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Well done to props Thomas du Toit and Coenie Oosthuizen, flank Jean-Luc du Preez and utility three-quarter Lukhanyo Am, all of whom have been included in the South Africa “A” squad to face the England Saxons in June.
The SA ‘A’ squad for the England Saxons tour is:
1. Lukhanyo Am Centre/Wing Cell C Sharks/Southern Kings
2. Francois Brummer Flyhalf/Fullback Steval Pumas/Vodacom Bulls
3. Nizaam Carr Flank DHL Stormers (2 caps)
4. Jean-Luc du Preez Flank Cell C Sharks
5. Thomas du Toit Prop Cell C Sharks
6. Lizo Gqoboka Prop Vodacom Bulls
7. Travis Ismaiel Wing Vodacom Bulls
8. Ntando Kebe Scrumhalf Border Bulldogs/Southern Kings
9. Vincent Koch Prop Steval Pumas/DHL Stormers (2 caps)
10. Edgar Marutlulle Hooker Southern Kings
11. Malcolm Marx Hooker Emirates Lions
12. Howard Mnisi Centre Emirates Lions
13. Oupa Mohoje Flank Toyota Cheetahs (8 caps)
14. Franco Mostert Lock Emirates Lions
15. Coenie Oosthuizen Prop Cell C Sharks (23 caps)
16. Sergeal Petersen Wing Toyota Cheetahs
17. JD Schickerling Lock DHL Stormers
18. Courtnall Skosan Wing Emirates Lions
19. RG Snyman Lock Vodacom Bulls
20. Marcel van der Merwe Prop Vodacom Bulls (7 caps)
21. Piet van Zyl Scrumhalf Vodacom Bulls (2 caps)
22. Francois Venter Centre Toyota Cheetahs
23. Leolin Zas Wing DHL Stormers
SA ‘A’ Team Management:
Johan Ackermann – Head Coach
Chumani Booi – Assistant Coach
Abe Davids – Assistant Coach
Thulani Nteta – Conditioning Coach
Dr Rob Collins – Team Doctor
Karabo Morokane – Physiotherapist
Willem Oliphant – Team Manager
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Lourens Adriaanse is very unlucky to not even make the SA “A” squad. One of the best scrummagers in Super Rugby.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 1) : Perhaps Lewies and Tollie too.
I would add Paul Jordaan to that unlucky list.
I think the Bok and “A” squad lucky list is a pretty comprehensive one, starting with Serfontein.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 1) : Coenie ahead of Adriaanse – based on this year’s form??
@Bokhoring (Comment 5) : Coenie is a promise that was never fulfilled. Maybe it’s his name, or the way he looks that make people think he will ever be more than average. It certainly isn’t the way he plays…Agreed that Adriaanse us better not just as scrummager but also a lot more mobile and better on defence. Al round just the better deal.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 1) : I would add the Sharks hookers to the unlucky list. Coenie is definitely lucky to be there.
@coolfusion (Comment 6) : Even if Coenie was way better in open play… I’d rather take Adriaanse, if a tight head cant scrum then he shouldn’t be on the field
Thulani Nteta is also a Shark so i think he should also be congratulated. Im not super impressed with this squad to be honest. I think they could struggle against a strong Saxons side. I think they could put a useful match day 23 together if i look through the names…but not many combinations stand out for me at first glance
@Bokhoring (Comment 5) : The mind boggles… 😯
@the-other-sharky (Comment 8) : I also wonder if the slightly smaller props are not more adaptable to different scrum scenarios. Is there perhaps a perfect height and size for a prop especially tighthead?
Piet van Zyl at scrumhalf – we are really scraping the barrel. Jordaan can feel hard done by, but I guess it was a choice between him and Venter.
Assistant coach – Abe Davids. He of the faked coaching certificate.
No Akker vd Merwe – wow. Actually there are many Lions players, who are all on form, that can feel aggrieved for not making, at least, this squad.
@SheldonK (Comment 9) : Good catch on Nteta. The squad looks a little light on flanks?
@vanmartin (Comment 15) : Indeed, well spotted. Only Mahoje, Carr and Dupreez as loosies. Tecklenberg unlucky to miss out. I wonder if those not selected in the Bok team will then play for the A side?
@SheldonK (Comment 16) : Has to be the case as there are quite a few extra flanks in the Bok sqaud and only three locks in the SA A squad, so no extra locks available to cover flank from the bench for the A squad.
@SheldonK (Comment 16) : One would hope so, but it would make Ackermann’s job of coaching this lot very difficult.
@vanmartin (Comment 17) : @Bokhoring (Comment 18) : Yeh it does make Ackermann’s job pretty tough hey. Im assuming they will be coaching to the same blueprint though
@SheldonK (Comment 19) : Only way to move forward should we want to make our ‘A’ side a more regular feature (which I reckon it should be).
Apparently 4 players from the Boks squad will join the A team.
@vanmartin (Comment 20) : Yeh i fully agree.
Question: let’s say a lock in the Bok squad is injured. Does a lock from the ‘A’ squad get promoted up and the ‘A’ squad calls up a new lock or do you folks think the Bok squad might call up someone from outside the ‘A’ squad?
You can probably see where I’m going with this. I’d like to determine where players like Lewies, Adriaandse & Jordaan currently fall within the SA pecking order.
I guess it all comes down to what the ‘A’ squad’s main purpose is. Is it mainly a development squad for players with potential, a squad where out of favour Boks can prove themselves and get some game time or a mixture of the two?
Would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this one.
@vanmartin (Comment 23) : I reckon at this very moment in time,Lewies Jordan,Adriaanse andEEsterhuizen are dusting off their C.V ‘s and have dispatched their agents to France,Ireland and Japan.
@vanmartin (Comment 23) : I say it can be/must be a mixture of both. The A team is a great vehicle to ensure players get international exposure which gives them an edge on their domestic compatriots. But that doesn’t automatically guarantee that player is the best form player for that position at that time just used to playing a different type of opponent and outside- of- comfort -zone or provincial structures. So AC may yet come back and pick someone from the pumas (am I giving him too much credit? ) if the A team players in that position don’t make the grade.
@vanmartin (Comment 23) : I would expect the replacement to come from the A side. But thats not to say there is a slight possibility of them looking at guys outside of the sides. Remember these squads are only for the 3 tests vs Ireland and the 2 Saxons games. I expect a good few more guys to come into it for the rugby championship
@vanmartin (Comment 23) : I also expect to see a much more ruthless turnover of players in the A team. Players being moved in and out at high pace.
@vanmartin (Comment 23) : I also expect to see a much more liberal turnover of players in the A team. Players being moved in and out at high pace.
@The hound (Comment 24) : @coolfusion (Comment 25) : @SheldonK (Comment 26) : thanks for the inputs. Interesting times ahead.
My pick for the A Side: Gqoboka, Marx, DuToit, Mostert, Snyman, DuPreez, Mahoje, Carr, Van Zyl, Brummer, Skosan, Mnisi, Venter,Zas, Pieterson…
@SheldonK (Comment 30) : Vincent Koch?
@coolfusion (Comment 31) : Dont rate him that much hey. Was starting to play well then the Argie shoved his head up his ass and he hasnt been the same since. Also hasnt played much at the Stormers of late. He has potential but for me he isnt one of the better guys currently.
@coolfusion (Comment 31) : Sharks destroyed him at Newlands earlier this year. It seems that Bok cap did him more damage than good.
Lukhanyo Am, how ironical is it that a player the Sharks find surplus to current needs gets a call up before their first choice centres. Carpe Diem.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 34) : Am has been playing wing and thats where he has been good. So should compare to Sharks wings. Agree with your point but both our starting wings are in the Bok side
@SheldonK (Comment 32) : think april will join the squad if jantjes is deemed fit for the ireland series.my starting team same as yours except for coenie at no1.there will be 2 no3s on the bench (either way) in koch and vd merwe.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 36) : Coenie wont and cant play no.1 as far as i am aware
@SheldonK (Comment 35) : But he is in this squad as centre / wing. Methinks, on form, both our wings are a bit fortuneate to have cracked the nod.
@SheldonK (Comment 39) : then that squad has only one loosehad prop in there,gqoboka,because thomas is also a no3 now.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 39) : Yeh it does look a bit unbalanced. Although there is more likelyhood of Thomas playing no.1 than Coenie i think
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 38) : He played once at centre for the Kings as was pretty average to be honest. He is much better at wing. I think our wings have made it based on what they have achieved for the Boks previously and also the few good touches they have shown this year. They havnt been consistently amazing this year but the whole team hasnt. If everyone was purely picked on consistent form this i think it would be a different team…
@SheldonK (Comment 41) :
Yeah – I dont think we should get ahead of ourselves on Am just yet. Hes looked decent, but nothing to make you curse having lent him out to the Kings.
@SheldonK (Comment 41) : Yes this is a real problem. Playing consistently at a high standard has not been a common occurance all season, except for the Lions and even they have had days that went horribly wrong. One looks at the 9 Stormers players selected and PSdT is the only one of them that has been on form the whole season, the rest have hardly got out of third gear. Ditto the Bulls and to a lesser extent the Sharks. AC will have a nightmare if, on match day, the majority of the team put in their norm for this season so far.
@Big Fish (Comment 42) : He has looked fairly good on attack (defense still a bit iffy). Mjekevu also looked fairly sharp. But in a team playing that badly perhaps average looks great.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 43) : And i guess thats the level where real quality players are revealed. In this new era it will be interesting who can carry their form from Super rugby into a Bok jersey and who can put aside average super rugby form and excel in a Bok jersey…interesting times.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 13) : please tell us more!?!?