Bokke Tri Nation Squad/Camp

[PaarlBok]

Superrugby

The assembly is the second of three planned get-togethers for leading South African players and Springbok management to make logistical preparations for the coming international season.
The group includes four players who were not called to the first camp in Cape Town in mid-May.

They are in-form Toyota Free State Cheetahs loose forward Ashley Johnson and Frans Steyn, Ruan Pienaar and Butch James – the latter trio all had commitments with overseas clubs at the time of the first camp.

“The fact that a player may not have been included in this group does not mean they are out of the running for the International season by any means,” said Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.

“The first session was designed to get an expanded group onto the same page and this reduced group with senior players, and one or two newcomers, is designed to go into more detail.”

NATIONAL PLANNING CAMP GROUP (Durban, June 12 & 13)

John Smit (captain) (The Sharks)
Victor Matfield (vice-captain) (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Willem Alberts (The Sharks)
Gio Aplon (DHL Western Province)
Andries Bekker (DHL Western Province)
Bakkies Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Schalk Burger (DHL Western Province)
Juan de Jongh (DHL Western Province)
Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province)
Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks)
Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks)
Fourie du Preez (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Jaque Fourie (DHL Western Province)
Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province)
Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Butch James (MTN Golden Lions)
Ashley Johnson (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Werner Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Pat Lambie (The Sharks)
Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks)
Lwazi Mvovo (The Sharks)
Odwa Ndungane (The Sharks)
Wynand Olivier (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)
JP Pietersen (The Sharks)
Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Danie Rossouw (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Juan Smith (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Gurthrö Steenkamp (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Francois Steyn (Racing Metro)
Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Adriaan Strauss (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
Duane Vermeulen (DHL Western Province)

 

[PaarlBok]

Per position:
15 Gio Aplon (DHL Western Province)
15 Francois Steyn (Racing Metro)
13 Jaque Fourie (DHL Western Province)
13 Juan de Jongh (DHL Western Province)
12 Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province)
12 Wynand Olivier (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
11 Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province)
11 Lwazi Mvovo (The Sharks)
11 Odwa Ndungane (The Sharks)
11 JP Pietersen (The Sharks)
10 Butch James (MTN Golden Lions)
10 Pat Lambie (The Sharks)
10 Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
9 Fourie du Preez (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
9 Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
9 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)
8 Ashley Johnson (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
8 Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
8 Duane Vermeulen (DHL Western Province)
7 Willem Alberts (The Sharks)
7 Juan Smith (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
6 Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
6 Schalk Burger (DHL Western Province)
5 Bakkies Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
5 Danie Rossouw (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
5 Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
4 Victor Matfield (vice-captain) (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
4 Andries Bekker (DHL Western Province)
3 Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks)
3 Werner Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
2 John Smit (captain) (The Sharks)
2 Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks)
2 Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
2 Adriaan Strauss (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks)
1 Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

 

[PaarlBok]

Sadden me to see Sarel Pretorius and Riaan Viljoen missed the boat for chicken runners like Frans Steyn & Ruaan Pienaar.

 

[qwerty51]

No Robert Ebersohn? He's the 2nd best 13. de Jongh and de Villiers are 12s. Although good to see Ashley Johnson receive some recognition.

Coenie Oosthuizen is great around the park but like Ben Alexander, has very poor scrummaging technique.

 

[Joe Mac]

Thats a very strong squad. Paarl, SA seem to have been lucky so far on the injury front. What do you think will be their likely starting XV?

 

[Set piece magic]

To put it frankly, I'm really disapointed we won't be seeing Sarel Pretorius. Haven't seen much of Pienaar but Pretorius is livewire and creates an impact threat. Perfect for a 65th / 70th minute sub.

 

[tigerland12]

No Kankowski? I don't really rate him, but I was certain they would want him over Ashley Johnson or Duane Vermuelen.

 

[TheNextBigThing]

Kankowski isn't even the best number 8 in his provincial team (alberts). I had a feeling he wouldn't make it.

No Pretorius
No Eberson
No Doppies
No Keenan Daniel

Do they not get super rugby coverage in South Africa?

 

[light]

As long as F.Steyn keeps himself and his 60m drop goal boot off the field and M.Steyn doesn't kick for goal every long arm penalty, I think the side is pretty harmless. Forward pack will be bloody hard to stop, but for mine their backline isn't where it was last world cup

 

[tigerland12]

I still don't understand how Smit can be captain when he isn't even the best hooker. He is a great leader ect, but you can't have Bismark on the bench

 

[TheNextBigThing]

Smit should have a 2/3 next to his name.

Which works out well for their opposition.

 

[Blue]

With Januarie GONE I will accept just about anything else.

The only ommission that bugs me is Sarel Pretorius but I can kind of understand the reasoning. So much has been invested in Fourie du Preez (still no 1), Hougaard and Pienaar (versatility) that one of those three would have to be dropped and that is just not going to happen now.

As for Ebersohn, he should have been there before Olivier but he would have only been a backup anyway. The top three are set in stone.

Finally Daune Vermeulen's name is there before Kanko and Ashley Johnson is there before Daniel who has been in poor form.

I think there will be a real gnashing of teeth when they have to remove another 7 names.

As for Smit, it is what it is. He hasnlt looked too bad of late and doesnlt look off the pace like he did last year.

 

[Blue]

As long as F.Steyn keeps himself and his 60m drop goal boot off the field and M.Steyn doesn't kick for goal every long arm penalty, I think the side is pretty harmless. Forward pack will be bloody hard to stop, but for mine their backline isn't where it was last world cup

I think the backline is potentially better. We have more creative players to choose from now, provided they get picked.

Anyway it's a moot point. We're not going to start running it helter skelter anyway.

 

[PaarlBok]

Blou is right about the 9 position, I can declare for the first time since Snor took over, that this squad is a quota free one without AD Jacobs and Januarie. Still think Basson should been there, probably will be there if he keep on playing like he do at the moment.

 

[PaarlBok]

Thats a very strong squad. Paarl, SA seem to have been lucky so far on the injury front. What do you think will be their likely starting XV?

Think this squad have real depth and pretty sure they'll have to rotate to keep fresh players and give some a break from rugby at some point.

The starting XV if the WC final is today


15 Francois Steyn (Racing Metro)
14 Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province)
13 Jaque Fourie (DHL Western Province)
12 Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province)
11 JP Pietersen (The Sharks)
10 Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
9 Fourie du Preez (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
8 Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
7 Juan Smith (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
6 Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
5 Bakkies Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
4 Victor Matfield (vice-captain) (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
3 Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks)
2 John Smit (captain) (The Sharks)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks)

Bench:Gurthrö Steenkamp (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks), Andries Bekker (DHL Western Province), Schalk Burger (DHL Western Province), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), Juan de Jongh (DHL Western Province), Gio Aplon (DHL Western Province)

 

[PaarlBok]

No Kankowski? I don't really rate him, but I was certain they would want him over Ashley Johnson or Duane Vermuelen.

Ashley outplayed every single 8 bar Duanne Vermeulen in this S15. I am glad they finally give Duanne a shout. He'll be the perfect 8 for the tought hard matches. I'll have him in 8 against the All Blacks anyday.

 

[PaarlBok]

No Robert Ebersohn? He's the 2nd best 13. de Jongh and de Villiers are 12s. Although good to see Ashley Johnson receive some recognition.

Coenie Oosthuizen is great around the park but like Ben Alexander, has very poor scrummaging technique.

We have a whole bunch of up and coming youngsters like Robert, they'll get their change after WC 2011. This marathon S100 with all its negatives gave SA rugby one big positive, the youngsters got a run which did not happen in the past.

 

[TheNextBigThing]

The starting XV if the WC final is today


15 Francois Steyn (Racing Metro)
14 Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province)
13 Jaque Fourie (DHL Western Province)
12 Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province)
11 JP Pietersen (The Sharks)
10 Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
9 Fourie du Preez (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
8 Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
7 Juan Smith (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
6 Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
5 Bakkies Botha (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
4 Victor Matfield (vice-captain) (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
3 Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks)
2 John Smit (captain) (The Sharks)
1 Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks)

Risky strategy starting 5 currently injured players in a world cup final.

Jokes aside this is a quality team (aside from F.Steyn), formwise a lot of players are far from their best though, Spies, du Preez & Habana come to mind.

 

[PaarlBok]

Risky strategy starting 5 currently injured players in a world cup final.

Jokes aside this is a quality team (aside from F.Steyn), formwise a lot of players are far from their best though, Spies, du Preez & Habana come to mind.

WC final is still some way to go. Experiense the key in a WC tournament. Myself will start with Schakie in 8 , think you will need a strong bench comes the real rugby.

 

[PaarlBok]

Bjorn Basson, Ricky Januarie, Keegan Daniel, Peter Grant, Alistair Hargreaves, Adi Jacobs, Elton Jantjies, Ryan Kankowski, Zane Kirchner, Francois Louw, Bandise Maku, Lionel Mapoe, Charl McLeod, Waylon Murray, Dewaldt Potgieter, Sarel Pretorius, Deon Stegmann, CJ van der Linde & Riaan Viljoen had been cut from the wider group.