Spies ruled out of Tests Down Under
8 Jul 2011
Injured Springboks Pierre Spies and Zane Kirchner will miss the away leg of the Tri-Nations while Peter de Villiers is hoping that CJ van der Linde recovers from an injury to take his place in the 28-man squad.
Spies and Kirchner were not among the group of 27 announced on Friday, as De Villiers confirmed that they are unfit to tour. Because the touring party is short on props and Coenie Oosthuizen is carrying an ankle injury, Van der Linde could become the 28th man if he passes a fitness test on Monday.
Spies has recently returned from a holiday in Italy, and underwent a full medical assessment upon his return. De Villiers said that the Bok medical team had found that Spies is carrying a groin injury, and so can’t be considered for the away Tests against Australia and New Zealand.
De Villiers feels that Kirchner’s shoulder injury is not serious, but that he should not be risked. He said that he would rather that Spies and Kirchner rehabilitate in South Africa than risk further injury in Australasia.
Van der Linde is also carrying a groin niggle and will undergo a full assessment on Monday. De Villiers said that if he comes through that test, he will be taken on tour. He stood by his belief that captain John Smit should not be used as a prop.
‘John is a hooker,’ he said. ‘He can cover at prop, but we only want to use him as a hooker for this tour.’
Saru CEO Jurie Roux was also present at the announcement and said that tighthead Brian Mujati, who played for the Boks in 2008, wasn’t considered because he’s not a South African citizen. Neither Roux nor De Villiers were able to say whether Mujati will have his citizenship sorted out before the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Heinrich Brussow is coming back from a serious injury and will be rushed right back into Test rugby without first obtaining match practice at a lower level. De Villiers said that he needs to phase Brussow in sooner rather than later.
‘For me, he’s a timebomb. If I had the power not to play him, I wouldn’t play him. But he is a very important player for the World Cup and I will need to phase him in on this tour.’
As reported by keo.co.za on Friday, Johann Muller picked up a hamstring injury in this week’s training. The injury is not so bad that the big Ulster lock won’t be able to tour.
Springbok touring squad - Gio Aplon, Bjorn Basson, Heinrich Brussow, Juan de Jongh, Jean Deysel, Dean Greyling, Alistair Hargreaves, Adrian Jacobs, Elton Jantjies, Ashley Johnson, Ryan Kankowski, Werner Kruger, Patrick Lambie, Charl McLeod, Johann Muller, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Coenie Oosthuizen, Ruan Pienaar, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit (c), Deon Stegmann, Morne Steyn, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, CJ van der Linde.
103 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 » Show All
8 Jul 2011, 16:08 pm
@cane(cane)-36: Ja, Muller Light. WTF was that all about? That’s like making that ginger ex-Canes lock (Titio?) the AB captain.
8 Jul 2011, 16:10 pm
How **** is john smit feeling? Half the springboks of the decade is being rested, conditioned and being tought by rassie how to win and he is off to tour with the c-team to get hammered in Aus and Nz. This whole story is so funny, sum1 pinch me because I must be dreaming…
8 Jul 2011, 16:11 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-51: Tito, who now playes for Cardiff Blues, is muted in Welsh press as a potential WC player. Aparrently Gatland is still trying to get him to play for Wales as he qualifies on residency.
8 Jul 2011, 16:12 pm
@willievz(willievz)-50:
Well there you go!
Quite right.
A bit thin in the midfield to begin with. I don’t think that there is any doubt that WO will be 12.
This team can win.
8 Jul 2011, 16:13 pm
@ willie, get off the bottle mate, bit to early to get stuck into KWV
8 Jul 2011, 16:14 pm
@gecko(gecko)-53: I think he qualifies on his gingerdom more than anything else.
Gatland is scraping a very deep barrel here.
8 Jul 2011, 16:14 pm
Hehe. Glad to see Spies making the “injured” list as well. Hardly stepped off the plane.
My only concern is Morne Steyn’s inexplicable fitness. Really disappointing. Come on Divvy. Where’s your loyalty? This guy pulled your arse out of the fire in the British Lions series, and again in the 2009 Tri Nations series.
There’s still time for you to come to your senses and for Stey to get “injured” too.
8 Jul 2011, 16:15 pm
Aaah I hate Gatland, jis that guy is a plonker of note, he has the biggest mouth but doesn’t back it up
8 Jul 2011, 16:15 pm
n
8 Jul 2011, 16:17 pm
@ Tac, Loyalty ?!? You mean that same loyalty that Eng 2003 WC squad showed Clive in the 2007 ?
8 Jul 2011, 16:18 pm
My Bad, not 2007 but the lions tour of course
8 Jul 2011, 16:18 pm
at least PDV waking up and smelling the coffee that the great aura plod not a bloody prop.
If he listened to me since 2008 i would have saved a million bloody gigs of cyberspace!
8 Jul 2011, 16:18 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-59:
obody knows, the touble Ive been through.
8 Jul 2011, 16:23 pm
Read Marc hinton’s post on stuff.co.nz to see that the smart kiwi media are in agreement with PdV and most of us bloggers on this issue.
8 Jul 2011, 16:24 pm
so spies did manage to hurt the hammie getting off the plane after all….
8 Jul 2011, 16:25 pm
With Spies injured our chances have just been improved !!!
8 Jul 2011, 16:25 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-57:
hear, hear!…
just hope they bench him mostly and use jantjes, lambie and maybe pienaar, instead.
8 Jul 2011, 16:26 pm
@willievz(willievz)-50:
Tight 5 is decent ON PAPER/individually but combo’s are largely non existent.Thats where the biggest worry is.And if Muller is selected it further dilutes tight 5 strength. Would rather play Rossouw at 5 who is plenty athletic and a good jumper at no.4 in lineout.
Worried about midfield myself…Olivier has had plenty chances but we are very short there. Its much of muchness…One of these 3 combo’s
-Olivier/De Jongh
This option is the safest in terms of defensively and allround as well as experience wise.Olivier not the best at creating space for outside backs though thus will render de Jongh largely ineffective.
-De Jongh/Jacobs
This option is great going forward, plenty of creativity and linebreaking ability>experience wise not bad neither.But Jacobs has had little gametime and defensively not great
-De Jongh/Ebersohn**(bolter combo)
This is the most explosive pairing especially attack and form wise pretty solid.But gives away alot size wise and Eberson is green and defensively not sound yet.Pairing of the future maybe
8 Jul 2011, 16:26 pm
@ G10, if John smit gives you his bok jersey will you keep it?
8 Jul 2011, 16:29 pm
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-69:
game, set and match guru….
8 Jul 2011, 16:31 pm
Have you guys noticed that Jon and Ryan have both predicted the super rugby games correct at just a little over 60% those two are rugby guru’s of note, almost like they have crystal ball or something or paul the octapoes reincarnated! Hahaha
8 Jul 2011, 16:31 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-66: LOL
Farken 100% right….
8 Jul 2011, 16:33 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-57: wa lot of ‘ kenners ‘ hoping M Steyn pulls a hammie as well….
With Spies already confirmed injured it is just M Steyn and Plod that need to do a mischief and maybe boks in with a real shout
8 Jul 2011, 16:33 pm
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-64: i like the photo with Costus da Plod looking fat in the front next to PdV
8 Jul 2011, 16:35 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-67: so do I !!
8 Jul 2011, 16:36 pm
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-69: Not a fark….
I will give it to charity!
8 Jul 2011, 16:37 pm
@grant10(grant10)-76: or use it as a tent
8 Jul 2011, 16:38 pm
@grant10(grant10)-75:
i’m glad we agree on this, even if for different reasons
8 Jul 2011, 16:38 pm
@ G10, you’re one funny guy! Your hatred towards JS is not normal! Hahaha
8 Jul 2011, 16:42 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-78: LOL
Yeah….
but at least we can disagree and still be mates and have a laugh
8 Jul 2011, 16:42 pm
Spies came back from holiday in Italy with a groin injury – classic!
8 Jul 2011, 16:43 pm
@grant10(grant10)-76:
really guy, really?..
i bet you’d get a little teary eyed and admit to him the doubts you had, but how s h i t you feel about it now and how much you respect him as a man and a player. and how you’ll ‘always be a bok’…
does that sound about right?
8 Jul 2011, 16:43 pm
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-79: dont hate him mate….
just really dont rate him as a rugby player….think he is now milking it big time….
at best he should of stopped after the 2009 season
it has been a train smash ever since and I farken knew it was gonna cost sharks and boks…and it certainly has!
8 Jul 2011, 16:46 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-82: you dont know me mate…..i would tell him I really believe since 2009 he was poor and that the remarks about LW was in poor taste for a bok captain….seriously…
Of course I would wear my Nikes….
no way that fatty will catch me…
8 Jul 2011, 16:47 pm
@puff(puff)-81: LOL
Its hilarious
8 Jul 2011, 17:05 pm
presumably this was just a typo when Krusty first drew up his ‘Injury List for July’ back in February ?
8 Jul 2011, 17:09 pm
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-55:
Ou Guru, die papsak is al wat help vir die senuwees so na aan die WB…
8 Jul 2011, 17:09 pm
@grant10(grant10)-84:
i have to say i truly am amazed by you level of dislike for one of the greatest bok captains ever.
i do agree on the lw remarks though, a captain should leave the past dead and buried. no need to discuss it. especially when the other guy doesn’t have an opportunity to respond.
8 Jul 2011, 17:15 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-68: True, combos are the crux here.
But what about the 10/12 combo rather than the 12/13 one?
We know what we have in Morne and Wynand as a test combo in this regard, and with Morne and JDV.
I would go for Morne and JDJ for reasons I have reiterated extensively on this site. The bottomline is that we need to inject pace into our phase play, and if you have a 10 that is slightly slow off the mark and standing a little bit deeper on attack, you need a 12 with speed off the mark to ensure you cross the advantage line.
And JDJ will cross the advantage line more than most 12s from a slightly deeper positioning on first phase, due to the fact that he can step off both feet, and can attack the weaker shoulder of the inside defender.
I am not saying that JDJ is a 12 rather than a 13, but if Morne acts as pivot it makes more sense to employ him at 12.
8 Jul 2011, 17:15 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-86:
no, he drew up his injury ‘wish’ list.
8 Jul 2011, 17:16 pm
Breaking news! Bulls signed Johann Sadie and JJ Engelbreght from WP, huge loss for WP but massive gain for Bulls!
8 Jul 2011, 18:33 pm
Did Spies do some damage while do the most muscular pose because he took minimal contact in the S15. Weird.
8 Jul 2011, 18:51 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-92:
He took more contact apparently than any other 8 in SA.
8 Jul 2011, 18:54 pm
What item of his anatomy is supposedly ‘injured’?
Is it simply the needle pricks from Lance Armstrong’s Italian ‘doctor’ that have done poor Spies in and thus won him more time before that first international urine sample is potentially taken?
You can bet his first appearance in the home leg games takes him out of that measurement window.
Watch for an improved physical performance when he eventually plays at home.
8 Jul 2011, 18:55 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-93:
You guys must be soooo happy to be signing Sadie and Engelbrcht. Man what a loss..
8 Jul 2011, 19:17 pm
Since these guys have been tagged decrepits for some time now (2008) hence they break down more regularly with the increasing aging process, I truly wonder whether they will be ready for the 2011 RWC when the first ball is kicked-off?
I hope it has registered with them that the repair process (recovery) also takes a lot longer as they have aged in the last years.
There are only 60 days or so to the RWC kick-off.
Maybe you all should consider flooding them with ‘ Get Well Soon ‘ cards as that will boost their collective psychological states and this enhances their immunological systems’ functionality quite remarkably and thus expedite the repair process sufficiently without having to resort to special juices or secret vit B12 injections.
I will start the ball rolling by saying “Get Well Soon” you poor ‘injured’ okes or even possibly JOKES.
8 Jul 2011, 19:59 pm
Seriously PdV…Adrian Jacobs, CJ vd Linde, Johan Muller, Deon Stegmann. WTF are those pathetic players doing in this squad. Wynand Olivier could be added to this list for being useless when he plays for the Boks.
Pity to see Sarel Pretorius, Keegan Daniel, Riaan Viljoen ignored.
Even Wikus van Heerden would have been a better lock choice than Muller.
8 Jul 2011, 20:50 pm
Muller, Kankowski, Olivier, never were and never shall ever be anywhere near to international class rugby players.. period.
Some these coaches are are smelling epsom salts thinking its cocaine.
8 Jul 2011, 22:37 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-54:
” I don’t think that there is any doubt that WO will be 12.
This team can win.”
Now, now!!! There is a positive Bok supporter if I have ever seen one. WO will make all the difference, you guys beware.
HAHAHAHA.
You are so funny sometimes, Titman.
8 Jul 2011, 23:39 pm
@nama1(nama1)-99:
Well, those are supposed to be two discrete points, but not unrelated
Don’t worry Nammies, everything is under control.
It’s the B-team, so no first step on the road to disappointment, heh?
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.