Bosch called up to Bok training camp

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/bosch-called-up-to-bok-training-camp-20170327

Cape Town - Experienced prop Beast Mtawarira, scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and promising utility back Curwin Bosch are part of a large contingent Sharks players included in the extended Springbok squad for their second training camp, from April 2-4 in Stellenbosch.

The Durban-based players were not considered for the first training camp, held last month in Johannesburg, because of overseas travel commitments at the start of the Super Rugby competition.

The second of three training camps - which are part of the Springboks’ preparation plans for the forthcoming international season - will take place at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.

South Africa will host France in a three-match series in June, before the Rugby Championship gets underway in August.

The Springbok selectors invited a group of 13 Sharks players, 10 each from the Lions and Stormers as well as eight Cheetahs players to the three-day camp.

There are no players from the Bulls or the Southern Kings in the latest training group as these two franchises are in action abroad.

As with the first camp, there are also no overseas-based players included amongst the squad list of 41 players, adhering to Regulation 9 of World Rugby.

Lock Franco Mostert is not available for this camp as his wife is due to give birth to their first child, while eagle-eyed supporters will notice the absence of Lions scrumhalf, Faf de Klerk.

Injured Springboks Pat Lambie, Uzair Cassiem and Ruan Combrinck have been invited to the camp, but injured players such as Damian de Allende and Jean-Luc du Plessis (both Stormers), who made the trip to the previous camp in Johannesburg, are not required to do so again.

Included amongst the 41 players are another five young guns, players all under the age of 23 years who have been earmarked as potential future Springboks. They are Ox Nche (prop, Cheetahs), Wilco Louw (prop, Stormers), Ruan Ackermann (loose forward, Lions), EW Viljoen (centre, Stormers) and Bosch (flyhalf, Sharks).

Allister Coetzee, Springbok coach, said he and his coaching staff are looking forward to continue their preparation work with the extended training squad.

“The first camp was very successful and we managed to cover a lot of our planning and training plans with the group that assembled in Johannesburg. We aim to do the same in Stellenbosch,” said Coetzee.

“This group has a different look to it because of the addition of the Sharks players, while we are not able to call up players from the Bulls and the Southern Kings because they will be abroad when the camp takes place.”

With a third camp planned for May, there is still time for players to catch the attention of the selectors, according to Coetzee: “There is still one more camp to follow after Stellenbosch, so we will keep the door open for players who perform in Super Rugby.

“The camp provides another opportunity for us to cast the net wider and also to have a closer look at certain positions. There are a couple of new faces in this group who have shown consistently good form. I also want to thank our franchise and conditioning coaches for their continued collaboration and support,” said Coetzee.

During their three day stay in Stellenbosch, the group will undergo medical and conditioning assessments, attend gym and undertake a couple of field training sessions.

Invited players for the second Springbok camp in Stellenbosch (April 2-4):

*Ruan Ackermann - Lions, Lukhanyo Am - Sharks, Clayton Blommetjies - Cheetahs, *Curwin Bosch - Sharks, Ruan Botha - Sharks, Uzair Cassiem - Cheetahs, Andries Coetzee - Lions, Ruan Combrinck - Lions, Ruan Dreyer - Lions, Jean-Luc du Preez - Sharks, Pieter-Steph du Toit - Stormers, Eben Etzebeth - Stormers, Rohan Janse van Rensburg - Lions, Elton Jantjies - Lions, Siya Kolisi - Stormers, Jaco Kriel - Lions, Pat Lambie - Sharks, Dillyn Leyds - Stormers, *Wilco Louw - Stormers, Frans Malherbe - Stormers, Lionel Mapoe - Lions, Malcolm Marx - Lions, Bongi Mbonambi - Stormers, Oupa Mohoje - Cheetahs, Beast Mtawarira - Sharks, Lubabalo Mtembu - Sharks, Lwazi Mvovo - Sharks, *Ox Nche - Cheetahs, Coenie Oosthuizen - Sharks, Etienne Oosthuizen - Sharks, Chiliboy Ralepelle - Sharks, Cobus Reinach - Sharks, Raymond Rhule - Cheetahs, Seabelo Senatla - Stormers, Kobus van Wyk - Sharks, Jano Vermaak - Stormers, Francois Venter - Cheetahs, Shaun Venter - Cheetahs, *EW Viljoen - Stormers, Warren Whiteley - Lions, Fred Zeilinga - Cheetahs

*Indicates Young Guns

 Interesting group - but why is J-L du Plessis and Robert du Preez not included and Bosch is included?  

 Good call.
100% natural talent.

@clever, isnt JL injured?


Im so happy about CB. Lets hope he can ignite a sleeping giant (the bok backline)
Im also very positive about JLDP

Good times!

 Bosch had exactly three games on Super Rugby level.  In two games at flyhalf he was good - in the other game at full back he was very poor.   Like the guy - but he is seriously short of experience ion senior level.  

 
Desperation seems to be the order of the day.

Talk about crisis management.

 cc the crisis part is correct but the management part is sorely lacking.
But seriously, it's not a bad idea to bring in young developing talent, ABs do this as a way to expose the up & coming talent to the culture & the test level environment.

 No Faf?
Great call. He's only been our best 9 for two years running. 

 

CAPE TOWN - Scrumhalf was a promising position for the Springboks early last year, but after disappointing stints by the men who had a chance at No 9, the hunt for a Bok fox terrier snapping at the heels of the pack continues.

After the retirement of Fourie du Preez, the epitome of scrumhalf brilliance, Lions star Faf de Klerk brought new hope as he continued his superb Super Rugby form when he donned the No 9 jersey during the three-Test Series against Ireland in June last year.

Share this story

Faf de Klerk deserved another chance in the Springbok scrumhalf jersey. Photo: Gerhard Steenkamp/BackpagePix

It can be said that it was his heroics that saved the Boks and clinched them the 2-1 series win against an Irish outfit that, despite having been without a number of their key men, actually deserved to secure their first-ever series win in South Africa.

During those Tests, De Klerk looked sharp. He was the standout player in two of those three battles, with his game-breaking ability and alertness proving superior, while it was his defensive genius that snatched a victory from the Irish in the Series decider in Port Elizabeth.

He was again strong when the Boks opened their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina at the Mbombela Stadium, and he was instrumental in Allister Coetzee’s team’s 30-23 come-from-behind win - with that fantastic inside pass to Johan Goosen setting up a much-needed try.

But just like the rest of the Springbok players, De Klerk’s form also took a dip as the Rugby Championship progressed and his weaknesses were gradually exposed.

He struggled to control the game at times, and he often put his Lions teammate and flyhalf Elton Jantjies under pressure with his passing, while his decision-making was also questionable.

And as the Boks became poorer, De Klerk became more error-prone and erratic.

Then came Bulls man Rudy Paige. A player who doesn’t come close to De Klerk in terms of game-breaking ability.

Paige was simply ineffective. He offered no solution to the clear problem at scrumhalf, and a few appearances at No 9 (when he wasn’t on the wing) by Francois Hougaard didn’t leave Coetzee or the rest of South Africa smiling either.

So as we approach the three-Test series against France, it’s safe to say that the Boks have no clear solution for one of the most important positions on the field.

But Coetzee does have options.

Besides going back to De Klerk and Paige, there’s also Bulls man Piet van Zyl, who got a 15-minute cameo off the bench for the Boks last year, and Sharks scrumhalf Cobus Reinach - a bit of a forgotten man when it comes to the Springbok camp.

Van Zyl is a good attacking player, but he doesn’t always exude that calmness and tactical know-how that one needs in that position.

Reinach, on the other hand, is a nippy scrumhalf (to use a dreaded cliché) with a great passing and tactical game. And his ability to accelerate out the blocks is pretty amazing.

The nine Test-capped Bok also has three Springbok starts to his name and his stints with the Boks included a few satisfying ones. And after recovering from a serious knee injury in 2016, the 26-year-old can boost the Sharks squad again.

But the opportunistic scrumhalf signed with the Northampton Saints, who he will join at the end of the season. This has clashed with SA Rugby’s new policy, which states that only overseas-based Springbok with more than 30 caps will be considered for selection in future.

Then there is Jano Vermaak, who has found new spring in some ageing legs. But he is obviously not a long-term solution. And of course, a talented youngster like Godlen Masimla has sadly not had enough game time to prove he can step up to international level.

So what to do?

Despite De Klerk’s dip in form last season with the Boks, I still think that he is the most deserving candidate of that Bok spot.

He showed what he could do early on last year, and his energy and ability to influence a match is still better than any of the other current candidates.

So even though things didn’t always go smoothly for De Klerk in the Test arena last year, the same (or worse) can be said about the rest of the Boks.

And if there’s one person who deserves a chance to make up for last season, it’s him. After all, he’s saved the Boks before. So they at least owe him that.

  A strange non-selection for sure Plum. Faf is still developing, e.g. needs a better box kick . But this is no reason to exclude him as they should work on developing him in camp.

 TLDR:
 Paige(absolute dog shyte)Vermaak(not a long term solution, especially if we are building to the WC)Reinach(been two years since he showed any form and hasn't impressed since his return from injury)Piet  van Zyl(Bloody terrible)
Whereas Faf has been creating tries and his team has been winning. Admittedly making some mistakes along the way but cancelling those out with positive play and good decisions. Same as last year.
Note how the article correctly points out that Faf started last year very well with the Boks. But somehow, and just like every other player got worse and worse as the year went on. Because the twat of coach picks players who are successful at playing a certain way...But then tries to bend them to his will. Which resulted in a 33% win ratio. Obviously a winning strategy that makes total sense. Of course it doesn't matter because Coetzee has a nice get out of jail card...He can just blame the players when interviewed after the game IE throw them under the going bus when his moronic ideas fail.
Solution; Let's pick players who struggle at SR level because they'll obviously do better at test level.
Advice to Faf, go play in England or Australia. In your mid twenties you'll naturalize there and play under coaches who understand the game. I'd love to see you tearing the Boks to pieces just like you rip every other SA franchise a new one each Saturday.
Slowly I start to agree with CC and want to see the Boks fail.

 
Paige- Good pass, but nothing else.Vermaak- Solid but ageing player.

Reinach- A clone of Hougaard. A small wing playing at scrumhalf, great in an open game- but a basket case at the best of times when under pressure.
Piet van Zyl- A solid option. Has a good pass and kick, and offers some threat around the base of the rucks.
Faff- might offer more value of the bench for the Boks. A player that can be world class on his best day.
 Although like most inform players that work with Coetzee- they soon find themselves out of form and unable to understand the game plan. 

Plum;  "Advice to Faf, go play in England or Australia. In your mid twenties you'll naturalize there and play under coaches who understand the game. I'd love to see you tearing the Boks to pieces just like you rip every other SA franchise a new one each Saturday"

Shark: "Faff- might offer more value of the bench for the Boks. A player that can be world class on his best day."

A lot of underlying truth in this jest..Rory Kockott comes to mind as a 9.

Come to think of it...SA coaches have buried a lot of potential in the last decade...

Too many too mention...the trouble is the inability to spot talent early...

Kermit Bosch is too small for test rugby at this stage- and maybe ever. He is frail and is moved out of the ten position on defence.

Wikipedia has him at 1.8 m which might be 5.9 foot
Also, he weighs 80 kg

Yes he's 80 kg but he's only 19...Christian Cullen the best fullback alongside Juba was only 84kg...in maturity...Bosch has it and will easily be 4 kg heavier as he matures . Little pocket rocket Gio Aplon was a player of small statue that had heart but not among the greats but he was effective but Bosch has more skills than that.

Their is only a few spots for the small players- he may be one of them. I need to see more of his game. He appears to be a thinking player

 Christian started playing more than 20 years ago when backs like Lomu were the exception and not the rule. No disrespect to either of them but I don't think they would make the grade in todays game.
 Hopefully Bosch is just there to get an insight and feel for future springboks selection. Let him grow in suze and confidence without the hype. I feel as if the press and public hype these players up so much that they start to believe their own hype.
Don't throw him in the deep end yet.

Players like wee McKenzie or Crudeness show there is room for a small, skilled & talented man in rugby. Let's see what he has to offer.

 I agree with that, all I'm saying is don't thrust him into International rugby cos he looks flash against some (lets be honest) pretty poor sides. 
He is not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.

 I love the idea of a small player really succeeding at test level......Crude hasn't, and McKenzie not yet. Daily is no a small guy but he brings so much smarts to his play....why wouldn't you try to find a Daily if you want a creative player. Paulse was the last small player to really develop a model which negated his size....at test level. Bosch is talented but the odds against him....and if you watched how the Irish targeted Ford, I doubt his answer will lie at 10 at test level.

 Plum
I agree with you - there was no plan by Coetzee - he has no idea about backline play.   That was the case in the Stormers set-up and is still the case.  
The idiot lost the dressing room and the attack on the players prove that.   He is not a coach that could enhance backline play - maybe - just maybe there is a chance that Smith and Venter can get something done if Coetzee keep his trap shut and don't interfere in something he knows nothing about.       

I tend to agree with most of the gist...but you cannot stereotype fullbacks...they come in all shapes and sizes...Don Clark (looked more like a forward let alone a backline player),HO De Villiers alert and always in position and intelligent, Andre Joubert same qualities but always calm and composed who created opportunities, Christian Cullen just a brilliant footballer with a turn of speed as well as his team mate Jeff Wilson, Gavin Hastings (a big fullback) but a great...and many more.

It's the side and the game plan and how they fit and slot together.