The South African Rugby Union on Wednesday named 51 players who have been called to a national team planning session at the start of next month. The players will attend two days of meetings and logistical discussions in the first of three national camps in preparation for the international season.
“SARU’s priority is first and foremost with Springbok preparations in this Rugby World Cup year and with the support of the provinces our national teams department has been able to plan three squad get-togethers during Vodacom Super Rugby,” explained Jurie Roux, SARU CEO.
“There are many demands on the Springboks as well as off-field operational matters to be attended to in a Rugby Wold Cup year and as part of Peter de Villiers’ long-term planning he requested that time be made now so that the team can get straight to on-field work once they gather for the first Tests of the year in July.”
De Villiers said: “Our first Tri-Nations Test kicks off only two weeks after the Vodacom Super Rugby final and I wanted to make sure that we can get straight to work on the field with some quality preparation when we get together and not be compromised by players familiarising themselves with our structures or understanding logistical issues.
“By the end of this series of camps I hope that any of the players we call on will be familiar with our on and off the field systems and the logistical boxes have all been ticked. These sessions are not about selection now – they’re about being ready when we make the final selections.”
The selectors named seven uncapped players in the planning group although only three of them are not already Springboks: wing Lionel Mapoe, scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius and looseforward Duane Vermeulen.
The four uncapped Springboks among the group are flyhalf Elton Jantjies, scrumhalf Charl McLeod and props Coenie Oosthuizen and Werner Kruger. All four appeared for the Springboks against the Barbarians in December, 2010.
Overseas based players were not considered for the sessions.
The closed planning session will take place in Cape Town on May 1 and 2.
The first Springbok squad of the season will be named on July 2 or 9, depending on South African representation in the Vodacom Super Rugby final.
HERE IS THE SQUAD:
| Player | Province | Tests |
| Willem Alberts | The Sharks | 3 |
| Gio Aplon | DHL Western Province | 13 |
| Bjorn Basson | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 4 |
| Andries Bekker | DHL Western Province | 24 |
| Bakkies Botha | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 72 |
| Heinrich Brüssow | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 13 |
| Schalk Burger | DHL Western Province | 63 |
| Keegan Daniel | The Sharks | 1 |
| Juan de Jongh | DHL Western Province | 6 |
| Jean de Villiers | DHL Western Province | 67 |
| Bismarck du Plessis | The Sharks | 36 |
| Jannie du Plessis | The Sharks | 24 |
| Fourie du Preez | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 55 |
| Jaque Fourie | DHL Western Province | 62 |
| Peter Grant | DHL Western Province | 5 |
| Bryan Habana | DHL Western Province | 68 |
| Alistair Hargreaves | The Sharks | 2 |
| Francois Hougaard | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 8 |
| Adi Jacobs | The Sharks | 32 |
| Elton Jantjies | MTN Golden Lions | - |
| Ricky Januarie | DHL Western Province | 47 |
| Ryan Kankowski | The Sharks | 17 |
| Zane Kirchner | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 14 |
| Werner Kruger | Vodacom Blue Bulls | - |
| Pat Lambie | The Sharks | 4 |
| Francois Louw | DHL Western Province | 7 |
| Bandise Maku | MTN Golden Lions | 1 |
| Lionel Mapoe | MTN Golden Lions | - |
| Victor Matfield | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 105 |
| Charl McLeod | The Sharks | - |
| Tendai Mtawarira | The Sharks | 26 |
| Waylon Murray | MTN Golden Lions | 3 |
| Lwazi Mvovo | The Sharks | 2 |
| Odwa Ndungane | The Sharks | 7 |
| Wynand Olivier | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 31 |
| Coenie Oosthuizen | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | - |
| JP Pietersen | The Sharks | 36 |
| Dewaldt Potgieter | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 6 |
| Sarel Pretorius | GWK Griquas | - |
| Chiliboy Ralepelle | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 18 |
| Danie Rossouw | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 54 |
| John Smit | The Sharks | 102 |
| Juan Smith | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 69 |
| Pierre Spies | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 40 |
| Gurthrö Steenkamp | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 31 |
| Deon Stegmann | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 4 |
| Morné Steyn | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 25 |
| Adriaan Strauss | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 9 |
| CJ van der Linde | DHL Western Province | 69 |
| Flip van der Merwe | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 10 |
| Duane Vermeulen | DHL Western Province | - |
Props (6):
Jannie du Plessis, Werner Kruger, Tendai Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Gurthrö Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde
Hookers (5):
Bismarck du Plessis, Bandise Maku, John Smit, Adriaan Strauss, Chiliboy Ralepelle
Locks (5):
Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Alistair Hargreaves, Victor Matfield, Flip van der Merwe
Forwards (9):
Willem Alberts, Heinrich Brüssow, Schalk Burger, Keegan Daniel, Francois Louw, Dewaldt Potgieter, Danie Rossouw, Juan Smith, Deon Stegmann
Eighth Men (3):
Ryan Kankowski, Pierre Spies, Duane Vermeulen
Scrumhalfs (5):
Fourie du Preez, Francois Hougaard, Ricky Januarie, Charl McLeod, Sarel Pretorius
Flyhalfs (4):
Peter Grant, Elton Jantjies, Pat Lambie, Morné Steyn
Centres (6):
Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Adi Jacobs, Waylon Murray, Wynand Olivier
Wings (6):
Bjorn Basson, Bryan Habana, Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen
Fullbacks (2):
Gio Aplon, Zane Kirchner
Mods:
Please feel free to edit if need be. My list lyk nie so lekker nie!!
Not many surprises except maybe Waylon Murray and Lionel Mapoe. Doppies unlucky not to make it.
The team breakdown:
Vodacom Blue Bulls – 16
The Sharks – 14
DHL Western Province – 12
MTN Golden Lions – 4
Toyota Free State Cheetahs – 4
GWK Griquas – 1
Happy for Sarel Pretorius and Duane Vermeulen though…they deserve it.
@Pokkel (Comment 2) : I also didn’t think that they would make it. I thought that Bandiso Maku would also not have made the cut.
Not a lot of fullback options in that squad!
But lets be honest. This list is a list of whos who in SA rugby. You basically just have to catch the ball to make the list. Lets wait and see what it looks like when its trimmed down to 30 for the WC.
@Pokkel (Comment 6) :
Remember Frans Verstaan is a definite for the final squad so i wouldn’t worry about that!!
He is after all the first choice 15 imho.
@Pokkel (Comment 6) : I wouldn;t count Aplon as a fullback. Then you can add JP in there as well. Bottom line, only on FB was selected. Maybe it leaves the door open for Fransie to make the WC squad?
@wpw (Comment 8) : You can’t leave a guy at home that can make a 65 meter drop goal…
@Viking (Comment 7) :
I think its a very decent squad.
I personally would not have selected the likes of CJ, Mapoe or Januarie or even Jantjies there but hey, at least Earl Rose aint there!!
There is also a couple of oversees players that still need to be considered at a later stage;
Ruan Pienaar
Butch James
Frans Steyn
BJ Botha
Brian Mujati
…
No Ruaan Pienaar?
@Viking (Comment 10) :
‘Overseas based players were not considered for the sessions’
@wpw (Comment 11) : Agree with you and I am sure it was close for Rose. Maybe he droped the ball…
@ruggabugga (Comment 13) : Well it’s only players that is playing in SA at this stage…overseas based players weren’t considered for the sessions…they will form part of it later…
@wpw (Comment 1) : I think we can probably move Chillipip to the hookers section…?
I haven’t seen much of him as a prop…
Not a particularly controversial squad. The biggest issue for me is the inclusion of the two Bulls loosies, Dewaldt Potgieter and Deon Stegmann. Neither of those two are of international quality. I also have reservations about a number of players based on current form, but that horse has been flogged sufficiently for now.
I feel sorry for Steven Sykes; imo he’s certainly done enough to warrant inclusion in the wider group…
@wpw (Comment 14) : Yes but they will have to be once the squad is trimmed down to 30 for the WC.
I would have had Riaan Viljoen there….he is probably one of the most gifted rugby players in SA….and he has a boot as big as Frans.
He does have the occasional brain fart though.
@AlienArmy (Comment 16) : Chilli is trying to follow in John Smit’s footsteps…
Chilliboy Ralapele a prop?
Ricky Januarie a scrumhalf? 
@Culling Song (Comment 20) : haha…well, worth a try, as he is not getting past John and Bissie!
Feel sorry for Sykes though, would have thought he should at least get a look in for this wider group, no wonder the poor guys is leaving for Ireland
@AlienArmy (Comment 22) : There are a couple of guys I would have dropped to give Sykes a chance. The guy is playing very well at this stage.
@Culling Song (Comment 20) : Also, in order for him to try and follow in John’s footsteps, he should at least try and be as brilliant as John is in his current position…?!
Funny though, Gary Botha made this big thing about coming back to SA and getting his place back in the bok team…I can’t think of one second of rugby this year from him that would have warranted selection for him – but hey, that goes for plenty bulls players at the moment!
@Culling Song (Comment 20) :
Its a Pretoria Boys High thing.
What a pity Syksie isnt there. Would that be in retaliation for him going to Ireland? He’s way better than Stegman and Potgieter.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 21) :
Jarson (Addicted) a blogger??
Doppies should feel robbed.
What the hell did Ashley Johnson do wrong?
@Ben (Comment 29) : sorry, can’t agree with you there…he is OK at best…but hey, I also don’t understand what the big who-ha is about Duane Vermeulen…?
@Ben (Comment 29) : Not so much of what he did wrong than who he contends with. That 7/8 spots don’t come cheap. But yeah, he’s unlucky not to make a 50 man squad.
@Ben (Comment 29) : Well he probably deserves a spot ahead of Pierre Spies at this stage although I don think a tad inconsistent.
I rate Ashley higher than Dewaldt Potgieter, Deon Stegman and Pierre Spies at the moment. Ashley should have at least made the 51 man squad.
@Caratacus (Comment 26) :
Sykes is NOT a looseforward.
Are you a Sharks supporter?? Did you know he is a no 4 lock??
@vanmartin (Comment 28) : As should Jaco Taute
@AlienArmy (Comment 30) : Don’t agree that he is okay at best, he is brilliant at best imo.
@Ben (Comment 29) : Just go look at his missed tackle and handling stats….he can be brilliant but way too inconsistent
@Ben (Comment 33) : It boggles the mind what stegman and potgieter is doing there!! Spies wont get dropped, he’s big and….well that’s it…he is big, hey it seems to work for Ricky!
If Spies played with the same heart as Keegan, he would be unstoppable! Unfortunately he’s a bit scared of this contact sport
Wynand above Doppies??
This list doesn`t mean much anyway. They`re not taking 50 guys to the world cup so this is pretty much just eye-blind me thinks.
@Pokkel (Comment 37) : I can name at least 15 names from this 51 man squad that are inconsistant. My point is Ashley is good enough to make a 51 man Springbok squad.
Their are a lot of loosies in SA that can feel hard done by when Stegman, Potgieter and Spies gets selected before them.
@Ben (Comment 36) : fair enough…I still don’t think he is good enough…his handling is average, his to upright in the tackle, and he is inconsistent…dit lyk net soms asof sy kop hom los…
@Ben (Comment 40) : I wouldn’t have him in my top 50. I would pick Whitely, Strauss,Minnie and even Kabamba before any of the Bulls loosies or Johnstone.
@wpw (Comment 27) : I’m trying to be
@Ben (Comment 40) : And so is Doppies and Sykes…
Point is I wont leave out one of the current 8′s in this list for Ashley…
@Pokkel (Comment 43) : Lol okay Pokkel
@AlienArmy (Comment 45) : I’d leave out Spies honestly. But aint ever gonna happen
Just saw the group. Really Divvie? Januarie?! Im 125kg and his gut makes mine almost look small
In all honesty he could have dropped Jantjies and have made it a nice round 50. The guy is not making the Lions starting lineup, how do you expect him to make the bokke with guys like Lambie, Steyn, Grant and Butch in contention. Nice way to build a persons confidence just before you know him back down.
Okay I see no one is taking my side on this Ashley case, I’ll just go find the nearest hole and crawl into it now!
@Viking (Comment 49) :
Does it really matter if Jantjies is there or not??
Everyone (including the player) knows he won’t be selected anytime soon so what’s wrong having him learn from senior Boks with RWC winners medals??
Sykes is very undervalued in this country. Let’s hope this motivates him even more to show the selectors what they’ll be missing out on post RWC. How many quality no 4 locks are going to be in the counrty post RWC? No vision from PDV!
@wpw (Comment 51) : True but even so he is also possibly taking a spot from another person who could also learn from winning boks. Besides this is only a “Planning and Logistics” Session. Whatever that means i don’t think it involves a lot of on field stuff.
GO BOKKE !!!
Jantjies must be the most over rated player in SA at the moment.
@Uli (Comment 55) : Shouldn’t you actually be rated first before you become over rated?
This should not even be called a bok squad. A more appropriate heading would have been “51 SA players invited to Bok Conference”. All they will be doing is talking about what will happen should you get selected.
Players who should not be there,
Coenie Oosthuizen – penalty machine
Bandise Maku – we all know there are plenty of other better hookers in town.
Dewaldt Potgieter – Just not in the same class as a Willem Alberts
Deon Stegmann – Just not in the same class as a Willem Alberts
Ricky Januarie – we all know why.
Elton Jantjies – over rated atm.
Wynand Olivier – where has he been? He has how ever showed he is a ver good Super rugby player and has shown nothing internationally.
Lionel Mapoe – he needs to actually prove to all the unions why they fought about him, at this stage I am glad he is not in Sharks colours.
Bjorn Basson- wow he can fly… but seriously, he is just another currie cup player nothing more.
Zane Kirchner- need I say more?
@Ben (Comment 56) : lol agreed.
The reason andries(center) did not make the sqaud is because of injury?
Can’t read too muc into a squad chosen to discuss “logistics”, but relieving to see no big omissions.
Sure, some lucky inclusions, but this is a 51-man squad – they could be dropped anytime.
Really wish Deysel had time to prove himself – he would have made a welcome addition to our forward pack, considering some of the selections here.
@franshark (Comment 60) : Don’t think so. Brussow and Juan Smith has been included and both are injured at this stage. Too bad for him though…
@franshark (Comment 60) : So why is Juan Smith in this squad? Will Andries be injured till after the WC?
@Viking (Comment 62) : You know what they say about great minds?
@Ben (Comment 64) : And about Fools who never differ…..
@Big Fish (Comment 61) : …no big omissions!? Dude, Steven Sykes!!
I am sorry to say, but you’re going to have to put in some hard yards to develop the proper partisan, blinkered and biased, pro-Sharks-at-all-costs attitude. Objectivity be damned, this will not stand!
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 65) :
En jy weet wat se hul van skerp potlode wat stomp raak! 
@Culling Song (Comment 66) :
Tell him!
@Uli (Comment 58) :
Surprise surpise. Not one Sharks player on that list.
@Ben (Comment 67) : Gelukkig het ek ‘n skerpmaker….baie lood in die potlood!
Jees, we’re talking about players unlucky not to make this squad, there’s about 20 of these guys not going…..
@Culling Song (Comment 66) :
@wpw (Comment 69) : Which Sharks player/s would you say do not deserve to be in this wider squad?? If anything else, there should have been a couple more!
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 70) : LOL
@Uli (Comment 58) :
Dude, Basson has scored 5 tries thus far which is only 1 behind Sarel Pretorius. How is he just a good CC player??
Now if you said Habana then I’d understand!!
@franshark (Comment 71) : And I have a funny feeling some of them would be dudes that wil deserve a spot ahead of some that would make it too..
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 73) :
Keegan, Hargreaves and McLeod!!
@wpw (Comment 77) : Don’t agree there. Show me who is a better 5 lock that has not been included. Same for keegen and same goes for Mcleod.
@Culling Song (Comment 66) :
Sorry nuncle!
Thing is though, I can’t recall the last time he posed a threat on opposition lineouts. Yes, he is superb in the rucks (one of the very best), has a solid workrate and doesn’t prance around in the backline, but I can’t say that he is clearly better than Flip.
And for me, the inclusion of the 2007 Boks in the squad is a non-negotiable – despite form to date. WC-winning experience is a precious commodity.
@wpw (Comment 77) : This is NOT the Boks squad Wes…who else would have put in their places in the wider squad?
Now – question 2 – please eloborate with reasons and facts why you reckon these three guys do not desetve to be named in the wider squad. (this will count as 50% of the paper)
@Big Fish (Comment 79) : Fish – I honestly do not understand this – I mean, Habana has all teh experience in the world and is not performing – so what really does it help having him in the team if he cannot deliver the goods. Thats why I said the other day – then we might as well go and call on Stransky or Jouba or any of these guysm give them kit and ask them to win us the current WC…
The only good that a 51 player “Bok squad” does is to generate comments on rugby blogs. It does naught for preparing for the world cup.
Good news for the Sharks and bad news for Wes is that Plum will concider Deysel for the Stormers game
according to an article on the official Sharks site.
@Viking (Comment 78) :
Keegan is too small/light for test rugby.
McLeod is being found out at Super rugby level. Having said that, I wouldn’t pick Ricky ahead of him. I think FDP, Ruan, Sarel and Hougaard offers more than Charl.
As for Hargreaves – I’m just not a fan of his.
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 81) : I agree that if you have the experience it will help a hell of a lot, but only if you are on form. Otherwise they must go with in consultation capacity..
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 80) : LOL
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 81) : Habana can tell the guys what not to do at this stage. Still valuable insight.
@Salmonoid (Comment 82) : agree with you there. Not much to read into here. Although I am stoked for Waylon Murray though. I always thought the Sharks should have tried to hold onto him.
@Viking (Comment 86) : See comment 85
@wpw (Comment 84) : OK, I will drop Charl for Ruan but lets keep it this way as oversees players were not considered at this stage.
As for Keegen, yes he may be on the shorter side but don’t believe that 94KG’s are too light. Plus he makes up for it in the way he plays. Has a lot of heart and warrants an inclusion into the wider group.
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 85) : I like that. There are plenty of consultants we can take with. Do you think there is a limit imposed by the IRB?
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 81) :
Ys, it is certainly a difficult balance to strike, but experience in winning knock-outs is not to be taken lightly. The pressure and intensity is on a whole other level, and as shown by Dad’s Army for England in 2007, experience can pull you through the pressure-cooker.
There is still enough time to trim out the non-performers later, so I see no harm in including the hardened warriors and giving them all the opportunity to reclaim their aura.
That said, I’m also concerned by Habana’s attacking impotence, Matfield’s lost lineout threat, Bakkies forgotten hard edge, etc.
@Viking (Comment 90) : fire all the togbag carriers and waterboys and a few other useless jobs, put them into that and you can have a consultions whilst your bag is being carried for you!
@CapeShark (Comment 87) :
Agree, I like Waylon but it seems that John Mitchell is somehow getting him back to good form, something which our coaches just could not do. Waylon the Lion is way better than he was with us.
@Big Fish (Comment 91) :
Sadly the rational side of my brain agrees with you but you could also argue that sending a young team to the WC2011 will provide experienced players for the RWC2015. Sadly the rational side of my brain can’t see the Boks winning the WC under the current structures.
I will always support the Boks no matter who’s playing but I’m thinking further than RWC2011
You guys are talking smack about the Bulle. Oh no wait, they call them the Boks these days.
Maakie saak of ek ‘n fan van ‘n speler issie, ek wil nettie WC wen, soe wie eva die job doen, I LIKE !!! GO BOKKE !!! (PS – Support ‘n slag die span en hou op met provinsialisme !!!)
@wpw (Comment 1) : Okay THAT looks better.
@Charlie (Comment 96) : Moenie worry nie Charlie….teen September skreeu ons almal virrie Bokke!
@Pokkel (Comment 94) :
Pokkel me-mate, the reality is that an informed decision was made by SARU in 2008 that the vast majority of the 2007 squad was going to play in 2011.
It made sense at the time, and the 2009 performances bore this out. It is now too late to change that direction – our success depends on the powers that be getting the best from the old warhorses in their last hurrah.
For the record, I think that the gap between where we are right now and where we need to be to win is not that large.
The major concerns are the locks, halfbacks and 15.
Matfield and Botha, FDP and Frans are the big guns we need to fire there, while flyhalf is the only area that doesn’t have a sure-fire selection – although Lambie has the potential, if not the experience.
@Pokkel (Comment 98) :
@Big Fish (Comment 99) :
I truly hope you are right oh wise one!
I suppose this year looks a lot like 2007 where the Boks weren’t really given a chance. Let’s hope the old warhorses have one last trick up their sleeves.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 97) :
You gotta show me how to add tables, etc to an article!!
@wpw (Comment 102) : I also want to know! LOL
@wpw (Comment 102) : @Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 103) :
@wpw (Comment 102) :
@Pr’Ice Flower (Comment 103) :
Easy.
Add the text of the article (excluding the table) as you normally would (In the HTML view)
Then copy the table as it appears on the source.
Now change to the Visual view and paste the table.
Walla!!!!!!!! and IF you are lucky the table will automatically size to the page.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 105) : Oh and i suggest you use the “Preview” option a few times until you get the hang of it.
i’ve posted a few weird ones once or twice until i got sorted
@wpw (Comment 84) : Keegan is too small/light for test rugby…. So what does that make Aplon then, Chuck bleedin’ Norris?
@Pokkel (Comment 94) : Now that is a really valid point. WC experience now will definitely pave the way forward for the younger crop of players to get a good competitive edge in 2015.
Elton Jantjies……..lol
According to sportbilly tweet, bisie scored the most try’s of sa forwards and most turnover, sorry he can not be replaced by john… A litle bit of work between him and the line and lineouts will be sorted…
@franshark (Comment 110) : Except that the pilfer stat is the one you want to be the highest in. (In which he doesn’t feature)
Most Pilfers
1. Matt Todd (Crusaders) 7
1. Patrick McCutcheon (Waratahs) 7
3. Coenrad Oosthuizen (Cheetahs) 5
3. Francois Louw (Stormers) 5
5. Andrew Hore (Hurricanes) 4
5. David Pocock (Force) 4
5. Ita Vaea (Brumbies) 4
5. Louis Ludik (Sharks) 4
5. Matthew Hodgson (Force) 4
5. Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs) 4
11. Andries Bekker (Stormers) 3
11. Beau Robinson (Reds) 3
11. Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks) 3
11. Derick Minnie (Lions) 3
11. Duane Vermeulen (Stormers) 3
11. Keegan Daniel (Sharks) 3
11. Nasi Manu (Highlanders) 3
11. Rory Kockott (Lions) 3
11. Scott Waldrom (Chiefs) 3
11. Tana Umaga (Chiefs) 3
The turnover stat is when you turned the ball over to the opposition. (In which Bismarck IS the highest)
1. Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks) 30
2. Ged Robinson (Rebels) 23
2. Ryno Barnes (Cheetahs) 23
2. Sitiveni Sivivatu (Chiefs) 23
5. Corey Flynn (Crusaders) 22
5. Deon Fourie (Stormers) 22
5. Quade Cooper (Reds) 22
8. Bandise Maku (Lions) 21
8. Bryan Habana (Stormers) 21
8. Keven Mealamu (Blues) 21
8. Rene Ranger (Blues) 21
12. Adam Thomson (Highlanders) 19
12. Hikawera Elliot (Chiefs) 19
12. Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) 19
15. Charl Mcleod (Sharks) 18
15. Danny Cipriani (Rebels) 18
15. Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs) 18
18. Ben Whittaker (Force) 17
18. Ita Vaea (Brumbies) 17
18. James O’Connor (Force) 17
And saying he has scored the most tries of SA forwards is not entirely the WHOLE truth, because he shares that with Whiteley and Alberts. Whiteley isn’t even in the 51.
13. Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks) 3
13. Digby Ioane (Reds) 3
13. James O’Connor (Force) 3
13. Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) 3
13. Matt Giteau (Brumbies) 3
13. Warren Whiteley (Lions) 3
13. Willem Alberts (Sharks) 3
@KSA Shark © (Comment 111) : The full list of try scorers.
Most Tries
1. Sean Maitland (Crusaders) 8
2. Adam Thomson (Highlanders) 6
2. Drew Mitchell (Waratahs) 6
2. Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs) 6
5. Bjorn Basson (Bulls) 5
5. Israel Dagg (Crusaders) 5
7. Jared Payne (Blues) 4
7. Kade Poki (Highlanders) 4
7. Lelia Masaga (Chiefs) 4
7. Luke Morahan (Reds) 4
7. Rene Ranger (Blues) 4
7. Robert Fruean (Crusaders) 4
13. Alby Mathewson (Blues) 3
13. Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks) 3
13. Digby Ioane (Reds) 3
13. James O’Connor (Force) 3
13. Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) 3
13. Matt Giteau (Brumbies) 3
13. Warren Whiteley (Lions) 3
13. Willem Alberts (Sharks) 3
I reckon Syksie is the unluckiest player out there. Going to Ireland or not he is the best and hardest working lock we have in this country.(Also by far concedes the least penalties compared to the other hard men).The Sharks are going to realise soon enough how much work he gets through when he’s no longer there.
Something missing from that squad?
http://www.varsitycup.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4268:in-the-eye-of-the-tigers&catid=29:ikeys&Itemid=8