No Du Preez, Brussow for Boks
3 Jun 2012
Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussow were the big omissions from the 32-man Springbok squad to face England in the June Test series.
It was believed that Japan-based scrumhalf Du Preez was informally offered the team captaincy last week from head coach Heyneke Meyer. However, it seems as if the player has made himself unavailable for selection as he’s been left out of the squad. Eighthman Pierre Spies and centre Jean de Villiers should be front-runners for the captaincy.
Cheetahs openside flank Brussow is also a major omission from Meyer’s first official Test squad. His high penalty count this year is a probable reason for his exclusion. Stormers duo Juan de Jongh and Gio Aplon can count themselves unlucky as they were overlooked.
Stormers flank Siya Kolisi was not picked. However, he and six other young players – flank Arno Botha (Bulls), prop Frans Malherbe (Stormers), flank CJ Stander (Bulls), centre Francois Venter (Bulls) and scrumhalf Piet van Zyl (Cheetahs) – will train with the Boks during the series. This will allow these players to gain experience in the Test set-up, but they won’t be eligible for selection.
There are nine uncapped players in the squad – flank Marcell Coetzee, wing JJ Engelbrecht, lock Eben Etzebeth, flyhalf Elton Jantjies, lock Juandré Kruger, prop Coenie Oosthuizen, flank Jacques Potgieter, lock Franco van der Merwe and scrumhalf Jano Vermaak.
There are 15 survivours from of the 2011 Bok World Cup squad. Wing Bryan Hanbana is the most experienced player with 74 Test caps.
‘We were always looking to start the season with an experienced squad to face England, but injuries to certain players and the non-availability of others have made it difficult,’ said Meyer.
‘What we’ve lost in experience, we’ve made up in passion and desire to play for the Springboks. We have put together a squad with a nice balance between a number of veterans and players with less experience as we start to build for the rest of the season.
‘Working with these players during our four planning camps this season has been great and really made a very difficult selection process a bit easier. There were a few unlucky players that didn’t make it and they will get opportunities in future as long as they keep on knocking on the door.
‘The nine uncapped players have all put up their hands during Super Rugby this year and we know they have what it takes to succeed at the highest level,’ he continued. ‘We realise that it is impossible to please everyone when it comes to selecting squads like these, but we would really like to see the entire country stand behind us as we take on England.’
Springbok 32-man squad for June Test series:
Backs – Bjorn Basson, Jean de Villiers, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Frans Steyn, Morne Steyn, Jano Vermaak.
Forwards – Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Keegan Daniel, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Ryan Kankowski, Juandre Kruger, Werner Kruger, Beast Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jacques Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Pierre Spies, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe.
1,463 Comments
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3 Jun 2012, 17:55 pm
@cab(cab)-1097: he’d be in my team too. massively solid. great boot on him.
3 Jun 2012, 17:55 pm
@hensopper1(hensopper1)-1081:
An eloquently expressed piece of rubbish.
Rugby and the world has moved on since the days of big boere farmers ability to bully the opposition into the pitch. Most of our forwardsphysiques are the product of the gym, not manual labour, and the same goes for other teams to level the playing field. The difference is that other teams are also developing the extra ball skills and spatial awareness needed to make a difference.
SA coaches and players no longer have the same motivation of the Apartheid days to treat each game as a war against a hostile outside world. People forget that our past players grew up in a military and besieged society.
The motivation is different today, and our tactics need to change accordingly.
3 Jun 2012, 17:56 pm
@cab(cab)-1097:
Exactly.
3 Jun 2012, 17:57 pm
@David(David)-1102: so what are you proposing?
3 Jun 2012, 17:57 pm
Agreed Puma. Let’s support our Boks.
Nikita, what is happening in KEO land? The disheveled media harrassed image of KEO on rapport is so at odds with the happy KEO team pictured at right.
3 Jun 2012, 17:58 pm
Whooooooooooooo man,did they pick the bokke team..man so many controversies man. Man did they only pick 3 of those stormer dudes,man you gotta have more stormer dudes man. Storms are awesome man,you can’t beat a storm for power man,I mean I sort of like sharks man,but not all off them are powerful,like those nurse sharks man and what about those basking sharks man,they just eat s&&t from the sort of like bottom of the sea man,like just suck stuff in,you know what I’m saying,those sort of sharks arn’t much good, but those great white ones man,like you get down cape town man,those ones are powerful dudes man,just sneak up from below and BBBBOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM your gone man. But still couldn’t beat a storm man,like those proper storms ,like in America man those storms they give names to man,like Katrina and s&@t, not even a great white would mess with those dudes man..how many Lions made the team man,I hope there’s a few,Lions rock man. I wonder who would win if a Lion fought a Shark,be hard to say cause they have like different environments and s&@t The lion might drown before it could have a good go at the shark,but then again a Shark cant do much out of water,oh man that’s a shame I,d love to see that confrontation man. But just pretend the shark could breath ,I reckon the Lion would win man,cause those claws are dangerous man as long as it stayed away from the great whites teeth it should be able to take that fish out man. Ohhhhhh man there’s so much to discuss now they’ve named the team. What about those Bull dudes man did any of them make the team,if they did I hope it was only as Forwards cause Bulls don’t make good backs man,to slow man ..I mean in scrums man Bulls would be awesome,all that bulk and s&&t,but the intricacies of back play man,that would be to much for a big bull. Cheetahs though man they would be good backs those cats are stealthy man.Not sure about those Kings though when they start playing man. What the freak is a King going to do,I don’t know any Kings only that prince William dude but he’s a prince, don’t think he would make a good rugby player,too soft,all that privileged life and stuff he’s had..maybe his brother,that dude Harry ,but he likes partying too much I think,needs to hang out with me man ,I love partying man. Anyway man hope that coach knows what he’s doing,man………..
3 Jun 2012, 17:59 pm
heh, just had a look at some soccer sites, at least our sa fans are consistent in their general hate of our coaches
3 Jun 2012, 18:02 pm
DAVID.
we have moved on too, in fact the professionalism of the game has had a profound effect on the SA game, move around the world in rugby circles to see how Bok rugby is still revered for the qualities I have discussed above.
Those qualities are no longer apartheid driven as you suggest, all the better to support the team. Our boys are special at a DNA level, and like you explain, the challenge is to contuinually update our natural attributes, something that HM does to a very inovative tune.
3 Jun 2012, 18:02 pm
Hippy
Keep it short
No-one reads gazillion word paragraphs
Man
3 Jun 2012, 18:03 pm
Can’t believe HM’s justification that he rates JJ as a better centre than JDJ currently based on S15 form!?
How many games has JJ started as centre? JDJ’s defensive has been excellent and he threatens be gainline. What game did he watch where JJ was better than JDJ, definitely not yesterday!
3 Jun 2012, 18:05 pm
Joanne, I suggest you name and shame those guys who used your name in vain.
I also saw those comments.
3 Jun 2012, 18:06 pm
Hippy hooker.
Your smelly bongo playing mates must have swopped your weed for dog s.h.i.t man, Hippies don’ care about that rugby stuff man.
3 Jun 2012, 18:08 pm
@danuk(danuk)-1110: i agree with that. maybe the fact that JJ can cover for wing too off the bench (he def wont start) gave him the nod? dont know?
however, JDV and Frans will start in midfield, end of story.
interesting interview on SAFM this afternoon, regarding the selections, from a journalist who was at a briefing HM gave the press two weeks ago.
the feeling is HM basically told them about this team, and why they were selected, and they walked away feeling comfortable with his reasons, and now they are feigning surprise…
3 Jun 2012, 18:08 pm
And DAVID, don’t delude yourself, the size and shape of our bretheren is unique long before any of them get to a gym.
3 Jun 2012, 18:08 pm
Leave hippy
At least he’s learning the team names now
3 Jun 2012, 18:10 pm
@roobarb2(roobarb2)-1104:
Skills and rugby intelligence instead of just physique. I’m not saying there’s no place for big strong runners, but the players need the ability to out think the opposition on the field, not just be puppets of the coach.
We hear a lot about modern defences being difficult to break down, and it’s generally that piece of magic that creates the gaps.
Most of the time our players don’t seem to have the confidence to create a gap knowing that other players will be running different support lines to chose to offload to.
The reason for the ABs constant superiority has not been their superior game plans but the ability of their players as a group to create and take advantage of the half opportunities because of their basic skills and awareness.
3 Jun 2012, 18:12 pm
Agreed Dawn.
He must be the loneliest Hippy in the world typing messages into a PC on a rugby site.
His bongo group must have really like let him go. I say welcome him in.
3 Jun 2012, 18:13 pm
@David(David)-1102:
What a k@k post.
3 Jun 2012, 18:13 pm
Hippy is picking up the vibe
3 Jun 2012, 18:15 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-1111:
Rumour and lies is fact to the fickle.
3 Jun 2012, 18:16 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-1109: Oh thanks Dawn,love you man@hensopper1(hensopper1)-1112: I love rugby man,As time goes by, you will see
That we’re going to be free
You and me, we’ll touch the sky
Can you see in your mind’s eye
That we are one
We’re all the same
And life is just a simple game.
3 Jun 2012, 18:21 pm
@hensopper1(hensopper1)-1114:
So why have the ABs dominated us for so long now?
The one advantage they have is the use of size rather than age groups during the development stage. The problem with our talented larger kids is that they become lazy because of their extra size and speed (assisted by coaches) and don’t develop the extra ball skills needed as team players when they come up against similar sized opposition in the senior game.
3 Jun 2012, 18:21 pm
@David(David)-1116: right, so Danie Gerber was a complete idiot who used brute “farmer” strength to bully his opponents because he was defending apartheid?
he had no spatial awareness?
You talk about moments of skill and magic that create gaps, i will tell you outright that those moments of skill and magic happen because some big guy has put his body on the line somewhere down the line. physical size is a factor in modern rugby, as is strength.
ask Corne Krige about the English team that smashed us by 53-3. Boys vs Men they called it.
if you want to bring politics into it, then have the balls to defend what you say.
3 Jun 2012, 18:22 pm
Exactly Joanne
Welcome to Keo.co.za’s world
3 Jun 2012, 18:23 pm
@The Hippy Hooker(The Hippy Hooker)-1106: Keohane is that you? Are you high again.
3 Jun 2012, 18:25 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-1124:
who is Joanne?
@RL(RL)-1125:
Lol Give him another joint
3 Jun 2012, 18:25 pm
@Nikita(Nikita)-1120: When Keo and his less talented minions writes stories based on rumour and lies it is called spin – and to protect his spin he quotes ‘sauces’ that cannot be mentioned.
3 Jun 2012, 18:26 pm
Geez provincialism aside – Gio Aplon will smoke any wing currently playing in SA. One on one he always beats his man. He’s the best wing we have in the country. Don’t mind him farking up all in the CC is not selected.
3 Jun 2012, 18:26 pm
@roobarb2(roobarb2)-1113
That might be the case, but given that he indicated that there’s no place for Gio behind the 4 wings he chose and that JJ was rated as a better centre in the pecking order than JDJ, I’d guess your assessment is not the real reason …
My assessment is that HM believes JJ has a lot of potential, which might be right, however I think his team choice this time seems more about who he likes personally than whomhas delivered. Take the JJ example, I’d argue that JJ should rather be in the development group and Kolisi in the squad, especially given that Potgieter is injured/recovering?!
My point being, HM needs to grow beyond being a regional coach, if he is saying he’d reward performance with a place then his team choice does not echo that, as per my point about JDJ above. There’s no way that JJ is a better centre on performances this S15 than JDJ
3 Jun 2012, 18:28 pm
Welcome Hippy.
Cool to have you here Bro, too many uptight aggro dudes running around in confusion dude.
You know the minds eye is of interest to us all.
What do you make of this nasty fascist attack on Keo and his dudes just having a good time?
Nobody deserves to be attacked by the media like this man.
Freedom, peace and love to you.
3 Jun 2012, 18:29 pm
@Nikita(Nikita)-1098:
My comment was in jest. If it offended you, I apologise.
3 Jun 2012, 18:29 pm
Hippy, they are rolling him up and smoking himnow, not fair man.
3 Jun 2012, 18:30 pm
Nikita, tell us the truth then.
3 Jun 2012, 18:35 pm
@danuk(danuk)-1129: “however I think his team choice this time seems more about who he likes personally than whomhas delivered.”
you could be right, but as he is the one who has to answer for the teams’ performance, his personal preference will always trump in that regards, regardless of how we feel about it.
i cant see how kanko made the squad ahead of kolisi tbh. and before i looked at the stats Keegan’s selection also baffled me. (his captaincy was the best thing that happened to him, he’s calmed down a lot)
3 Jun 2012, 18:36 pm
@roobarb2(roobarb2)-1123:
I brought up the political aspect because it was a fact of life. Players in those days had 2 years of army training and lived in a besieged society.
As for Gerber, he was a special player, and most countries have had them.
My point is that the traditional Bok approach is a myth which coaches and supporters use to justify a conservative approach. Even Gerber has criticised the Boks for playing what they claim is our traditional game and one which he says he couldn’t be part of.
3 Jun 2012, 18:37 pm
i see the Hippy Hooker as the stoner dude from That Seventies Show
3 Jun 2012, 18:37 pm
@David(David)-1116:
@hensopper1(hensopper1)-1108:
It’s not DNA, it’s culture.
We’re not bigger than the rest of the world, we may select some big players, but there are big men all over the world, we have a much larger rugby playing population than other nations, what sets us apart is our AGGRO
Yep, we have attitude problems us South Africans, and we are proud of it, we work on it from an early age and it’s about pride.
In short, our boys are not bigger….our balls are.
(Ag sorry Nikita, hou asb een oog toe, ek’s seker jy’t genoeg van sulke dinge gehad vir die week)
3 Jun 2012, 18:38 pm
@hensopper1(hensopper1)-1133:
Buy the You or Huisgenoot. The only place where you read the truth.
Don’t trust the Rapport.
3 Jun 2012, 18:38 pm
@roobarb2(roobarb2)-1134:
Daniel;s selection baffled you?
He is far better than Spies or kanko
3 Jun 2012, 18:39 pm
Danie Gerber was a long time ago.. so was Naas Botha, Carel and Michael and Willie Du Plessis, even James Small, Chester Williams, Pieter Roussow and Robbie Fleck were in a complete different era to this one.
Joggie Jansen and Mannetjies Roux with Syd Nomis or later Ray Mordt go even further back
Springbok rugby hasn’t kept up with AB or Wallaby rugby in terms of spatial awareness and off the ball running lines and inter passing skills, that why Bulls, and Sharks and Jake Whites boks needed Australian coaching techniques to try get them up to par on the world stage where we’d fallen behind since 1997 – 99
Occasionally truly gifted players come through the ranks like Johann Goosen for instance.. but invariably in our current state of this bigger is better direct attrition confrontation style rugby all those silky deft awareness and handling skills get drilled right out of them
just look what happened to Francois Hougaard in the space of a couple years at Bulls.. from a devastating quick thinking fast distributing scrum half he now has become increasingly one dimensional and lost all ability to react instinctively off base of scrum or ruck.. Why.. because he’s had to ‘develop’ the kicking game technique ala his predecessor and mentor FdP.
AB and to extent Wallaby strike runners are far more creative in their thinking and decision taking beside many of them having huge physical attributes to call on too.
Danie Gerber Naas botha and or the Du Plessis boys today would have possibly found the physicality and confrontational demand of the sport quite a different kettle of fish to the game they played 20 or more years ago.
If we think we can simply utilize size and strength or brawn over brains and skill and speed we gonna get burned every time, because not only have other international teams developed their physical attributes to match our previously assumed advantage in those areas.. now they also have developed more anticipatory and inter passing speedy distributional skills too.
3 Jun 2012, 18:40 pm
@IAAS(I am a stormer)-1131:
No worries R
3 Jun 2012, 18:41 pm
@danuk(danuk)-1129: Heyneke ‘God’s Own’ Meyer, lied to the SA Public – fact. He said when appointed, that if there was a 50/50 call to be made on 2 players – he would go with the non-Bull player in all probability (this when being asked if would be wearing blue selection glasses). So if one throws a couple of 50/50 selections out there, it is pretty clear he went for the Bulls players. Had he opened his trap a while back, and said something about him selecting a predominantly Bulls Bok squad for strategic reasons and due to time constraints – maybe the folk wouldn’t have been ready to flip. And as for his wonderful ‘one on ones’ with players, and his great communication? Read Twitter…! Meyer attended the Bulls/Sharks camp and decided on his squad, not sure why he wasted the Stormers, Cheetahs and Lions time, as I’m sure they would rather have been resting. Those telling us to chill….Have the guts to say that to a guy like Siya Kolisi…….
PS: How sh y te do the Blueboks feel, having lost their 1st ‘test’ last night?
3 Jun 2012, 18:41 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-1137:
Very true
A good thing South African women are so loving caring and understanding
3 Jun 2012, 18:43 pm
Nah look at kiwis – they got both – SBW is unbelievably deft and he’s big too.
3 Jun 2012, 18:43 pm
@David(David)-1122:
The All Blacks have only been “dominating” the Springboks since 1996, if you can call it that.
And it simply boils down to the fact that since affirmative action a lot of sub standard players have been forced upon the team. We are all aware of this, no need to go into detail, and then of course the other problem is poor administration.
Other than that NZ have always been able to run the ball from anywhere, because they play that way as kids and up. Our laaities like to dominate opposition up close and personal.
3 Jun 2012, 18:44 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-1140:
Good post skoppie You are correct
3 Jun 2012, 18:44 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-1143:
What?!?! then you dont know my mother.
She almost sold me into slavery then she realized I could lay a brick pretty damn straight when I was just 3 years old.
3 Jun 2012, 18:46 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-1147:
Well there are exceptions
But you turned out ok right ?
3 Jun 2012, 18:47 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-1147:
?
Was it a lego brick
3 Jun 2012, 18:48 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-1140:
Thanks Skop. That’s the exact point I was trying to make.
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