Springbok squad announced for the Rugby Championship.

First topic message reminder :

The Springbok selectors on Saturday included five uncapped players in a 30-man Springbok squad for the inaugural Castle Rugby Championship.

The DHL Stormers loose forward, Siya Kolisi, and MTN Lions prop, Pat Cilliers, join JJ Engelbrecht (centre/wing), Elton Jantjies (flyhalf) and Jano Vermaak (scrumhalf), who were all part of the Springbok squad for the June series against England, but did not make an appearance.

Cilliers is rewarded for his good form during the Vodacom Super Rugby competition for the MTN Lions. He is a specialist tighthead prop, but can also play on the loosehead side of the scrum. The question may arise whether this is a reactionary move by Meyer to ensure Cilliers remains in South Africa.

“It is important for us to build continuity in our squad, which is why we did not make too many changes,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

Heyneke Meyer

“It’s a big challenge, playing six Tests against the best teams in the world in eight weeks and we now have to ensure we improve on how we played against England”

“It’s still early days for this team, but we are excited about what lies ahead in a brand-new competition that promises to be very testing.”


Players not considered due to injuries:
Bjorn Basson, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brüssow, Bandise Maku and Coenie Oosthuizen.

Jaco Taute, Johan Goosen and Duane Vermeulen are still considered to be part of Meyer’s plans.

Two further players who were part of the squad in the series against England, Wynand Olivier and Ryan Kankowski, have signed contracts to play their rugby in Japan and were also not considered.

The Springbok squad is:

Props: Pat Cilliers, Tendai Mtawarira, Jannie du Plessis, Dean Greyling
Hookers: Adriaan Strauss, Bismarck du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralapelle
Locks: Flip van der Merwe, Andries Bekker, Eben Etzebeth, Juandre Kruger
Backrow: Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Keegan Daniel, Jacques Potgieter, Pierre Spies, Siya Kolisi
Halfbacks: Ruan Pienaar, Francois Hougaard, Jano Vermaak
Fly halves: Elton Jantjies, Morne Steyn
Midfield: Jean de Villiers, Francois Steyn, JJ Engelbrecht
Back three: Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo, JP Pietersen.


My opinion.

The players in red are very lucky to be in the squad.

Our problem is going to be at fly half, I would think Meyer's intentions are to use Lambie at 15, which means Morne Steyn is his first choice 10.

I would have preferred Bresler over Flip van der Merwe.

I disagree with that assessment of de Jongh Biltong. I thought that Taute is due back to fitness and him, Goosen and Vermeulen were expected to be involved at some point?

Coetzee just seems a little headless chicken, he'll probably grow on me.

Steyn is a serious class act at 12, I really would stick with him. JdJ seems to be massively overated, he's the SA Anthony Allen....head down and bolt. I'd stick with Steyn/JDV.

Lambie would be bench option for me covering 10/12/15.

I think I'd go:

9. Pienaar
10. Steyn
11. Mouvo
12. Steyn
13. JDV
14. Habana
15. Aplon

Sgtpooly, my concern with Mvovo is his positional play, he is one of those chasers, he runs onto thecopposition, hecis rarely in position when the opposition kicks and has been found out against good tactical kickers.

Aplon is good but when Pietersen and Habana is there to back him up.

Ozzy3213 wrote:I disagree with that assessment of de Jongh Biltong. I thought that Taute is due back to fitness and him, Goosen and Vermeulen were expected to be involved at some point?

Ozzy from the sounds of it, they are all under consideration for the last two tests.

Vermeulen deserves his chance, fantastic player.

Just a thought Biltong hows this for a backs division,Hougaard,Grant,Basson,Pietersen ,Frans Steyn,Habana,Lambie,.With the forwards you have given front foot ball they could be a real handful.

Hi Alan, I would put Grant ahead of Steyn, but not ahead of Lambie if I can help it.

But if you have no alternative for 15 then that can work, but I don't like Basson much, he just doesn't do it for me.

Less important are the players outside the steyn jdv selections. Its the gameplan SA adopt and it seems the backs are again going to be supplementary to the forward effort.

Meyer just doesn't seem to be embracing an opportunity of change so it doesn't really matter who plays as the extras in the backline. They'll be patch players based on no real plan. Hougaard steyn steyn jdv and habana plus two.

Doesn't inspire and Id say henry will be taking note for the argie home match, now a real chance.

Pierre Spies has been ruled out for 8 to 12 weeks, he fractured his ring finger.

Your starting back row then in the RC, biltong?

I can see Kankowski getting called up then.

Apparently it will cost SARU too much to get him released from his club, I think there is a strong possibility that you could see the Sharks backrow in there.

Shame Vermeulen is injured

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Shame Vermeulen is injured

This. Will he not be back for some games in the RC though?

Yeah, we are severely tested in the backrow department at the moment, by last count there are 5 backrowers injured now, Burger, Smith, Vermeulen, Spies and Brussow

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Shame Vermeulen is injured

This. Will he not be back for some games in the RC though?

He is playing his first Currie Cup match this weekend, so he might come in in week 3

Thought Vermulen was back playing Currie Cup

Yeah things don't look good biltong. The injuries are massive and I don't see how anything was built on from the England series. This side if anything overall has lost more than gained from last year by quite a margin.

To dominate with meyers gameplan you must have dominant players and none are clearly superior over anyone else. Without any x factor backs its going to be stuggle up front every match I'm afraid.

Pride and muscle can only get you so far and this side reminds of the Englands we are used to playing. All heart and passion. Fire and chest beating up front. But little else.

Back to the habana intercept days almost.

F Steyn may offer some spark but he loses interest very quickly when the team is going backwards.

Meyer will add some structure that wasn't there previously but all I expect to see is repetitive bang up bang up, one off charges until the opposition decides to wilt. Varied by the odd kick through.

Am I really that far off?
I can see the good ref bad ref, good luck bad luck discussions being central to the Springbok year, like last year clouding the real issue...the need for change.

Apolgies for being the persistent bringer of bad news for things bokke but until I see real change all I see is a continuation of some very poor decision making of those at the top.

Love to be proved wrong but m steyns selection sums it all up for me. Without a dominant pack he will struggle. Big time.

Vermeulen is back this week for WP, if he goes well this and next week he must be called up. He is a better player than Spies any and should be first choice at 8.

Does anyone else feel that Hougaard shouldn't be playing at scrumhalf?

Personally i just don't see what he brings to the table other than a brilliant running game. His passing is pretty terrible by international standards, kicking game non existant, doesn't seem to be a great organiser and lacks experience. I would seriously consider him as a winger, he looked really good there before.

There seems to be a dearth of quality 9's in SA, do you guys see this as a problem position in the near future?

It is a bit of a conundrum, his game have suffered during this season as he tried to emulate Fourie du Preez as Frans Ludeke wants him to play the same gameplan as Fourie du Preez, that will not work.

His value is doing the basic things well as a scrum half, clear the ruck, feed the flyhalf and do the basics well, his kicking game needs a lot of work and he is a free spirit, he has to play his own game otherwise he will keep on struggling.

The question is what is Meyer's ultimate gameplan, we still do not know.