Habana out as Boks pick Brits
28 Oct 2012
Bryan Habana will miss the Springboks’ European tour but the selectors were bold in their selection of dynamic hooker Schalk Brits.
Habana has been in impressive form of late and his absence, as a result of a knee injury sustained in Saturday’s Currie Cup final, is a hammer blow. His unavailability opens the door for young Cheetahs winger Raymond Rhule, 19, who announced himself as a fine prospect with a series of strong performances in their domestic campaign.
Brits has consistently been among the best hookers in Europe since his move to London-based Saracens, but his claims have consistently been overlooked by the national selectors over the last three seasons. He has, however, made the cut as one of three hookers. With Adriaan Strauss expected to start, Brits will battle Chiliboy Ralepelle for the bench spot.
There is also a spot for Toulouse prop Gurthro Steenkamp, who had a strong first season for the French giants. He comes into the squad as loosehead cover in light of an injury to Coenie Oosthuizen.
Wing JP Pietersen returns to the squad after missing the Rugby Championship through injury and is one of five options in the position. Uncapped players Jano Vermaak, Franco van der Merwe, Lionel Mapoe and Arno Botha also make the cut.
The Springboks have an extensive injury list which has compromised the strength of the squad. Those who would have been considered but are sidelined are: Oosthuizen, Bismarck du Plessis, Tiaan Liebenberg, Andries Bekker, Siya Kolisi, Jacques Potgieter, Pierre Spies, Johan Goosen, Frans Steyn and Habana. Furthermore, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Heinrich Brüssow are still out injured.
‘We’ve got a settled core of players that did the job during the England series and the Rugby Championship and we decided to stick with them,’ said Meyer.
‘Obviously losing so many players to injury, the latest being Coenie, Tiaan, Andries, Jacques and Bryan during the Currie Cup, makes it difficult, but this now provides opportunities for other players.
‘Gurthrö and Schalk are experienced front rankers who have played for South Africa before and know the conditions in the northern hemisphere. This tour provides a good opportunity to assess them as we plan ahead. Arno, Lionel, Franco and Jano have all been part of our squad earlier in the season.
‘Raymond put up his hand for the Baby Boks and the Cheetahs and I’m very excited to see what he can do. It’s also great to have JP and Chiliboy back from injury as they bring a lot of experience to the squad.’
Meyer’s team face Ireland on 10 November, Scotland on 17 November and England on 24 November, and the coach predicted a testing tour.
‘Although the Springboks won on their last visit to Dublin [in 2010], they lost three in a row before that,’ he said. ‘In 2010, we lost to Scotland in Edinburgh. They beat the Wallabies in Australia earlier in the year, so it won’t be easy there.
‘And in June we’ve experienced first-hand how difficult and opponent England are. They will be fired up at Twickenham and it will be a challenging Test to end the tour with.
‘Our aim is to end the season on a positive note. We set ourselves high standards and we want to improve with every Test, but we have a team that is still gaining valuable experience as we strive to constantly be amongst the top sides in the world. We know we’re not there yet, but we’ve laid a foundation in the first nine Tests this year and we will build on that.
‘The World Cup in 2015 also takes place in England, so we will use this tour to see how our players adapt to the conditions as we look ahead to that very important tournament.’
Springbok squad – Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Schalk Brits, Pat Cilliers, Marcell Coetzee, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (c), Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Zane Kirchner, Juandré Kruger, Pat Lambie, Francois Louw, Lionel Mapoe, Beast Mtawarira, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Raymond Rhule, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Morné Steyn, Adriaan Strauss, Jaco Taute, CJ van der Linde, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Jano Vermaak, Duane Vermeulen.
317 Comments
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28 Oct 2012, 18:41 pm
@grant10-160: marcell is proving to be a one-trick pony…he’s not so hot anymore
28 Oct 2012, 18:41 pm
@nama1-197: In that case I’m fully behind starting Lambie against Ireland and then starting Jantjies against Scotland.
Steyn should mentor the young guns from the stands and training grounds.
I really DO NOT believe in playing players low on confidence in an effort to show faith in them. You CAN’T do that@International level. The Bulls didn’t even do that for Sadie so why should we as Bok fans suffer through this?
The players also suffer cos they can be booed by the spectators and that’s a horrible place to be in as they don’t select themselves!
28 Oct 2012, 18:44 pm
@Transformation-201: So what would your team be and your loose trio?
I still think Marcel has a lot to offer!
28 Oct 2012, 18:45 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-143: Quinn Roux is a great player and it’s sad to see him leave, but given Eben’s performances and preferred status I can understand it.
Are you sure that Quin was kept out of the squad due to injury?
I believe that it was Eben’s performances at the U20 World Cup that saw him get the nod ahead of Quinn, having watched Eben fairly closely the past 2 years, I remember the selections well.
28 Oct 2012, 18:47 pm
@nama1-188:
He has had one already.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Jantjies should be discarded.
I would still have him in the 22.
But I do think Lambie has had a raw deal.
And I don’t think his future for the Boks is at 15.
28 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
@Big Hit-200: I would include Gurthro, not Bakkies. unless it’s obvious that we are not up to it, in which case “never say never”
28 Oct 2012, 18:50 pm
@papaown-190:
That is nonsense.
Mapoe has played just as much first-class rugby at wing as he has at 13 – if not more.
28 Oct 2012, 18:53 pm
@phil72-191: I have always had a feeling the oxymoron that is Spies is in fact Heyneke’s choice for Bok captain. Had the fairy shown ANY sort of form what so ever going into the English tests, he would have been given the captaincy right then. But due to his utterly kak S15, even the doff Meyer realised this would be insane…..so Plan B – temporary captaincy. (Had Schalk been fit, he might have been the stand in captain…)
Meyer told Spies: sign another 3 year contract with the Bulls…..make sure you play only 15% better than what you have been, and Bobsyourfuckinguncle and the Boks are your team to lead.
And when that happens (depends on Spies’s S15 form I guess….) the nation will weep, and NOTwithfuckingjoy I tell you. Spies is staying in Pta because Meyer told him to – the END.
And on this rock, I pledge: If that muscleboundmarshmallow EVER get’s to wear the captains armband and shame our nation, the Boks will be dead to me……kafuckingput – gone.
28 Oct 2012, 18:55 pm
@nama1-193:
Gio Aplon.
And I believe Jaco Taute is a game-breaker too.
Willie Le Roux needs some refinement, but he’s a potential prospect too.
And Frans Steyn and Patrick Lambie could both change a game from 15.
28 Oct 2012, 18:55 pm
@Transformation-201:
He never impressed me that much in that I think he just does the basic things that is required of him. He does it very well at times but he just does not offer you that something extra like a Flo, Fourie, Kolisi, Brussow.
That being said, I’ll start him with Flo and Vermeulen and bring Alberts on in the last 25-30 minutes.
28 Oct 2012, 18:58 pm
@papaown-203:chale…i don’t pick fantasy teams…at 6 marcel plays more like a 7, with bismarck off the likes of robshaw will have a “free lunch” on the deck kinda like province did yesterday. what did marcel do yesterday besides cluttering into robust defenders?
28 Oct 2012, 18:58 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-208:
Might as well start now… it has been decided!
28 Oct 2012, 18:59 pm
@puff-209:
Frans Steyn can only change a game with a long range penalty or drop.
Have you ever seen him winning a game from the FB position like a Beale or Dagg?
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-208:
“muscleboundmarshmallow”
28 Oct 2012, 19:02 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-208: LMAO @ “muscleboundmarshmallow”
28 Oct 2012, 19:04 pm
@phil72-212:
HM does not rate Britney Spoes as highly as you do.
He is staying Pretoria because the tannies love him.
28 Oct 2012, 19:07 pm
@puff-207: let’s answer this way, is Hougaard better suited to wing or scrummie, when on form?
28 Oct 2012, 19:07 pm
Fourie was the first option… does not want the job!
Burger also an option.. maar n bietjie dom?
Bekker was an option… enough said
De Villiers a good option… u bietjie oud!
Left us with 1 option planning for the future?
28 Oct 2012, 19:08 pm
@nama1-213:
Are you suggesting you’d rather see Zane Kirchner at 15 than Frans Steyn?
28 Oct 2012, 19:12 pm
@phil72-217:
HM rates Strauss and Bismarck in the Bok leadership stakes. Along with Jean and Schalk.
Your little Pierrie is slipping down the rankings.
Do I have to make it any clearer?
28 Oct 2012, 19:13 pm
@I am a stormer-215: I don’t think what Meyer says and what Meyer does are necessarily the same thing.
Meyer appointed Spies as Bulls captain and fearless leader with great fanfare at the end of 2011. If I recall correctly, Spies even said something at the time to the effect: “I knew in the back of mind I was going to get the captaincy as Heyneke and I blah blah blah blah”…..
Meyer’s love affair with the Spies started way back, and some of the adjectives he has used to describe Spies in the past – are so flattering, even a plastictart like Paris Hilton would call the praise ‘over the top’.
I doubt Spies would have negotiated his new contract with the Bulls, without speaking to Meyer.
Look, Spies is a good man, decent chap and a strong moral compass….and from the bench could be a great impact player. But I don’t want a moral compass packing down at 8….
If his form explodes, he will be the Bok captain I reckon ^#^&*((****&&&&& swearing. Poor Arno Botha
(a true potential Bok cappie)
28 Oct 2012, 19:14 pm
@I am a stormer-219:
Wait…. like i said… been decided?
28 Oct 2012, 19:21 pm
@Transformation-201: Marcell doesn’t attack space. Fourie showed him how a flank should play.
28 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
dont understand why meyer overlooked bakkies. makes no sense. why?
lots of value lost there.
am happy with gurthro being in the squad and if he gets any game time expect him to wreak havoc on the opposition.
good to see rhule get his dues this early in his career and i hope they give him some game time.
arno well deserved too.
28 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
@puff-218:
I’d rather not start with one of them.
As things stand now however, Kirchner is the incumbent FB and whatever we may think of him as a player, he did not let the team down in any of the 9 test matches that he played this year. There were other who did but I don’t see their names coming up as players to be dropped except that of Morne.
You tried to tell me that Frans can be this big match winner from the back ala Dagg or Beale. When has he ever shown that? Forget about his less than 20% success rate with long distance kicks.
28 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
@I am a stormer-219: Hell I hope you are correct. Spies – Bok captain – the stuff of my nightmares I tell you.
@mikeybrass-222: Sharkies will attack me for saying this…..but their guppie of the year: Marcell, was more hindrance than help for them yesterday. I would have yanked him off VERY early…….and put Deysel on. Running around a lot and looking busy doesn’t an effective player make.
I like Coetzee, but he’s become a little lost.
28 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
overall a touring squad picked on ability and form shown over the year.
should win every game.
no excuses.
28 Oct 2012, 19:29 pm
@phil72-221:
Just like 10 months ago when I told you that the Kings would play super rugby…. All laughing then….
Sometimes SA rugby, coaches, selectors etc. make decisions to plan to the future…. All I can suggest is keep your ears closer to the ground!
28 Oct 2012, 19:32 pm
@nama1-224: I’ve got zero issue with Zane at 15. If people were to be honest with themselves, there is not much bad one can say about his performances. Far kakker than Zane have been Hougaard, Steyn etc etc.
Nothing wrong with Zane, he’s safe as houses…..he ain’t no Dagg, but who the hell is.
28 Oct 2012, 19:34 pm
i can’t recall seeing arno botha blazing in any game…
28 Oct 2012, 19:35 pm
maybe he stood out in the U21s
28 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-228: free louis ludik…
#guppyrefrain
28 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-220:
The good news is that he is not in the Bok squad. So we can go to sleep with a smile on our face and a song in our heart two nights in a row.
He has obviously made a miraculous recovery from that broken finger.
Let him stick with the Bulls. And stay away from the Boks.
28 Oct 2012, 19:38 pm
i cant recall seeing the kings blazing in any game against credible opposition…
maybe they stood out in first division…
28 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
@Transformation-229:
If you play in blue, you don’t have to.
28 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
lwazi is lucky there are injury/depth issues or he would not have got the nod.
will warm benches in any case.
28 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@papaown-203: Like how not to pass, or how to run straight into a defender and get shoved back
Anyone can do that
28 Oct 2012, 19:42 pm
@Transformation-229: You need to pay your subs for DSTV so that they can switch you back on then you will see Botha
28 Oct 2012, 19:44 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-228: Kurtley Beale, Mike Brown and even Rob Kearny are way better than Zane to name a few
28 Oct 2012, 19:45 pm
@JL1-237:
Or watch the odd highlights on the SABC channels…..
28 Oct 2012, 19:45 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-225: OK who else?
28 Oct 2012, 19:47 pm
@phil72-239: WHAT??? SABC showing rugby, wonders never cease ….
28 Oct 2012, 19:50 pm
@nama1-224: You know Nama, Wynand Olivier never let the Boks down. Would I play him in my team, never
Speaking of Wynand Olivier, I reckon Keegan Daniels is the Wynand Olivier of forwards
28 Oct 2012, 19:51 pm
@JL1-238: All I’m saying is that Zane copped an unfair amount of criticism for not doing much wrong in the Rugby championship. He is NOT the future at 15, and he should be ousted after the S15 next year, when I am certain the contenders will have shone at the back….Taute, Ludik etc.
I can understand why Meyer has stuck with Zane for now – that’s all. He ain’t ever going to be brilliant, but there is no ways he is as woeful as what some are making out. Fair is fair.
Me, I want to see a Ludik or Taute kick butt the entire S15, making it simple for Meyer to find his attacking 15.
28 Oct 2012, 19:53 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-243: I have to concur, Zane is safe and solid end of…. but we need more than that at the back and you cannot tell me that there were not better options
28 Oct 2012, 19:59 pm
@JL1-241:
Net op die nuus….
28 Oct 2012, 20:03 pm
@phil72-245: Dis hardly highlights, 20 seconds en dan sien jy net ‘n ou wat oor die lyn duik of die skoppe pale toe. Dis mos maar hoe dit is, ES AY BEE CEE is mos staats TV
28 Oct 2012, 20:03 pm
@211 Transie
Abeg, put your neck on the line too sef and chose a side!
28 Oct 2012, 20:03 pm
@211 Transie
Abeg, put your neck on the line too sef and choose a side!
28 Oct 2012, 20:05 pm
@JL1-244: Meyer has been pretty boring and predictable with the majority of his selections thus far – as I knew he would be when he was appointed. I am not a fan, so please don’t think I am trying to justify all of Meyer’s cockups thus far. I’m just getting a little moeg of people picking on Zane, when he has by no means been the worst Bok on the park in ANY of the games he has started.
Zane’s taking a lot of the blame, when Meyer is in fact the conservative partystopper.
28 Oct 2012, 20:10 pm
@JL1-246:
But if transie really wanted to make the effort…. surely he could watch Arno play rugga somewhere…. even as a last resort maybe watch a game or 2 live?
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