Springbok coach Peter de Villiers on Monday named 11 Sharks who will join his national squad at their training base in Somerset West, bringing up to 47 the number of players who are in camp ahead of the two-Test series against Wales next month.
Steve Farrell of Rugby 365 reports that the squad will be reduced to 30 on Wednesday, with the rest of the players likely to make up the bulk of the Emerging Springbok squad for the International Rugby Board (IRB) Nations Cup tournament in Romania next month.
On Monday De Villiers revealed that BJ Botha, Bismark du Plessis, Adi Jacobs, Ryan Kankowski, JP Pietersen, Tendai Mtawarira, Johann Muller, Waylon Murray, Ruan Pienaar, Francois Steyn and Odwa Ndungane all joined the squad.
They had travelled directly from Sydney, where they lost 13-28 to the Waratahs in the Super 14 semifinal, to Somerset West to join up with the Bok training squad.
The large contingent of Sharks players in the squad come despite what was probably the Durban-based franchise’s worst performance of the season.
However, De Villiers decided not punish them on Monday by omitting them from his national training squad.
Their arrival follows the departure – at the weekend – of injured players like Heini Adams, Jaque Fourie, Zane Kirchner, Fourie du Preez, Wikus van Heerden and Duanne Vermeulen.
Schalk Burger, who lives fairly nearby to where the Springboks are based, will travel with the squad to Bloemfontein for the June 7 Test as a spectator.
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No Botes 😯 😯 😯
No Kockott which means RP will be back-up Scrummy or Bolla will get the nod. 😕
Nice one Akona
No Barrit either
Finally Akona gets a shot.
The less said about this squad the better – I will wait for the 30 to be announced.
@Pokkel (Comment 4) :
Ja but we are only naming UN expected ommissions 😉
😳
Little mistake there. it is ODWA who has made the squad. Akona plays for the Bulls.
Will correct it now.
And NO Jannie Du Plessis 😯
There is a chance that all 11 of these Sharks make the 30. I can’t imagine de Villiers would fly them out there for 2 days of training.
I’m glad to see Odwa there, I assume, he’s been outstanding for the Sharks.
@Pokkel (Comment 4) : good. Barritt is my skipper for the Currie Cup
@robdylan (Comment 10) :
you don’t think it will be Kockott?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) :
I am not a Jannie fan.. 😐
Schalk Burger, who lives fairly nearby to where the Springboks are based, will travel with the squad to Bloemfontein for the June 7 Test as a spectator.
Why does this line appear in so many articles? Are they trying to send us a message that we are all failing to pick up? What does it matter where Burger lives?
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 12) :
it does raise a question though as Flash indicated. Does this mean all 11 will make the cut?
Will the overflow from this group go into the Emerging Bok squad?
And if they don’t then HOW kak does PdV think Jannie Du Plessis is?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 7) : I thought so, had to read the article again and adjust my post
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) :
Ja, BUT …a better question…how can he travel as a spectator and we not??? 😉 and another….why can the other injured not travel with as spectators??? Cause they dont live nearby??
dont expect to see kockott or barritt in the currie cup every major overseas club is gonna be after them now , amazing how the two english boys left out
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) : Just making sure the selection of Luke is not too much of a shock..
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 16) :
Must be. 😆
If all 11 do stay then I make the squad of 30 to look like this:
Props: Beast, Mujati, Guthro, BJ
Hookers: Smit, Bis
Locks: Matfield, Bakkies, Muller, Bekker
Flanks: Smith, Watson, Danie, Lobberts
8s: Kanko, Spies
9s: Januarie, Pienaar
10s: Butch, Grant
Wings: Habana, Pietersen, Odwa, Chav(Akona)
Centres: de Villiers, Murray, Jacobs, Steyn
Fullbacks: Conrad, Percy
12 players ‘of colour’, 7 of which could start.
presumably the Emerging Bok squad will contain more than just the guys cut from the Bok group… surely Kockott, Barritt and Jannie will come into consideration for that tour?
Brad played for them last year… has he really gone backwards this year?
@Flashman (Comment 20) : I think you’re at least 90% right with that squad
So chuffed for all of them – especially Adi and Odwa.
Flanks: Smith, Watson, Danie, Lobberts
And NO Botes???????????
@robdylan (Comment 21) :
Wasn’t Grant their #10 last year?
Think Jacques and Rory were unlucky not to get a shout.
we will probably be looking at the following CC line-up
1 Carstens *
2 Burden
3 Jannie
4 Sykes
5 van den Berg
6 Botes *
7 Deysel
8 Blignaut
9 Kockott *
10 Barritt *
11 Mentz
12 Strauss
13 Matyeshana
14 Wagenstroom
15 Terblanche
16 Badenhorst/Jenneker
17 Cilliers
18 Hargreaves
19 Daniel
20 MacLeod
21 Swanepoel
22 Spedding/Dames/Mvovo
@KSA Shark © (Comment 25) : Barritt sometimes plays 12, you know…
oh – in post 27 above, the guys with the * are potential captains.
@robdylan (Comment 27) :
Not a bad looking team Rob – with so many guys missing.
@robdylan (Comment 28) :
Yes I know 🙄 But I was just trying to figure who the 10 was.
NOT EVERYTHING I say is something of an attempt to nail Barit you know… 😉
Do you have to be qualified to play for the Boks to be able to play for the emerging Boks?
Beast and Mujati are the reason I ask.
if you play for the emerging Boks you are then not “locked into” your country for life yet so why should the reverse no be possible?
@robdylan (Comment 27) :
Good team. I’d like to see Jenneker get more game time. I’m not so sure that this Burden switch is paying off, he adds very little to the scrums and rucks.
Kockott as a captain?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 31) :
@Flashman (Comment 33) :
Geez Flashman – can’t believe you said that about Burden. I think he is just starting to make a difference in the scrums. Jody has had plenty of opportunity to show his worth and didn’t make the grade.
@Flashman (Comment 33) :
I’m actually looking forward to the CC to see Burden against the other hookers on a full-time basis. I think he is going to be one of the best in the CC.
Since Craig converted to hooker he has only played in one full game – hardly gives you time to mature in that position.
Like KSA says – looking forward to seeing him playing hooker on a full time basis and then we can comment.
Loved his try on Saturday!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 36) : yeah – I agree on Burden. Think he’ll be dynamite as first-choice CC hooker. I feel Jenneker adds more as a backup option than old Skip, who must surely be allowed to stroll on now.
Flash – Brad would be my first choice for captain. JB is not loud enough, whereas Kocky is just too loud.
Kind of ironic… Tighthead and scrumhalf are the two positions where we arguably have the best depth and exactly the positions where we could have afforded to lose more than one guy to the Boks.
@robdylan (Comment 38) :
Is this now purely because …..? 😉
Elaborate on whay you would give Brad the captaincy…
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 40) : simple. He is the most level-headed guy in that squad. He is also the guy who calls the backline plays and organises the defence. He is calm under pressure, level-headed and intelligent (five A’s in matric) and the other guys look up to him. He is a talker in the backline, which is sorely needed.
besides, the Sharks have never looked good with Botes captaining. He is a great workhorse, but he’s a follower, not a leader. If had to give it to somebody other than Barritt, it would be Carstens
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 40) :
Any Parent wants the best for their children…………
@robdylan (Comment 41) :
Thanks Rob…just wanted to know your reasons…honeslty..maybe I am not concentrating on him as much – so I was under impression he’s bit quiet and does not stand out as a “natural” leader – also think very young still to get respect from other guys- what I mean (by natural leader) is, if you see Teichman or Smit…they just LOOK the look…catch my drift?
Is it only me, or is the people touchy today?? 😉
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 44) : yeah – I think everyone is a bit on edge today. We’re all very disappointed after the game on Saturday.
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 44) :
Know what you mean Ice – phoned my sister-in-law for her birthday this morning and she sms’d me 5 minutes later to ask if everything was okay – I sounded down.
Congratulations to all the boys who got the call for the untrimmed BOK squad.
To the rest of the guys who JUST missed it…you still have enough time to prove your worth. Just go out there and win that CC for us.
Nominee for Captain : Jacques Botes.
@Nessa (Comment 46) :
I feel almost worst than last year…and to top it I either have a bug or food poisoning…I am DRAINED, emotionally and phisically….and then Rob is snotty with me….BWAAAAAAAAA 😥 😥
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 48) :
🙂 🙂
I hadn’t thought of Barritt as a captain but he is a Kearsney boy. What more could you want from a captain?
So far my biggest dissapointment so far is the fact that I rented ‘before the devil knows you’re dead’. 👿
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 48) : what? When was I snotty with you?
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 51) : thanks for the tip. Will remove it from my LoveFilm list.
right- I’m off to Germany.
Catch you all later
@robdylan (Comment 52) :
😉 😉
I can imagine you standing – using your fingers to count down his accolads that makes him deservant with lots of drift…
Have a lekker trippie!
@robdylan (Comment 53) : Probably not that bad. But very serious. More like a good book,, than a popcorn & coke blockbuster. On the upside there’s ample footage of a naked/semi naked Marisa Tomei.
On the upside there’s …I am sure thats an Upside…
I just finished a very serious book (for me anyways)..”The meaning of night” Michael COX…that was a bit of a DOWNside to the end…good read nevertheless…
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 57) : 608 pages 😯 Seems serious.
@I’ce (TKMITFM) (Comment 57) : There’s some violence & moral dillema’s etc in it too. 🙄
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 59) : Bit of shocking end.
Rob – put it back on your list.
dilemma.
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 59) :
No worries Rachel…they don try to get you back on the small and narrow… 😉
Seems that concludes the Sharksworld movie & book review. 😀
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 61) : Will do
The large contingent of Sharks players in the squad come despite what was probably the Durban-based franchise’s worst performance of the season.
What is Farrell implying here..that they could/should have been overlooked due to one poor performance.. 🙄
I guess any old hick can become a Sport/rugby writer …just always look for a contencious angle.
Congrats to the players , looking forward to Kanko in the green and gold!
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 66) : would be difficult to justify ANY Cheetahs players getting in, using that logic 😉
@robdylan (Comment 27) :
Eish, if that is more or less our line-up for our opening game vs the United States of Western Province, we are seriously in the poo – that looks more like a Wildesbeeste Invitational XV…. by the way, you can add Michalak to that backline, push Dumi M to the bench – remember his defense is highly suspect, so we ideally want him on the wing or fullback NOT outside centre!
@Le Requinny (Comment 68) : Province should also be somewhat depleted, though.
I am very happy for Odwa….
Long overdue….
JPP….he does not even deserve a place at teh Wildebeest…
And Murray even worse…
Happy for Adi…
Barring the semi he had played well all season and injected some much needed drive and meeining into the Sharks backline….
@Le Requinny (Comment 68) : You look fine from 1 – 6
Surprised about Jannie though!??!
@PJLD (Comment 74) :
I think the training camp call up of JPP and Murray did the Sharks a favor….only improves their backline…
Hmmm
If PDV selected players based on form then Steyn, FDP, JPP, Wynand, Murray, Ruan, Danie PK and quite a few other Boks would not be there.