Fourie Dupreez back at 9 for the Boks in 4Nations

The Springbok selectors opted for continuity when they named a 30-man squad for the opening two rounds of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship later this month against Argentina.

Only three players who were not part of the squad which won the Castle Lager Incoming Series in June have been added to the squad.

They are experienced scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who has been selected for the Springboks for the first time since the Rugby World Cup in 2011, Gurthrö Steenkamp (prop) and Duane Vermeulen (No 8), who last played for the Springboks in November 2012.

Du Preez’s club in Japan, Suntory Sungoliath, have released him for international duty for parts of the Rugby Championship.

He is available for the three tests in South Africa and has been included in the squad.

When Du Preez can’t travel with the Springboks, his place in the squad will be taken by Piet van Zyl.

“We’re very thankful to everyone at Saru and Suntory who made it possible to select Fourie,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

“Fourie has been out of international rugby for a while and it makes sense to involve him as soon as possible. Piet was part of the squad in June and we know what he can do – he will slot in without any problems when necessary.”

Vermeulen, who has shaken off a knee injury which kept him out of the June tests, and the experienced Steenkamp both return to the squad after playing a vital role in the Springboks’ unbeaten tour to Ireland, Scotland and England last year.

“It’s great to have Duane back after he played such an important role for us at the end of last season,” said Meyer.

“It will also be good to see Gurthrö back in the mix. Along with Fourie, they boast 102 tests' worth of experience between the two of them, have been part of very successful teams before and will be able to share a lot of knowledge with the younger players around them.

“We’ve managed to keep a lot of continuity between this squad of 30 players and the squad that did duty during the Castle Lager Incoming Series.

“As I’ve said before, it’s vitally important for the younger players in the set-up to get more experience and increase their test caps, but this will be a very tough Championship and we will have to be at our very best.

“Argentina showed last year what they can do and while we are mindful of the threat they pose. Our focus will be on building on the good things we achieved in June and improving in areas where we were not satisfied.”

The Springboks will open their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina at the FNB Stadium in Soweto as part of the Nelson Mandela Sport & Culture Day celebrations on 17 August.

The following day they fly to South America where they will face Los Pumas in Mendoza on 24 August.

The two Australasian tests of the competition take place on 7 September in Brisbane (against Australia) and on 14 September in Auckland (against New Zealand).

The final two home tests are scheduled for 28 September in Cape Town (against Australia) and 5 October in Johannesburg (against New Zealand).

Only locally based players and Ruan Pienaar, who is currently on extended leave in South Africa and was granted permission to take part in the camp by his province in Ireland, will take part in the team’s preparations next week in Johannesburg. The full squad will get together for training from Monday, 12 August.

Injured players who have been part of the squad in the last two seasons, but were not considered, are Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Arno Botha, Pierre Spies, Francois Hougaard, Johan Goosen, Jaco Taute and Frans Steyn.

SQUAD (listed in alphabetical order)

Willem Alberts (Loose forward), 21 test caps
Bjorn Basson (Wing), 9
Marcell Coetzee (Loose forward), 13
Juan de Jongh (Centre), 14
Jean de Villiers (captain, Centre), 87
Bismarck du Plessis (Hooker), 48
Jannie du Plessis (Prop), 45
Fourie du Preez (Scrumhalf), 62
JJ Engelbrecht (Centre / Wing), 4
Eben Etzebeth (Lock), 14
Bryan Habana (Wing), 86
Zane Kirchner (Fullback), 24
Siya Kolisi (Loose forward), 2
Juandré Kruger (Lock), 11
Pat Lambie (Flyhalf / Fullback), 23
Willie le Roux (Fullback / Wing), 3
Francois Louw (Loose forward), 19
Tendai Mtawarira (Prop), 44
Trevor Nyakane (Prop), 3
Coenie Oosthuizen (Prop), 5
Ruan Pienaar (Scrumhalf), 66
Chiliboy Ralepelle (Hooker), 22
Jan Serfontein (Centre), 3
Gurthrö Steenkamp (Prop), 40
Morné Steyn (Flyhalf), 45
Adriaan Strauss (Hooker), 24
Flip van der Merwe (Lock), 26
Franco van der Merwe (Lock), 0
Jano Vermaak (Scrumhalf), 1
Duane Vermeulen (No 8), 7

 He wll only be available for some of the games, makes you wonder why then pick him?

Need Fourie to implement the Bulls game plan of box kicks. He must be in the World Cup plans

 i have a funny feeling and please correct me if im wrong but a south african player may not go with a team if he is contracted to the national side as a player! so what im saying is that maybe he is there on a coaching role but has to be signed in as a player so in the 32 man squad in order to help teach the 9s the box kicking game! that is just a thought :) i may be mistaken :) 

 Van Zyl lost his place to Du Preez and Hougaard and Reinach missed out due to injury, so the 3 scrummie's who would benefit the most are not there while he is. Pienaar can box kick, Vermaak is the only one who can benefit noticeably by Du Preez being a coach.

 very true but i highly doubt that he will be in the plans for the world cup maybe he is there to help vermaak and maybe he is there to add the bit off compition that pienaar needs to up his game? 

My guess is Meyer is rightly targeting this year's RC. Both his predecessors won the thing. Next year is ample time to start bringing the RWC into consideration.

 Very true maybe but then again i dont see any world class scrum halfs in our 32 man squad apart from mr Du preez as vermark is average but can play as a great impact player and peinaar is a megga bore and too one dinemshanal

OK we get the "SA rugby has so much depth" rhetoric throughout this forum but Du Preeze's selection makes a complete mockery of this. The AB selectors refuse to select overseas players yet still do fine...so is the depth myth a fantasy in SA but a reality in NZ.

 Nope, SA just have an incredible injury rate.

Well Hougaard is the only scrummie who is injured. So to buy your theory Shez, the whole negotiation to make du Preez available occurred since last Tuesday. Do you really think that's what happened? Or have you opined without considering that simple logic?

Poly we have the following international class scrummies:

Hougaard, Pienaar, Vermaak, Kockott, Reinach, Van Zyl, and Sarel. Groom if he had not been stuffed around by Coetzee could by now have been about there. Heck that is fantastic dept!

By the way for the Meyer knockers - Mallet said he thought it a great move by Meyer bring Fourie in. That makes 8 in all.

 Mozfart I'm pretty sure Reinach is injured again as well.

 Reinach was announced in the first training camp before the June test series, he had to pull out due to injury and thus pathed the way for Van Zyl. Wow, you are beyond stupid! You've truly got nothing better to do with your time other than try and cause arguments and embarras yourself when you've been proven wrong.

 Mozfart, I can not understand your failure to comprehend! Time for baby steps.

Either way Reinach was included in the training squad.

This clearly indicates that Cobus is in Meyer's plan's.

Call me a liar as much as you want, doesn't mean you're any less of one. Your occasional and bias use of stats is another one of your petty tricks.

 Well he wasn't included in the training squad ....he was an alternate in the training squad...which in itself is a bloated item. And let me point out as you have conveniently forgotten....Pienaar was still playing up north....and clearly IS part of Meyer's plans.

 But go ahead and believe Meyer selected du Preez because of injuries if it makes you feel better. Just be sure the nobody else with  half a brain believes that pipe dream.

Meyer has looked to bringing the ancient Fourie in right from the onset.  He even suggested making him Bok captain awhile back.

Fourie isn’t there cause of injury. He’s a Bull. A useless Bull at that.

It was always the plan to bring this hasbeen into the mix.

He got his wish.

I see Gurthro is also in the squad. Another Bull past his best.

I wonder who's next??

Bakkies, Victor, Jaco vd Westehuizen, Anton Leonard, Naas .... ???

It's pathetic ... !!!!!

Blue ... the only reason they've been included is because they have an association with the Bulls. That's easy enough to see ... isn't it??

Oh and by the way ... the only reason the Bulls topped the SA conference is because of masiff injuries to both the Stormers and Sharks. I thought that was pretty much obvious as well.

Your defense of Meyer shows me something else ... you are satisfied with him at the helm and you consider his picks as justified. So long as it's a Bull then all's ok ... right?

He's a Bull ... so I guess it's fine as well?

That's pretty one eyed ... don't you think??

I am not concerned about which franchise has more Bok selection than the other ... I do however have an issue if the selections are not based on merit.

His picks are ludicrous. He deserves to be slammed.

wlecome back du preez, :oP

 Cleancut here a question did fourie win us the lions tour? and did you cheer? yes i assume so! thus you can not attack him now! i am a strong beleive that you never dump a player even if he is to old he is a Bok so surport him! its much like smit and bissie in the world cup bissie was the future and smit the past!

also on a side note: 

Clevermike- how did you find George smiths Super rugby and assuie games this year? pretty soild player i think! psst he came back from japan :) there are 2 reasons why some people go to japan one is money duh :P the othere is to play a less impact game to prolong a carrer? it worked for george maybe it will work for fourie you never know! 

like i said im not sure fourie will be the right choice but i will surport him :) 

"All this anti bull sentiment is annoying. So what if the squad has one or two more Bulls in it than other teams, they topped the log, it is to be expected."

Come now BB, surely you can't be using the "Bools topped the SAn log" defence to explain Meyers myopic selections? If topping the log is his explanation for a Bools laden Bokke squad, how on earth do you explain his Bools laden squad from 2012? Surely the same selection criteria would apply if "winning the conference" were his genuine motivation for his selections.

Look, it's obvious he has his preferences based upon franchise loyalties rather than merit, why is that so hard for you to accept? Reanimating the flagging career of his favourite prodigal son is the last nail in the coffin for the Meyer/Bools apologists.

I don't care how many Bulle they make Boks. at least when they go mess up in the TRC WP supporters still have another CC final to look forward to