Possibles for Springbok June Test series

Springbok June series Fixtures.

07 South Africa v World XV Newlands 17:00
14 South Africa v Wales Durban 17:05  
21 South Africa v Wales Nelspruit 15:00  
28 South Africa v Scotland Port Elizabeth 17:00

There are a number of players who will not be available for the series. (I will update the list as news becomes available)


Injured
Jean de Villiers
Eben Etzebeth
Pieter Steph du Toit
Patrick Lambie
Jaque Fourie
Frans Steyn
Rallapele
Scarra Ntebeni

Under ban
Adriaan Strauss (up to and including 21 June)


Overseas players
Still waiting to see who will be called and who won't.

Schalk brits has been mentioned
FOurie du Preez
Frans Louw
Ruan Pienaar


Possible squad.

1. Beast Mtwarira/Trevor Nyakane
2. Bismarck du Plessis/ Schalk Brits
3. Jannie du PLessis/Coenie Oosthuizen
4. FLip v d Merwe/Stefan Lewies
5. Victor Matfield/ Lood de Jager
6. Marcel Coetzee/Schalk Burger/Heinrich Brussow/Francois Louw
7. Willem Alberts/Siya Kolisi
8 Duane Vermeulen
9. Fourie du Preez/Francois Hougaard/Ruan Pienaar
10. Johan Goosen/Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana/Lwazi Mvovo
12. Jan Serfontein/De Allende
13. Damian De Allende/JJ Serfontein/Juan de Jongh/Sibusiso Sithole
14. JP Pietersen/Cornall Hendricks
15. Willie le Roux

Strong squad as always. That possible backrow is so formidable. The very idea of Alberts and Burger on the same field together is mouth-watering.

Is Lambie's injury a fresh one? Or is it still the long-standing ACL (?) injury?

Morne Steyn? Oversea player who seem low on confindence... At least he's not injured or tired.

He has been injured since about 8 weeks ago, tore a bicep.

whocares wrote:Morne Steyn? Oversea player who seem low on confindence... At least he's not injured or tired.

Can't believe it either, but that is what the media is saying.

Biltong wrote:He has been injured since about 8 weeks ago, tore a bicep.

Nasty. Lad doesn't seem to have much luck with injuries.

I don't recognise Damian De Allende's name, but stats look decent.

It would be great to see Brits rewarded for his excellent season at Sarries, but it will be a wild call up I think, though Strauss' ban might have opened the door for him.

bluestonevedder wrote:

Biltong wrote:He has been injured since about 8 weeks ago, tore a bicep.

Nasty. Lad doesn't seem to have much luck with injuries.

I don't recognise Damian De Allende's name, but stats look decent.  

It would be great to see Brits rewarded for his excellent season at Sarries, but it will be a wild call up I think, though Strauss' ban might have opened the door for him.

With Strauss banned and all the other hookers injured, Brits is a shoe in.

De Allende is a brilliant youngsters, very strong in attack, got some pace, and good defender, he played wing and centre for the Stormers.

I reckon he is the form midfielder in SA at the moment.

Biltong wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:

Biltong wrote:He has been injured since about 8 weeks ago, tore a bicep.

Nasty. Lad doesn't seem to have much luck with injuries.

I don't recognise Damian De Allende's name, but stats look decent.  

It would be great to see Brits rewarded for his excellent season at Sarries, but it will be a wild call up I think, though Strauss' ban might have opened the door for him.

With Strauss banned and all the other hookers injured, Brits is a shoe in.

De Allende is a brilliant youngsters, very strong in attack, got some pace, and good defender, he played wing and centre for the Stormers.

I reckon he is the form midfielder in SA at the moment.

  Thanks Biltong. I never get to see any Super15 anymore, so I appreciate the info.

when was François Steyn injured? correct me if am wrong but didnt he play the full game against the blues.

Yes, it came out after the match.

Its not definite about Steyn right?

Meyer said it was a worry but nothing more from what I've seen thus far.

Steyn at 12 is the player you want to build your backline around.

However a little worried about Goosen at 10. Didn't really play well at the weekend. Was caught out a bit and I think there could be a maturity issue... fine playing with the sun on your back but can you play the conditions?

Needs some mentoring.

De Allende is really developing, a typical bok of a centre too so he would fit in well from 11 to 14. He's big, he's got pace.

Du Plessis should get the captaincy IMO. Thats the future, Matfield won't be around come the RWC at least as a starter, same with JDV & Schalk. Du Preez has a question around his  place too, can he maintain form with Pienaar & Hougaard snapping at his heels?

Also isn't Frans Louw going to be available?

FA, I don't have any info on the overseas players, apparently Victor is favourite for the captaincy

Biltong wrote:FA, I don't have any info on the overseas players, apparently Victor is favourite for the captaincy

Yeah I heard that. Its a crazy comfort zone decisions by Meyer. One of the reasons I'm as of yet unconvinced by him.

2 overseas players being reported as joining up on the 1st June

Overseas-based Springboks Francois Louw and Ruan Pienaar will be ready for action by the time the Boks play their first game this year.

2 overseas players being reported as joining up on the 1st June

Overseas-based Springboks Francois Louw and Ruan Pienaar will be ready for action by the time the Boks play their first game this year.

Cheers Geoff998, thanks mate

Matfield is 37 now. Is he really going to feature in this series?

He is going to the world cup mate

Hadn't realised SA had quite so high a list of injuries (was only aware of De Villiers and Strauss). Fourie and Steyn also missing might give Wales an opening to take the edge in midfield provided JD2 and Roberts don't get injured before the first test.

That's still an overall impressive set of forwards even without Etzebeth. I personally am anticipating Wales coming up against the back row of the last year: Louw, Alberts and Vermeulen. It'll be interesting to see what returning Brussow and Burger add to what has developed over the course of their absence.

Louw, Alberts and Vermeulen. I mean, holy crapola.

Only Kaino, McCaw and Read are comparable to that.

Strong squad i must say. Good strength in depth as well. If that back row comes up against the 'Probables' back row playing Friday then i dread to think what the outcome of the game will be.

Look forward to seeing 37 year old Matfield V 20 year old ickle Gray.

I would love to see what Serfontein and De Allende can do against Roberts and Davies.

That would be a great tussle

Bummer that Pieter Steph du Toit is injured. Really wanted to see what that freakish kid can do. Except against Scotland, obviously.

I agree that I don't think they have the luxury of leaving our Brits or Pienaar. The other cover in those positions is not currently strong enough.

Or experienced

With Burger and Matfield recalled to the squad after long absences do you see any hope for Juan Smith of pulling the Springbok jersey on again?

It's a truly incredible feat for him to have just returned to the pitch at all let alone play so well for the top club side in Europe. On form I'd say he showing he can still compete with the very best though.

king_carlos wrote:With Burger and Matfield recalled to the squad after long absences do you see any hope for Juan Smith of pulling the Springbok jersey on again?

It's a truly incredible feat for him to have just returned to the pitch at all let alone play so well for the top club side in Europe. On form I'd say he showing he can still compete with the very best though.

...

and is Percy free? What about Naas? Or even Okey?  

Good shout re Juan Smith. His return from injury-enforced retirement to scoring in the HC final looks bordering on miraculous, one of those guys who looks everlastingly good wherever and whenever he plays.

Is Le Roux seriously the only realistic option at 15? If he were to get injured who would be in contention?

So far our injury list:
Sam Warburton
Justin Tipuric
Ryan Jones
Bradley Davies
Richard Hibbard
Rhys Priestland
Leigh Halfpenny
Ashley Beck (likely squad member, not starter)

Under ban:
Owen Williams (was likely to be capped during this tour had he not been banned).

Dan Lydiate is 50/50.

Not sure about the SA backline, but if they're good at S15 level then they're good enough to turn us over. As long as SA have Alberts, Vermeulen and Louw on the field I think they'll win.

Is it highly unlikely that Meyer will call up Bakkies Botha, Juan Smith? Isn't that Toulon hooker also South African?

Burden.

Yeah he owned Brits in the HC final.

Bilt - why is there only one full back?

I thought that Sarel Marais was having a good season?

Marais isn't bad, but I don't think he is good enough or experienced enough yet, Mvovo was utilised at Fullback in a couple of matches, Goosen also moved to fullback for the Cheetahs a few times when Elgar Watts came on as a sub, so I think Meyer will utilise either of them as back up.

Is there any further news on your overseas players then Bilt?

Don't know if you just watched our trial game, but the starting flankers were pathetic. Shingler is a good lineout jumper and Turnbull overall played pretty well, but as a combo it doesn't work and Ellis Jenkins (last year's U20 captain) on the possibles team made them look average at the breakdown. Words can't describe how badly that combo would get blown away by the likes of Alberts, Louw, Burger, Brussouw and Vermeulen. I hope we see a few changes.

Not much more news available yet, although Schalk Burger is out for this coming weekend, I have a suspicion we won't see him play in June, we didn't get to see the trial match, I was hoping it would be aired here.

At this point the most important players we will definitely not see is Etzebeth, Lambie, De Villiers, Fourie, Strauss, du Toit.

So we will see a totally new midfield and the tight five will chsnge significantly.

Taylorman wrote:

king_carlos wrote:With Burger and Matfield recalled to the squad after long absences do you see any hope for Juan Smith of pulling the Springbok jersey on again?

It's a truly incredible feat for him to have just returned to the pitch at all let alone play so well for the top club side in Europe. On form I'd say he showing he can still compete with the very best though.

...

and is Percy free? What about Naas? Or even Okey?  

I'm sure we could exhume the corpse of Daanie Craven if we're short in the scrum-half department!

RE: Frans Steyn's injury: Local media report that his knee is injured, so he is not doing any training sessions, he's only playing matches!