Sharks scrumhalf Charl McLeod has been added to the Springbok preliminary training squad to replace Ricky Januarie, who announced his retirement from the international game last week.
McLeod, who has represented the Springboks in a tour match against Barbarians, but has not yet been capped in a test, will join up with the other members of the preliminary squad at a camp in Cape Town next week. Should the Stormers reach the Super Rugby final by beating the Crusaders this weekend, their representatives will be excused from the camp.
The squad for the away leg of the Tri-Nations will be selected at the conclusion of the camp.
Preliminary Rugby World Cup squad:
| Player | Province | Caps |
| 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 |
| BJ Botha | Munster, Ireland | 25 |
| Heinrich Brüssow | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 13 |
| Schalk Burger | DHL Western Province | 63 |
| 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 |
| Dean Greyling | Vodacom Blue Bulls | - |
| Bryan Habana | DHL Western Province | 68 |
| Alistair Hargreaves | The Sharks | 2 |
| Francois Hougaard | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 8 |
| Adrian Jacobs | The Sharks | 32 |
| Butch James | MTN Golden Lions | 40 |
| Elton Jantjies | MTN Golden Lions | - |
| Ashley Johnson | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | - |
| Ryan Kankowski | The Sharks | 17 |
| Zane Kirchner | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 14 |
| Werner Kruger | Vodacom Blue Bulls | - |
| Patrick Lambie | The Sharks | 4 |
| Francois Louw | DHL Western Province | 7 |
| Charl McLeod | The Sharks | - |
| Victor Matfield | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 105 |
| Tendai Mtawarira | The Sharks | 26 |
| Johann Muller | Ulster, Ireland | 23 |
| Lwazi Mvovo | The Sharks | 2 |
| Odwa Ndungane | The Sharks | 7 |
| Wynand Olivier | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 32 |
| Coenie Oosthuizen | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | - |
| Ruan Pienaar | Ulster, Ireland | 47 |
| JP Pietersen | The Sharks | 36 |
| 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 |
| Frans Steyn | Racing Metro, France | 42 |
| Morne Steyn | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 25 |
| Adriaan Strauss | Toyota Free State Cheetahs | 9 |
| Flip van der Merwe | Vodacom Blue Bulls | 10 |
| Duane Vermeulen | DHL Western Province | - |
Nice for McLeod’s ego but I very much doubt he’ll make it anywhere near New Zealand.
@Pokkel (Comment 1) : I was about to say, he is a good Currie Cup player, almost average in SupeRugby but nowhere near good enough to play for the Boks.
I almost wanna say “now I’ve seen everything” but I’ll take mcleod anyday above januarie, februarie or march (even when his not at top form, might just do him the world of good)
Sarel Pretorius probably deserves a token call-up after a good S15 although I wouldn’t take him to NZ either because his defense is shocking at times.
They probably called up McLeod because he’s been part of the squad before and know a bit about the set-up in the Bok camp.
what will be very interesting is to see how many of the fringe guys in THIS group make the 3N squad for the away leg.
Could have a big impact on the Currie Cup.
@Pokkel (Comment 4) : Charl might actually get the nod for 3N…
@robdylan (Comment 6) : I think so, The Boks are going to send a “touring” team on the away leg of the 3N so I think Charl will get a look in then.
mcleod is rubbish, there’s no way he should be there before Sarel.
Think its bit unfair that Charl gets selected before Sarel. Also with three scrum halfs in Fourie, Ruan and hougaardt surely Fourie will play the entire Tri-nations to get match fit again.
Sarel’s defence may need some work but he deserves it more than McLeod. Even if it only ends up being his name on a list and nothing more.
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 7) : creates a big scrumhalf headache for us in the opening weeks of Currie Cup
@robdylan (Comment 11) : uhh.. Michalak? Isn’t that what you guys signed him for?
@robdylan (Comment 11) : oh, on that note is JLP still with you guys for the CC? When is his contract until?
@robdylan (Comment 11) : How long will Hoffman be out for and what about playing Freddie at 9 and JLP at 10
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 14) : JLP at 10 – you already thinking about advantages for Stormers when they play us
On a different note, I see the Bulls are revamping and improving their management structures. Da da tee tum too……
@molly (Comment 13) : i would also like to know that
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 14) : 9 Hoffman and Freddie at 10 I would be happy with.
well done Charl
but seriously the guy has little chance of making the final squad so I guess he will be available for the Sharks.
@rekinek (Comment 15) : Hehehe at least its not Monty Dumond
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 20) : at least Monty could kick
How did JLP end up in the dog box? He hardly played in the S15?
@molly (Comment 13) : he signed a 3-year contract…
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 20) : speaking of which, guess who’s joined Griquas for the Currie Cup season…
@robdylan:glad to see monty playing cc rugby then -if it is him you alluding to
@robdylan:sharks will most probably try and get clearance for macleod to play .with ruan,fourie and houaard there,macleod would most probably be one too many.
Boy I think mcloed is lucky.
@robdylan (Comment 23) : Cool, there’s your CC flyhalf then, he’s more than good enough for CC. Freddy can play 9 for the first bit of the comp.
@molly: don’t know if that will happen,freddy at 9.I reckon macleod will be back for cc.but @robdylan said he might even get gametime (off the bench?starter?)in 3N.if he doea,I’d be chuffed for macleod.then it will start getting interesting,re : michalak to play at 9.but will he want to?it is a shame for both jlp and the sharks that his gk deserted him at such a crucial stage of the comp and when he had the opportunity to step-up.:-(
Well done Charl. Can’t believe your own fans are calling you rubbish or saying you’re not good enough!
Whatever happened to the bias? Jeez, this site is called Sharksworld after all!
@wpw:+1
it makes no sense that players who are crocked and severly injured make the list, they haven’t played top flight rugby in ages, but are good enough to be named in a squad. What is Juan Smith and co going to do, cheer from the sidelines. He needs to regain his fitness and his health, get into shape and then get match fit…
@wpw:imagine the comments if it was one from the coaching staff who received a call-up (evil)
@vanmartin (Comment 22) : I have him down as a man who costs us a bonus point in 2 games and thus a quarter against the Blues
jokes aside, not being a bad player he hardly shone this year.
@wpw (Comment 30) : we try to make you feel at home
@rekinek:I can think of a few more players who potentially cost us a ponus point.
@bergshark (Comment 36) : true. add superPat to the list. But JLP was most conspicuous for me.
@molly (Comment 28) : oh – you didn’t read into the … what I thought you would
@robdylan (Comment 38) : I did… just playing dumb blonde
@molly (Comment 39) : ok – I’m not allowed to talk about it though.
Didn’t realise you were blonde?
@robdylan (Comment 40) : ok, how about Paul Jordaan, he can play 10, right? Or should you guys rather look at a 9 replacement?
@robdylan (Comment 24) : Saw that.Are they really that hard up?
@molly (Comment 41) : Paul Jordaan is not ready to play Currie Cup.
I’d be happy with Fred at 9 and Bosman at 10 in the CC… pity they chucked Swannie away, but a guy like Dwayne Jenner from the u21s could step up at 12 with Joubert outside him.
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 42) : they’ve still got Earl as well, hey…
I’m actually a big Monty fan at Currie Cup level… remember how him and McLeod were the form halfback partnership for most of the 2009 season.
Experienced players like that are really going to stick out this Currie Cup
@robdylan (Comment 44) : good thing for CC is that the Sharks without Boks are better (or at least used to be) that Stormers or Bulls without the Boks.
mmm On a different note, since the Lions lost their Mr Money In The Bank . . . doesn`t that mean there`ll be some lions available to us?
Murray, Cilliers and Taute would be very handy
Some want Pdiv to pick experienced players. Some want Pdiv to pick form players. By picking Charl McLeod he has done neither.