Coetzee’s Springbok watch starts now
8.30pm, SS5 SOUTH Africa will know in exactly one week from today who coach Allister Coetzee is going to back to get the Springboks back on track.
Coetzee will name a 31man squad next Tuesday for next month’s three-Test series against France.
It is understood the coach has been told he has to win the series 3-0 if he wants to stay in the job. This after the Boks won only four of 12 Tests last season; Coetzee’s first season in charge as head coach.
The squad will be announced at the conclusion of the third national training camp in Johannesburg, which runs from this Sunday.
Thirty-nine players have been invited to the get-together, following earlier camps in February and March.
No players from the Cheetahs, who are on tour in New Zealand, or any overseas-based players will be part of the camp.
Players from the Cheetahs who are in the running to play against France are prop Ox Nche, wings Sergeal Petersen and Raymond Rhule, centre Francois Venter and scrumhalf Shaun Venter.
The overseas-based players in the reckoning include JP Pietersen, Bryan Habana, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Steyn, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis and Duane Vermeulen.
Kings invited
Also, it is unlikely that Coetzee will name his skipper next Tuesday.
The Boks need a new team leader following the retirement from Test rugby at the end of last year of Adriaan Strauss.
Warren Whiteley, of the successful Lions, is the heavy favourite for the position, with Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and Vermeulen, who plays for Toulon in France, the outsiders.
Four players from Kings – South Africa’s Super Rugby good news story of recent weeks – have been invited to Sunday’s camp.
Flank Chris Cloete, eighthman Andisa Ntsila, flyhalf Lionel Cronje and wing Makazole Mapimpi will be out to make an impression.
Also, there are first-time call-ups to a training camp for Lions wing Courtnall Skosan and centre Harold Vorster.
Among other notables called up by Coetzee are the injured Damian de Allende, concussed Pat Lambie and Francebound Jan Serfontein.
There is, however, no place in the training group for scrumhalves Cobus Reinach and Faf de Klerk, who are both heading abroad to further their careers.
A 26-man SA ‘A ‘squad for their two matches against the French Barbarians next month will also be named on Tuesday.
Following next week’s Bok announcement the squad will head to Plettenberg Bay from May 28 to June 4 to continue their preparations for the French series.
TRAINING SQUAD