Meyer selects seven newbies for Bok squad
SPRINGBOK coach Heyneke Meyer has rewarded Super Rugby form while also maintaining continuity when he named seven uncapped players in a 36-man squad for the June series last night.
Stormers utility back Damian de Allende, the Cheetahs’ trio of lock Lood de Jager, wing Cornal Hendricks and flank Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje, Sharks utility back S’bura Sithole and the Bulls duo of prop Marcel van der Merwe and hooker Callie Visagie are the new faces in the squad.
All, with the possible exception of Visagie, have been prominent for their franchises all season.
Visagie has been the target of social media vitriol after joining the training group last week, but can now only prove his detractors wrong if given the chance.
Meyer has 18 games left before the 2015 World Cup and will use the June matches against a World XV, two tests against Wales and one against Scotland as a chance to try out new players.
The squad includes experienced 2007 World Cup winners Schalk Burger and Victor Matfield.
There is a return for Saracens hooker Schalk Brits, Stormers centre Juan de Jongh, Bulls scrumhalf Francois Hougaard, Sharks wing Lwazi Mvovo and centre Frans Steyn, all of whom last played test rugby in 2012.
The national selectors have kept a great deal of continuity. In total, 12 players who started the final test of 2013, in which the Springboks beat France in Paris for the first time in 16 years, have been retained.
“Victor and Schalk have both been out of the game for some time and for different reasons,” Meyer said.
“A year ago Schalk’s playing future was in doubt, so it’s great to have him back in the Bok fold and I’m looking forward to working with him for the first time.”
Schalk’s future was in doubt. It’s great to have him back
Captain Jean de Villiers, centre Jaque Fourie, flyhalf Pat Lambie and lock Eben Etzebeth were not considered due to injury while hooker Adriaan Strauss is serving a three-week suspension so was overlooked. Strauss could play against Scotland on June 28 though.
Meyer will name a captain to deputise for De Villiers this week.
“Damian, Cornal, Oupa, S’bura, Marcel and Callie have all been in great form recently for their various Super Rugby franchises, and Lood was very impressive before his injury and he underlined that with a great attitude and work ethic at the Durban camp,” said Meyer. “They all deserve their selection and now it’s up to them to make the most of it.
“Damian and S’bura both bring utility value to the team, as they can play in more than one position in the backline. Cornal, who was the SA Sevens player of the year in 2013, is very fast and has a couple of very special attributes, so we’re very excited to work with him and hopefully improve him as a player.
“Up front we’ve been very impressed with Lood and Oupa recently. Lood is a nononsense lock who will learn a lot from Victor and Bakkies, while Oupa is a superb lineout option, very fast and good with the ball in hand.
“Marcel and Callie have been part of a resurgent Bulls pack recently and their play in the set-pieces is very good. Marcel can play on both sides of the scrum, which makes him a valuable option in the squad, while he also carries the ball well and has shown he can steal ball at the breakdown.” SQUAD
Backs — Damian de Allende, Juan de Jongh, Fourie du Preez, JJ Engelbrecht, Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana, Cornal Hendricks, Francois Hougaard, Zane Kirchner, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jan Serfontein, S’bura Sithole, Frans Steyn, Morné Steyn.
Forwards — Willem Alberts, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Brits, Schalk Burger, Marcell Coetzee, Lood de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Teboho Mohoje, Tendai Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Gurthro Steenkamp, Flip van der Merwe, Marcel van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen, Callie Visagie.