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De Villiers to miss Australia clash; Planet Rugby

Started by Just_win2 REPLIES433 VIEWS· 12 Jul 2015, 17:27
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JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
12 Jul 2015, 17:27
#1
12 Jul 2015, 17:27#1

Bok captain Jean de Villiers has not been included in the squad that will travel to Australia for their opening match of the Rugby Championship.

The 31-man touring squad departing for Brisbane consists of 22 players who were on duty against the World XV at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.

The only member of the matchday squad to stay behind in South Africa is De Villiers, who has been released to Western Province to get game time in their Currie Cup warm-up matches in the next fortnight.

The players who did not feature against the World XV, but will travel to Brisbane, are Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Rudy Paige, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn, Schalk Brits, Lood de Jager, Frans Malherbe and Heinke van der Merwe.

"I would like to give as many of our squad members as possible game time in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup, so there will be changes against the Wallabies," said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

"We'll re-assess the minor bumps and bruises when we get to Brisbane on Monday evening (Australian time). It's a short week so the guys will have to find their rhythm quickly before we play what promises to be a very tough and intense Test match against Australia."

Injured players Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Frans Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff, were not considered for the week-long tour and will continue with their individualised rehabilitation programmes. The rest of the current Springbok squad who are not flying to Brisbane will move to Pretoria where they will continue their rehabilitation and conditioning work.

The Springbok squad that will travel to Brisbane:

Forwards: Schalk Brits, Schalk Burger, Marcell Coetzee, Lood de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Francois Louw, Frans Malherbe, Victor Matfield, Teboho 'Oupa' Mohoje, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Adriaan Strauss, Heinke van der Merwe, Warren Whiteley.

Backs: Damian De Allende, Bryan Habana, Jesse Kriel, Patrick Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Rudy Paige, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn.

CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
12 Jul 2015, 17:36
#2
12 Jul 2015, 17:36#2
 JW 
There has been a lot of discussion on this issue and the comments indicate very little hope for the Springboks with a number of duds included.Meyer can make changes to the team on Saturday - but that would be surprising bearing in mind his poor selections of the past.   
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
12 Jul 2015, 18:57
#3
12 Jul 2015, 18:57#3
 JW
I just want to mention that De Villiers played for 20 minutes yesterday - but although he was involved in the third try of Le Roux, he seemed to be  -
*   hesitant to make contact and take tackles; and*   rather deficient in pace
He played at 13 where he would be less exposed to tackles than he would be at 12.
I must say I understand his hesitancy and also his speed deficiency - but still is uneasy as to whether over the next two months he get back to what he was before the injury. 
I think what he needs to work on is his match-fitness and also the psychological aspects involved.   So he has a long way to go and less than 2 months to get there.   
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