The Springbok side for the year-end tour to the UK will be announced after the Absa Currie Cup final – and Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will, therefore, have less than two weeks to prepare the Boks for the three Tests.
News 24 reports that no official communication on the date of the team announcement has been forthcoming from SA Rugby, but it has been learnt that the side will assemble after the weekend of the Currie Cup final on October 25 and depart for Cardiff the following Friday.
Effectively that means that De Villiers will have less than a week’s training at home and a full week before the Test against Wales in Cardiff on November 8.
The Springboks play Tests against Wales, Scotland and England on November 8, 15 and 22 respectively. Plans for a fourth Test against Ireland have been shelved.
There has also been no formal communication from SA Rugby on the composition of the side, but De Villiers has previously intimated that, with the Test series against the British and Irish Lions next year in mind, the touring squad could be without a number of senior players, some of whom have played in as many as 10 Tests this season.
Meanwhile there is also no clarity on when Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu will announce his contracted players for the 2008/09 IRB Sevens World series which starts in Dubai on November 28 and 29. He is still negotiating the release of players from the Super 14 franchises.
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not like there is any preparation anyway
OK so which ones have played 10 tests? Jantjes, AD, Jean, Butch, Schalk, Spies, Juan, Matfield.
Of these I think AD,Schalk, Spies, Matfield & Juan havent played that much S14 rugby. Replacements
Jantjes – Steyn/Kirschner/Fortuin
Jean (put AD in 12 and bring back Jac Fourie)
Butch- Grant
Dont think the others need a break.
Pretty standard really. If I remember correctly not much different from previous years.
I actually think we can do without these tours. But suppose it’s a money spinner. 🙄
Picked this one up from the Aussies and surprised it havent got mentioned in the SA medium.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24382467-23217,00.html
AUSTRALIA could be involved in a radical new 10-team World Series being proposed by the International Rugby Board, commencing as early as 2010.
The idea behind the biannual tournament would be to give more meaning to the international calendar between World Cups. It could also address the situation of northern hemisphere countries sending weakened touring sides to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
The blueprint for the World Series would involve Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Wales, France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Argentina.
The Daily Mail said all teams would play each other once – with every Six Nations match, some Tri-Nations games and Tests against Argentina carrying World Series points.
The Wallabies, All Blacks and Springboks would play Argentina when they did not have a Tri-Nations game with the World Series, culminating in a final at the new Wembley stadium in front of 92,000 fans.
Could bring a whole new meaning to this tours and we must never forget that the EYT tests may play a important role in the rankings coming into consideration for the WC 2011 pools.
@PaarlBok (Comment 5) : Not bad. But then they should also implement a global season so that everybody, including us fans, get a break.