Announced the touring party for the UK

Update:

Full Springbok squad:

Props: Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Vincent Koch (Stade Francais), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)
Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks)
Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Jason Jenkins (Leinster), Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie (both Stormers)
Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Evan Roos (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)
Utility forwards: Deon Fourie (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (both DHL Stormers)
Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles)
Outside backs: Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Sbu Nkosi (Bulls)
Utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers)

Full SA A squad:

Forwards: Simphiwe Matanzima (Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks), Sazi Sandi (Stormers), Mornay Smith (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Sharks). Backs: Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), Sanele Nohamba (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Johan Goosen (Bulls), Gianni Lombard (Lions), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Cornal Hendricks (Bulls), Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers), Henco van Wyk (Lions).

So they have concluded their 3 day alignment camp in Stellenbosch with the bulk players being from Japan (9) and SA, but I haven't seen any indication who will be touring. 

I see Kittshof and Malherbe have been withdrawn from this Saturday derby match. Probably guaranteed to play against Ireland. But have no idea who will be picked. Given our first Match is less than 10 days away. 

My assumptions based on previous selections will probably be the following team

1. Kitshoff / Ox
2. Mbonambi / Marx
3. Malherbe / Koch or Trema or Thomas the Tank Du Toit
4. Etzebeth / Moerat
5. Lood
6. Kolisi
7. Pieter Steph Du Toit / Mostert
8. Wiese or Vermeulen / Kwagga 
9. Hendrikse / Faf
10. Willemse / Goosen / Libbok / Sacha
11. Kolbe
12. De Allende
13. Kriel
14. Mpimpi 
15. Willie / Gelant? 

Its lights out at the area around SARU offices so don't expect an announcement soon.

Referring to the OFFICIALS in the building and not Escom.

But I do think your selection is pretty close to the official team to be announced.

Let's hope for the best.

Bokke.

I Agree that will most probably be the team to Start.....but I am hoping for Surprises on the Bench .... By the Way,  I read that Wilco Louw has been signed  by the Bulls on a 3 year contract, starting 1 July 2023.....I was hoping he would go back to the Stormers, but happy anyway....he has been doing well for Harlequins lately....well if he is back in SA, then next would be for him to join the Boks again 

The squads will be named sometime tomorrow   

No Duane Vermeulen 

The A games might be worth watching. Will be really interesting to see who they pick as their match day 22 next Tuesday and Who will drop down to the A Team matches. 

But I think it is great to see Goosen given time. Could be mouthwatering A team. 

Looks like Jason Jenkinks has the inside track for our number 4 lock, can play 7 to. So jumps ahead of Orie and Moerat in my mind. 

Not sure why Hendriks is there, but he has shown great versatility as a centre and winger. Getting a bit long in the tooth but still decent. 

It all depends on who they pick for next Saturday and who is picked on Tuesday to play against France. 

As I said before, I would simulate this as mini World Cup and would have used 32 players only. 

But the A games are on Thursdays and not on a Tuesday or Wednesday. 

So maybe 4 games might be enough. Give the reserves a crack to start against Italy

Great quota team. Again.

Interesting to see that Goosen has been included in the B-team, rather than the test team. Although that may change based on his form.

Good to Esterhuizen back in the fold, bad to see Jessica Kriel is still included. 

The stupidity of investing in Jantjies and Kriel is beginning to emerge. There are so many losers in this squad….Dud Toit , Moerat and Orie, van Staaden, Nkosi. 

And what’s with 3 centres…if one gets injured we don’t even have a bench center

Kolbe is listed as a Utility back.

Same old players.

Fourie has to be closely related to someone who is  involved in the selection process.

He is over the hill and should never ever have been anywhere near a Springbok team.

Both Stormers locks are in the squad which is an insult to some young guns waiting in line.

Ireland and England must be smiling to themselves.

Thanks kingcorn.

Go Bokke!

Fourie is playing fantastic rugby...out of his skin...go check his URC stats...one of our few real classic opensides...he's a bit old to invest caps in him now, but more than good enough to be there and far from over the hill...you just don't like the strong WP flavour of the side...which should not be surprising at all if you look at how the Stormers fished of last season.

Dave, I agree on all your points except your dismay around Cornall Hendricks. He's been a top class, consistent and versatile performer and it's good to have some experience among the rookies.

"Our test centres are all 30 or close so we need to be looking for the up and coming not a 34 year old in an A squad"

Almost our whole preferred test side is 30ish...that's why I'm also against playing Fourie now...he deserves it on merit, but there's enough experienced cool heads in the side...we need to blood the future Bokke...the over reliance on xp will cost us in the long run.

I am not at all happy with some players in positions. - especially in the case of the flyhalf situation.    One will have to look at the selection when the actual teams are selected.    

My team for the test against Ireland will be as follows:-

15  Kolbe

14  Arendse

13   Willemse

12   De Allende

11   Mpimpi

10    Goosen

9     Hendrikse

8     Wiese

7     Du Toit

6     Kolisi

5    De Jager

4    Etzebeth

3     Malherbe

2     Marx

1     Kitshof

16    Mbonambi

17    Nche

18     Koch

19     Jenkins

20     Roos

21     Reinach

22     Ngomezulu

Nothing against Stormers players but honestly the two locks are far from the best options available.

We need young talented players not end of career players.

Plus two #10's from the Cape.

One has not been a winner thus far in that position for the Boks and the second is not only untested at this level of he game but is not the greatest place kicker around.

I would have gone for the Junior Bok #10 who has pace, a good boot and is an excellent place kicker.

The recycled old players have had their day, young talent is available and should be groomed with this tour prior to the WC.

Unfortunately the strings attached to gaining selection has played yet another big part in the selections.

This Andres Coetzee just engineered a try d33p  in the Lions half. My choice. 

Two problems with Coetzee:

1. Old

2. White

Sorry.

Two problems with Coetzee:

1. Old

2. White

that's why I'm also against playing Fourie now...he deserves it on merit, but there's enough experienced cool heads in the side...we need to blood the future Bokke...the over reliance on xp will cost us in the long run.

To blood what. Xp is everything when it comes to a lack of project to play rugby as displayed by SA rugby teams. There never is enough of it.

Which A team would you pick from this list? Just noticed Goosen came through a full game at fullback. Then we have Manie in the rest squad. 

Might as well pick Goosen and watch him choke. And then appreciate Pollard,

Goosen played today at 15. Not the ideal preparation for the Boks if he wants to play at 10.

After reading what Erasmus and Nienaber said about the center and flyhalf situation I am totally unsure what the selections would look like in the end.   They may select Willemse at flyhalf or center and put Goosen in as fullback - since Le Roux is not the player he used to be in the 2013-i4 era and lost pace badly.     We do not know why Goosen was selected at full back by the Bulls - was it on request of Erasmus or not?   Nobody knows.         

They may end up with a player like Ngomezulu in the mix as potentially the choice flyhalf - they may move De Allende to 13  - nobody really knows what will the selected backline would look like.    Maybe we will know by Tuesday evening what is going to happen.       

Useful

Get M'nMgogoZulu aka. Sasha Feinberg in the team ........... Doc Craven rejoiced in having a Jewish player in the Bokke & with this EOYT itinerary we'll undoubtredly need a bit of lady-luck

Looks like R&N wants most Backline players to be Versatile and should be able to play more than 1 Position....whatever happened to specializing in your preferred Position?? 

Ja, not sure what the coaches are thinking and how many versatile players you actually need. I get it, it helps with squad continuity and ensures that your game plan gets better executed. 

We see this happening with the England where they can’t settle on back line combinations. They only constant in their back line has been Farrel and Youngs. Then we have NZ, they too have been moving around players all the time. Wingers playing centre etc. Probably the most successful switch was Jordy Barrett to 12. However, he played there for the Hurricanes and been in that position for a year. 

Not sure if I would start Willemse at 10, he has hardly played there. Yes, he is retreaded 10 who can cover 15 and 12. But right now his best position is 15. 

I would seriously consider

9. Hendricks

10 Libbok

11. Mpimpi 

12. Willemse

13. De Allende (We have no other 13)

14. Kole

15. Willie (Noticed Gelant is not in Squad, Fassie had a great game over the weekend, fantastic under the high ball, amazing kicking, great strike running, but defence still a bit sketchy, but probably better than Willie)

On creating versatile players. I get it for props as there is a new rule which states that if a team force un contestable scrums, they will have to lose a player. So you want your props to cover both side. Hence Du Toit and Trevor being able to pack down both sides. Doesn’t happy often but when it does, you don’t want to play with 14 men. 

Where as with back line players, maybe good to have 1 or 2 players that can cover all positions, however, 13 and 9 is the hardest position  to cover. 

Let’s looks at which players are truly versatile. I’ll pick there primary, followed in the order which I think they are good or competent  to not so good. 

Willemse, 12, 15, 10, 14,11 

Libbok, 10, 15

Sasha, 10, 12, 13, 15

Fassi , 15, 11,14, 10 (Played 10 at school)

Arendse, 11, 14, 15, 13

Moody, 11, 15, 13 (Told he is a 13, but haven’t seen him play there. However, really solid tackler in the midfield)

Kolbe, 11, 14, 15, 10, 9 (Mallet wanted him to be a 9, I would work on those skills as he can act as a 2nd scrumpy on the field but also worse case scenario)

Pollard, 10, 12

De Allende, 12, 13

Jessica Kriel 13, 15, 14 (Made his name 15 for the bulls but got moved to 13)

But I guess, being and International test player, you should be talented and should be able to play other positions. 

That said, I would far rather have the specialist in each position and maybe take 1 or 2 versatile players. 

I was just shocked this year that the bok management went for players that haven’t played in the positions they were picked for. 

So talking of Faf, Kolbe and Willie covering 10, but not inviting other 10s to join the training, but look at how many 9’s were capped over the last 4 years. Van Zyl, Papier, Williams, Hendrickse etc. 

Yet, we only used, Pollard, Jantjies, Steyn + Steyn and Willemse at 10