Lifted ban boosts SA rugby
Brad Morgan
12 November 2007The Springboks' chances of living up to their billing of world champions received a major boost on Thursday when the South African Rugby Union's presidents council put on hold its decision to ban overseas-based players from playing in the green and gold.
It means that, among others, captain John Smit and the most-capped Bok of all time, Percy Montgomery, will still be able to play for South Africa.
In August, without consulting the SA Rugby Players' Association, the presidents council announced a ban on overseas-based players turning out for the national team.
Greeted with relief
The reversal of that decision has been greeted with relief by Springbok fans. The entire nation has revelled in the success of winning the World Cup, and to undermine the team's ability to play up to that status would have undone much of the good work the players put in.
SA Rugby Union (Saru) President Oregan Hoskins said: "The decision is suspended pending further discussions and negotiations with other key stake-holders, like the players union, sponsors and other people who may be able to assist us in this regard."
The meeting also confirmed a shortlist of four candidates - Heyneke Meyer, Allister Coetzee, Peter de Villiers and Chester Williams - to succeed Jake White as Springbok coach. Dick Muir, the coach of the Sharks, who applied after the deadline, was left out of consideration.
Touring squad
With a large number of South African players having joined northern hemisphere clubs since the World Cup, a 26-man squad named for matches against Wales and the Barbarians shows a number of changes from the group that did duty in France.
John Smit will captain the team and be given the opportunity to add to his 74 test caps. He'll have 47-test veteran CJ van der Linde on his right, at tighthead prop, but there will be considerably less experience on his left, at loosehead prop, following the retirement of Os du Randt.
Du Randt ended his 80-test career by becoming only the fourth man in history to win two World Cups, 12 years after he was first part of a Webb Ellis Trophy winning team, and his departure removes a lot of experience from the Bok front row. The next man in line, Gurthro Steenkamp, has 13 caps to his name, while Heinke van der Merwe, who was also included in the touring squad, is yet to win a cap.
Highly rated
Van der Merwe, however, is a player that South African rugby observers rate very highly. Just 22 years old, the Lions and Golden Lions loosehead enjoyed fantastic seasons in both the Super 14 and the Currie Cup in 2007.
He is a destructive scrummager and seen by most as the logical replacement for Du Randt. He is also at least five years shy of the time at which props traditionally reach their peak, so further improvement and fireworks can be expected from him.
Apart from Van der Merwe, one other player was summoned from outside of the Springboks' World Cup winning squad, namely Western Province utility back Conrad Jantjes. He has 10 caps to his credit, but the last of those was earned two years ago.
Selection question
The selection of Jantjes, who turned out at fullback for Western Province in the Currie Cup, raises an interesting selection question. Percy Montgomery, the leading scorer at the World Cup, won't be taking part in the tour because of club commitments with his new team, Perpignan, so coach White will have to appoint someone else in the number 15 jersey.
Jantjes is one option, while the versatile Ruan Pienaar is a good alternative. JP Pietersen, who has played at fullback before, enjoyed a fine World Cup at right wing and appears unlikely to move from there. One suspects that Pienaar, an exciting playmaker with a good kicking game, will crack the nod for the test against Wales.
Butch James, an outstanding and unsung hero for the Boks in France, hasn't been released by his new club, Bath, meaning the Springboks will have to make a change at the crucial position of flyhalf.
Flyhalf choice
Andre Pretorius, who was part of the South African World Cup squad, is in the touring party. After a long battle against injury, he was selected for France 2007 but, when given the chance to start against Tonga, he was woeful. Has he had the time to rediscover his form? It's a question the selectors will need to answer before deciding on a number 10.
Pienaar, again, comes into the frame to play at flyhalf. He likes to run at and challenge opposition defenders and he would surely have an excellent understanding with inside centre Francois Steyn, his teammate from Grey College and the Sharks.
Other World Cup Boks who won't be making the tour include Bob Skinstad, who announced his retirement earlier this week, injury casualties BJ Botha (knee) and Jean de Villiers (biceps), Gary Botha and Ashwin Willemse because of club commitments, and Pierre Spies, who was selected for the World Cup but had to withdraw because of illness.
Big names
The SA squad is, nonetheless, a powerful outfit and, apart from captain John Smit, includes a number of players named numerous times to the World Cup team of the tournament by different publications and websites. The big names include IRB Player of the Year Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger, Fourie du Preez, Francois Steyn and Jaque Fourie.
There are also players who played a more unsung role, but who were hugely important to the Springboks' World Cup success, including the players who pulled off the two most vital tackles of South Africa's campaign: JP Pietersen (vs Fiji in the quarterfinals) and Danie Rossouw (vs England in the final).
At present, the make-up of the Barbarians' team to tackle South Africa remains something of a mystery after England's Premier League clubs imposed a ban on their players taking part in the game. Irish clubs Leinster and Munster have also banned their players for the match on 1 December.
Southern hemisphere stars
A number of southern hemisphere stars have, however, been named to feature in the clash, including the All Blacks' Jerry Collins and Sitiveni Sivivatu, the Wallabies' Matt Giteau, Chris Latham and Rocky Elsom, and the Pumas' Juan Martín Hernández and Mario Ledesma.
Traditionally, Barbarians games feature an entertaining running rugby approach and, in the southern hemisphere stars already named, the team boasts an exciting core of playmakers.
Springbok squad
|
