Ex Supersport
Vodacom Bulls hooker Callie Visagie (108kg) is training with the Springboks and was officially confirmed as a member of the group on Tuesday, but it is likely that an overseas based player will be operating as back-up to Bismarck du Plessis in the forthcoming June internationals.
Visagie is in Durban due to the suspension handed out to Cheetahs captain Adriaan Strauss for a dangerous tackle in last week’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Stormers in Cape Town. Strauss was suspended for three weeks, which effectively means he will miss the first three games of the June internationals, starting with the World XV match at Newlands on 7 June and the two test series against Wales. (The rest will do him good - so its not abad thing)
The last day of his suspension coincides with the second test against Wales, which means he will be available for the last match of the June international window against Scotland in Port Elizabeth on 28 June.
Visagie was already training with the squad late on Monday as Bok coach Heyneke Meyer feared that Strauss might be ruled out for a period of time. Strauss is still part of the training group but obviously Meyer needs to look at the next in line with Strauss’ absence from the first few games in mind.
However, with just two hookers called up to the camp initially, it was clear from the outset that Bok coach Heyneke Meyer had an overseas based player in mind for the third hooker position in the 36 man squad for the four matches. So Visagie is at best likely to be the third hooker, or third in line, when the squad is announced on Saturday night.
Former Lions and Stormers stalwart Schalk Brits, who has played a couple of matches for the Boks, is the red-hot favourite to come in as Du Plessis’ back-up, although former Sharks hooker Craig Burden, who has been a Bok tourist, could also be in the frame. In fact, it is not impossible that both those overseas based players could be included in the squad to be named on Saturday night, with Visagie dropping out.
When talking to the media on Monday evening following a training session in Durban, Meyer was fearing the worst with regards to Strauss, but he was nonetheless disappointed on Tuesday when it was confirmed that he would be losing the services of a player he regards highly as a leader and has served as a vice-captain to the Boks in the past.
The loss of Strauss comes just two days after it was confirmed that regular captain Jean de Villiers will be ruled out for the entire June series of matches.
“Adriaan’s suspension means we’ve lost another one of the leaders in the squad for a period of time, but this is a great opportunity for Callie,” said Meyer.
“Of the players who have been part of Springbok squads in the last two seasons, Scarra Ntubeni, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Tiaan Liebenberg are injured, while Schalk Brits and Craig Burdern are playing in club finals (overseas) this weekend and weren’t available for the camp.
“Callie has been in good form in the last few weeks. Apart from being a very strong scrummager, his line-out throwing is pinpoint and he knows locks Flip van der Merwe and Victor Matfield well. He also has a high workrate.”
Some would question that last statement as his stats don’t always reflect a high work-rate, but his partnership with Matfield in the lineouts probably did weigh heavily in his favour. While his appears to have been a relatively meteoric rise to fame, it is hard to think of too many other South African based hookers who are fit at the moment who might have been called in as an alternative.
You would imagine that Sharks back-up hooker Kyle Cooper, who has shown good form when he’s been on the field this season, would be in competition with Western Province’s Deon Fourie, who has improved his lineout throwing immeasurably over the past month, for the right to be next in line.
It's dismaying that Meyer could actually be thinking of playing wee matfiled. If they do you cant have a small hooker like britz!!! Its all about pack design. Two feathwr weights in your tight five. NO NO NO.I would only consider Callie and Cooper (109 kg). No need for Britz or Burden.
