Springbok backrow running thin after injuries take its toll.

After reading that CJ Stander is moving to Munster it struck me how many back rowers have been signed to Europe in recent times. When I started checking I found 20 backrowers currently playing in Europe, that is a hell of a lot of players that could strengthen our domestic Currie Cup and Super XV franchises if we only had the money to keep them, not to talk about the Springbok back up. Now looking at the backrow Heyneke Meyer has selected for the test on Saturday against England no wonder there will be two rookies in the starting back row, considering the injury toll is standing quite high amongst our backrowers currently.

Joe van Niekerk - Toulon
Ashley Johnson – London Wasps
CJ Stander – Munster
Pedrie Wannenburg – Ulster moving to Castres
Frans Louw – Bath
Gerrit Jan van Veldze – Northampton Saints
Justin Melck – Saracens
Ernst Joubert – Saracens
Nick Fenton Wells – Saracens
Andries Pretorius – Cardiff Blues
Robbie Diack – Ulster
Adrie Badenhorst – Agen
Petrus Hauman – Brive
Antonie Claassen – Brive
Jannie Bornman – Castres
Gerhard Volsoo – Clermont
Gerrie Brits – Perpignon
Bernard le Roux – Racing Metro
Jacques Cronje – Racing Metro
Shaun Sowerby - Toulous


Playing CJ Stander (0 caps), Marcell Coetzee (2 caps) and Pierre Spies (50 caps) it must be the greenest backrow we will send out for some time. When you look at the number of players injured or not available: Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Willem Alberts, Duane Vermeulen and Jean Deysel it is no wonder we are starting to run thin on the ground.

Sure there are young players such as Syia Kolisi, Derrick Minnie, Joshua Strauss and a few other available but they don't have much experience yet.

That's a lot of back rowers playing abroad! The nature of back row at means a lot will be injured though- look at how rarely Wales have had their top 3 options available, look at the back rowers taken out for England, Scotland have only recently had Rennie back so obviously Brown is out and so is Stroks (less important).

Proves that we get the most stuck in

STOP STEALING OUR PLAYERS !!!!!! Stander was one of my favourite Bulls . ferk!!

Why is Stander moving to Munster???

This is crazy. The boy is a future bok... nailed on.

I mentioned it on another thread today but he is the best tackler in SA at the moment... he's missed only 2 tackles all season (in well over 100 tackles attempted).

The annoying thing is.... by moving to IRE he will be available for IRE in a couple of years. SA got to cap him quick else he WILL eventually play for IRE.

The above list bar perhaps Louw & Claassens are no real loss as most of them left because they weren't quite making the grade here in SA.

However with Stander its a real turning point. Here we have a young buck, loads of potential and crucially, not capped. Before it was hasbeens or neverbeens.

Perhaps its time we introduce transfer fees like football into rugby.. If not its only going to get worse.

Please Heyneke arrange for Kanko to have an "injury" in training tomorw and cap this young bull!!!!

no worry just get kankowski to lace on a pair of boots. It will probably do the trick such is his luck.

Devalued English win, justsayin'

munkian wrote:Devalued English win, justsayin'

By the sounds of English injuries, this match will be devaueled for both teams.

We've got to actually win first before we worry about that

Kanko is off to Japan after the super rugby season...and so is Olivier (THat'll make you happy Biltong)

I see 'Wales' fans are getting the 'devaluation' retaliation in early. Maybe frettin' about IRB rankings, which of course are not devalued at the moment, but might be by Saturday.

Mr Fishpaste wrote:Kanko is off to Japan after the super rugby season...and so is Olivier (THat'll make you happy Biltong)

I am as pleased as punch.

apparently Olivier will be getting near r500K per month... I wonder if thats per year or per rugby season month?

Are these guys crazy or what. I'd rather have Jamie Noon.... serious.

I think Alberts is a corker of a player.

You'll miss him on Saturday...we really struggled to cope with him in particular...

GeordieFalcon

He's just a freak of nature... you know his basic dimensions aren't that different to Dan Cole... 6'3 120kg... bar the barrel of a waistline that is. Some guys are just naturally massive.

Jokes aside.... Dan Cole is one of my more favoured ENG players... easily one of the best tightheads in the world now (as in the top 3). He needs to start taking serious scalps though... not just make guys uncomfortable.

I fancy Potgeiter to do very well on Saturday... he's a big lump out of the Alberts/Schalk mould and is debuting for the boks.... in his home town, his home province. I think the emotion will pour out in his performance... ENG better watch out for this guy.

I also rate Cole a lot. He is a fantastic scrummager IMO, yet he also offers a huge amount in the loose. He has made some excellent turnovers in almost every game I have seen him. That is a huge boost to the team.

As for Alberts.. he is one of my favourite players to watch. He reminds me of the Hulk.

it would be rather fitting if he had a high pitched voice to go with his stature.

off topic I know but best players to watch over the last decade & a bit....

probably Schalk Burger, Keith Wood and Jason Robinson.

It just seemed the energy levels of the entire stadium went up a notch when those guys got the ball. You never knew what those guys were going to do but you knew it wasn't going to end well, for the opposition.

fa0019 wrote:it would be rather fitting if he had a high pitched voice to go with his stature.

off topic I know but best players to watch over the last decade & a bit....

probably Schalk Burger, Keith Wood and Jason Robinson.

It just seemed the energy levels of the entire stadium went up a notch when those guys got the ball. You never knew what those guys were going to do but you knew it wasn't going to end well, for the opposition.

Jason Robinson My favourite English player, that guy just looked like electricity personified.he's just about the last person you'd want returning a kick that went a metre too long ...