Hougaard, Beast boost Boks

Hougaard, Beast boost Boks

26 Jun 2010

Francois Hougaard has been included in the Springbok squad for the Tri-Nations tour to Australasia while there is also place for the now eligible Beast Mtawarira.

There is also room for Butch James and his aptitude will be properly tested if he gets opportunities against the southern hemisphere’s elite.

Hougaard, who debuted for the Springboks on the 2009 year-end tour, injured his hand in the Super 14 final and was subsequently ruled out of contention for selection in the mid-year Tests. Despite being a specialist scrumhalf, he excelled on the wing for the Bulls, and will offer coach Peter de Villiers a versatile option.

Mtawarira, who was excluded for the Incoming Tours while his citizenship was being processed, is now legal, but will have a tough task wresting the No 1 shirt from the impressive Gurthro Steenkamp.

There was no place for Bjorn Basson, Alistair Hargreaves and Flip van der Merwe.

‘It’s a strong squad,’ said Springbok coach Peter de Villiers. ‘We are fortunate to have so many of our frontline players fit and available, which shows that our management of the players is working well.

‘There is a very strong core of experience in this group and there are several leaders too. The new players who have come into the set-up this season are rewarded for their good performances. We are very fortunate that we have several players who are versatile and can offer us options in different positions.’

De Villiers’ charges face a testing two-Test series against the All Blacks and he said they viewed it as an opportunity to strike a decisive blow ahead of the World Cup in 2011.

‘The Tri-Nations is always tough and this year’s tournament takes on added significance given that the World Cup is taking place in New Zealand next year.

‘We have a tough start with successive matches against New Zealand but we have had a good build-up and we have shown that we can win in New Zealand over the past two seasons. However, what happened last year is history and we have to look forward and be ready for a new set of challenges in the 2010 competition,’ De Villiers said.

Asked what he had learned from the four mid-year Tests, De Villiers said: ‘We learned who can go to the World Cup and who, psychologically, may not be strong enough.’

De Villiers has persisted with the selection of the overseas-based James (Bath) and BJ Botha (Ulster) but continues to overlook others, the most prominent being Frans Steyn (Racing Metro). The coach maintained his earlier established stance that players based abroad don’t have the capacity to compete at the level he requires.

‘The speed of the game is too quick for them,’ he said. ‘Either they must be placed on special programmes or they have have to return to play in the Super 15 (in 2011) or it’s going to be tough for them to make the World Cup squad.’

Springbok squad

Backs: Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Zane Kirchner, Wynand Oliver, Ruan Pienaar, Morné Steyn.

Forwards: Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, Schalk Burger, Jannie du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Dewald Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit (c), Pierre Spies, Gurthrö Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde.


290 Comments

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  • 251.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:13 am

    @skopskiet(yliad)-248:

    Whoa! That sounds racist when you read it out loud.

  • 252.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:15 am

    @scorpion(capestormer)-249:

    Is that because I use the smiley too oftne?

  • 253.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:17 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-247:

    That’s because I wasn’t making the selections Poppy.

    Of course in wrtiting that post I meant the merit teams, not the diluted quota teams we see today.

  • 254.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:30 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-253: sorry, forgot the fact your Jake the Snake White and steady Eddie all rolled into one… struggling to find a team to coach too huh? :lol:

  • 255.Rhys7: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:35 am

    Whos saying the bulls will dominate?

    WP –

    15 C janjtes
    14 Fabian Jouries
    13 Tim Whitehead
    12 Morgan Newman
    11 JJ Engelbrecht
    10 Lionel Cronje
    9 Conrad Hoffman
    8 Nick Koster
    7 Duane Vermeulen
    6 Pieter Louw
    5 Anton Van Zyl
    4 Adriaan Fondse
    3 Brok Harris
    2 Tiaan Liebenberg
    1 Wikkus Blaauw

    16 Deon Fourie
    17 JC Kritzinger
    18 De Kock Steenkamp
    19 Peter Myburgh
    20 Dewaldt Duvenhage
    21 Willem De Waal
    22 Paul Bosch

    23 Hinyani Shimange
    24 JD Moller
    25 Yaya Hartenberg
    26 Hilton Lobberts
    27 Tiger Bax

    strong side.

  • 256.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:36 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-254:

    I’m so bloody undervalued. I have considered emigrating, but what am I going to do in NZ? Where’s the excitement? The 90 murders a day, and 210 robberies?
    Not to mention as another blogger pointed out yesterday, the babes. And then there’s your prima donna lilly-white imperialistic dom doos rugby :roll: oh my greatness.

  • 257.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:42 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-256: true, no excitement in NZ…stay were you are..

    hehe lilly-white imperialistic rugby, well, wouldnt that go down well with your assumption that then YOU could pick teams on merit? :wink:

  • 258.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:44 am

    @Rhys7(Rhys7)-255:

    HAHAHA! :lol: Heartily matey!

    1 Jaco Engels
    2 Gary Botha
    3 Werner Kruger
    4 Flip van der Merwe
    5 Juandre Kruger
    6 Deon Stegmann
    7 Dries van Schalkwyk
    8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze
    9 Ruan Snyman
    10 Francois Brummer/JL Potgieter
    11 Deon Helberg
    12 JL Potgieter/ Stefan Watermeyer
    13 Jaco Pretorius
    14 Gerhard van den Heever
    15 Jaco van der Westhuizen

    16 Henri Bandjes
    17 Bees Roux
    18 Fudge Mabetha
    19 Derick Kuun
    20 Danie Faasen
    21 Francois Brummer/ Watermeyer
    22 Stephan Dippenaar

    Say hello to our big friends. This will be Wp’s undoing. You won’t win. And if you do I’ll… well, what do you want? Wanna bet?

    This team has many more S14 caps between them than WP and is far stronger. This is even a greater mismatch than our two S14 sides- all thanks to P Divvy and his buddy Jooste.

    Can you get their e-mail addresses for me? I’d like to thank them personally, for making Blue Bulls rugby more entertaining than Springbok rugby.

  • 259.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:45 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-257:

    :D That’s Skop-talk for you.

    No, seriously now Pops, I could pick three teams that could handle NZ, AUS and ENG all at once.

  • 260.skopskiet: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:46 am

    pity that rugby is so prehistoric archaic and deluded. Its a dying cause amongst a dying breed. Even in New Zealand all the rage is sweeping the nation with the new found optimism and patriotism following the All Whites. The All Blacks almost a relic of the long distant past just as endangered on the endangered specie list as the prehistoric archaic all white Springbok rugby player is.

  • 261.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:48 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-259: hahaha what are you smoking? or has it been a long night on the turps?

    youre making less sense then normal :evil:

  • 262.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:48 am

    @scorpion(capestormer)-58: It’s hard to take you seriously when you throw insults around. It’s not worth paying attention to what you say under these circumstances.

  • 263.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:51 am

    @Tacitus(Tacitus)-56: I hear you. The thing is that our stated policy is to pick the best players for each position. Steyn is our best 15. We seem to change our policies almost daily.

  • 264.skopskiet: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:51 am

    its almost becoming boring lowering the consciousness down to this lowly ingrained relic of the dismal distant past common white archaic rugby denominator.

    Time to move on and shake those dumb dutch fetters loose, wouldn’t you say so titty two face? Time you got out your fallout shelter and smelled the brave new world, no?

  • 265.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:51 am

    @poppa69(poppa69)-261:

    No,no boet. I was saying I used Skop-talk.

    But I’m serious about the teams, want me to write them down for you?

  • 266.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:55 am

    @sglazer(sglazer)-263:

    The only policy is the one concocted by the brainstrust in the hour. There is no policies. It’s been the same ever since pre-Jake days. Pick the best of the quotas (and yes, sadly for guys like Gurthro, Habs, De Jongh, Beast etc. they are labelled), and this only to please you konw who, whilst still managing to essentially pick who ever you favour (be it Earl Rose or Chiliboy or Januarie if you prefer)- without the slightest bit of accountability.

    Sad. True. But so sad.

  • 267.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 00:58 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-266: And the players themselves suffer the most. They’re on their own to deal with the pressure, rather than being developed and blooded in a smart way.

  • 268.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 01:11 am

    @sglazer(sglazer)-267:

    I think once Jakes core group are gone and this bias continues till around 2015 we won’t have a champion side any longer.

    The fact is Pdivvy DID inherit a champion side, and the fact is Jake did battle the odds of racism and stupidity in the echelons of SARugby. I can only assume based on what I seen thusfar that the Boks will deteriorate if it wasn’t for the home unions and their managments’ clever negation of the issues their way.

    Especially HM and co. But once these players go and “policy” becomes more depraved, our once proud Boks will be worse than the 2003 Boks.

  • 269.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 01:25 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-268: I shudder at the thought

  • 270.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 01:31 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-268: I heard a whisper from deep within me the other day that the so-called Coloured contingent is trying to preserve our lading-rugby-nation status and they’re good candidates to do this, being non-white and with Afrikaaner blood. It was an interesting thought. The thing is that the Coloureds had such a difficult position in the Old South Africa, ostracized by the whites and blacks. Many suffered great pain from this, which affected their view of the world. I really think PDV has lost some clarity of vision from that heritage. He means well, but misses the boat in some key areas.

  • 271.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 01:32 am

    lading = leading

  • 272.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 01:34 am

    @sglazer(sglazer)-270:

    Ohhhh 8O

    Explain please?
    You’re beginning to sound like me and my theories on the matter.

  • 273.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 01:39 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-272: From the establishment’s perspective, Oregon, PDV et al are well placed to preserve Bok strength, being non-white. From the Boks’ perspective, they have strengths because they have rugby in their blood. Therefore, they have the potential to create political and social bridges towards maintaining strong SA rugby.

  • 274.sglazer: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 01:41 am

    @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-272: I gotta run. Family waiting. I’ll check back later for your reply (if any).

  • 275.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 02:35 am

    picking on the coach for selecting players like chilliboy, januarie, aplon, kirchner is just silly. if PDV did not pick them and played white players that are at best marginally better (gary botha, pienaar, GVDH, Steyn etc) he’d be lambasted and the politicians would be all over SARU due to lack of transformation.

    have you guys not noticed how little political interference there is these days compared with the stuff guys like white, mallet etc had to deal with?

    seriously we should be stoked that these players on their day are as good or even better than those who might replace them and i fully support PDV in that he is managing these boks with so much less of the off field dramas that we’ve become so accustomed to.

    and who is to say PDV is to blame for the frans steyn situation? he seems to get on bloody well with all the other players who vociferously support his management style.

    i dont know anything about their relationship, but i know enough about early 20′s kids with big egoes. and that’s not even talking about 20 year old global super stars. frans has made his own bed and if PDV believes his squad is better off without him then we must back his judgement.

  • 276.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 02:59 am

    @munkiboi(munkiboi)-275:

    Good points, but:

    They said there isn’t any longer a quota policy, nowadays.

    And There are some obvious players way out of their depth, in crucial positions (basically Ricky Januarie). The gap between him and his competition isn’t marginal- same with the hooker position.

  • 277.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 03:00 am

    @sglazer(sglazer)-274:

    Hmm, no reply. But we have to wait and see what will happen 2011 and afterwards.

  • 278.Original Pierre: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 10:59 am

    Hmmm this is not good news for the Sharks . . .

  • 279.wing_14: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 11:28 am

    hello people, this should be the start XV imho:

    Aplon
    Hougaard
    Fourie
    de Villiers
    Habanero
    Steyn
    Ricky (he is playing well at the moment)
    Spies
    Flo
    Burger
    Victor
    Bakkies
    BJ
    Smit
    Beast (will rule with smit and BJ in front row)

    Your thoughts?

  • 280.grant10: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 11:29 am

    @wing_14(wing_14)-279: you prepared to drop guthro?

  • 281.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 11:32 am

    @wing_14(wing_14)-279:

    your 14/15 combo is a bit light. aplon can play 15, but needs backup from a big and/or experienced 14. hougaard is a great prospect though. dont think jean will start at 12, given PDV has not played him and jaque together yet. or maybe he knows what they offer and has been trying other things. just over a week and we’ll know.

  • 282.makethecirclesbigger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 11:35 am

    guthro is just a silly troll that had a good season with Gary B next to him

  • 283.byoboy: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 15:49 pm

    I don’t think RJ or Kanko deserve to be there. For Kanko rather Vermeulen.

  • 284.@Simonsberg1: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 19:31 pm

    Ricky Januarie makes the whole game slow. he takes 100 steps before he passes, and his pass is whobbly. He is not on standard. Dewaldt Duvenage is 100 times better. he sticks with the basics and have a briliant pass. just ask the stormers coaches

  • 285.Make The Circle Bigger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 20:11 pm

    @makethecirclesbigger(makethecirclesbigger)-282: Please fck off you piece of **** nick stealer!

  • 286.byoboy: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 20:17 pm

    @@Simonsberg1(@Simonsberg1)-284: ja Ricky April 3 step… how he’s made the squad who knows

  • 287.makethecirclesbigger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 20:53 pm

    @285 ..racist piece of ****

  • 288.Agile T*t-Tyrant: Reply to this comment
    27 Jun 2010, 20:59 pm

    Can’t we all just be friends?

  • 289.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    28 Jun 2010, 02:39 am

    Sharks CC 2010

    15.Lambie
    14.JP
    13.Mapoe
    12.Swanepoel
    11.Odwa
    10.Andre Pretorius
    9.Kockott
    8.Alberts
    7.Deysel
    6.Botes(c)
    5.Hargreaves
    4.Sykes
    3.Herbst
    2.Burden
    1.Cilliers

    16.Cooper
    17.Chadwick
    18.Mostert
    19.Daniel
    20.McCleod
    21.Mvovo
    22.Strauss

  • 290.ET69: Reply to this comment
    1 Jul 2010, 03:31 am

    Yes they are boosting the numbers, Pietie De Villiers, is jou pap sak leeg

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