Uncapped players in Bok training camp

RE News 24

The following players from the Stormers and Bulls have been invited to the Springbok training camp in Stellenbosch (in alphabetical order): 

Forwards:

Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers)

Eben Etzebeth (Stormers)

Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)

Siya Kolisi (Stormers)

Wilco Louw (Stormers)

Frans Malherbe (Stormers)

Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers)

Salmaan Moerat (Stormers) *

Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Stormers)

Trevor Nyakane (Bulls)

Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks)

JD Schickerling (Stormers) *

RG Snyman (Bulls)

Marco van Staden (Bulls) *

Cobus Wiese (Stormers) * 

Backs:

Damian de Allende (Stormers)

Warrick Gelant (Bulls)

Jesse Kriel (Bulls)

Embrose Papier (Bulls)

Handré Pollard (Bulls)

Ivan van Zyl (Bulls)

Damian Willemse (Stormers) *

A couple of these guys have had some stand out games this year. Glad the coach has taken notice. There are a few questionable inclusions outside of these five, but that is nothing new. 

There we already a thread started on this one.

I am not surprised about the fact that there are only 2 Stormers backline players in the squad - they deserve nothing more.   

It would be interesting to see which Lions and Sharks players are added to the squad.   I suppose there may be some eliminations to the original squad selection by Erasmus for the June tests as well.   Wonder whether Jantjies will survive after his very poor performance against the English.

I rate the following newbies highly:-

Willemse, Schickerling and Wiese - they are likely to be in the squad before the WC next year even if only one of them nay make the playing squads this year.

Is Etzebeth going to be fit to play in the RC?  

Yeah, Lions finish top of the SA conference but the Boks will start with two Lions, six Bulls, four Sharks and three Stormers.

Dyanti, Marx and Mostert.

Possibly only Dyanti and Marx.

Bloubok

Jantjies did not have a good game on Saturday despite the Lions beating the Bulls by such a wide margin.   In the first half in fact he was really no better than in his last test.

Jantjies has never performed well in all the tests he played in - so I doubt there will be an improvement in future.   He is to my mind looking bad under pressure and he will be under pressure in all tests.   Think it is time to move on and allow him to play his trade on lower level.  

I think the back-up flyhalf would be Willemse in the upcoming tests - he has a few aspects of his game that needs improvement - after all he is only 19 years old -  and he would get those in associating with more experienced players and in the Springbok environment.       

The good thing with Willemse is he replaces Jantjies without messing up the quota numbers, which I am sure is one of the reasons Jantjies has managed to hold on for as long as he has. But with Willemse being a genuine talent, I hope that safety net falls away for Jantjies. 

Well it's good to see Rassie backing himself by casting the net wider, let's hope he selects Willemse as the backup to Pollard and begone with the rubbery Jantjies. Not knocking the kid but unfortunately he is not test level material.

The Lions and Cheetahs are system teams not personnel teams. What I mean by this is that both teams have been built around a flexible system that can withstand personnel changes. The bigger teams who poach players have a game plan built on personnel much more. The Lions players won't always be great outside of the context of their team. So we can't select players in a hierarchy based on team standing on the log. Definitely something to keep in mind. This is an interesting looking squad. I hope Rassie makes them count  

Fook, De Alende is there again. Rassie must be a fool!

Sharkbok

Think the difference between Jantjies and the flyhalves you mention is the ability to read a game and taking good options. Jantjies had neither.

I fear Willemse being rushed in and could be underdone, perhaps another season or two in super rugby...who knows? Main thing though is Jantjies must go, he is a liability.

Den, it is a catch 22 with Willemse, because if we give him another season to prove himself, and let him earn his Bok jersey during next year's Super Rugby tournament, he would not have enough time thereafter to settle into the no.10 role before the world cup. Especially seeing as though he'd probably be playing off the bench behind Pollard. 

Gotcha…..you make a good point. I guess if he doesn't come good it would be no different had they played Jantjies.

If he is good enough, he won't need that much time. If he needs so long to "be ready", chances are he never will be. Late bloomers are a rarity. 

Lurker, he is 19. How many 19 year o ld's are playing top tier test rugby?

20 To be exact but ja how on earth would he be a "late bloomer" if he had a bit of a feel playing just below test level for a couple of years.

Lurker

I agree with you about the Lions players.   There are two things I would like to add:-

*   In a team like the Lions the players are familiar with each other and the weaker ones in the team environment is helped along by the better players  on a more constructive basis than they would be helped along by teammates on test level; and

*   some players cannot make the step up from Super Rugby level to test level - even though in the Lions team they may shine. 

The situation is that some  players of the Lions have been tested on test level and found wanting.   That makes it very difficult for Erasmus to give them another try-out on higher level.  

However, the training camp will be joined by Sharks and Lions players after they have completed their Super Rugby commitments and we will see then which players from those two franchises will be added to the squad.  

What happened to my reply?   

What reply?

It's gone! I wrote two large paragraphs!! That sucks