around this guy and make sure that it’s not just him alone and that he’s got many other leaders around them.”

“When you look for a Springbok captain, what is it you are looking for? That is something that we’re busy with, making sure we have the right criteria.”