There are some questions about Willem de Waal‘s equalising coversion kick for the Emerging Boks in their 13 – 13 draw against the British & Irish Lions at Newlands.

The 31-year-old flyhalf on Tuesday night gave supporters a reason to cheer at the drenched Newlands stadium when he ensured that the Emerging Springboks drew 13-13 with the tourists.

But immediately after the match there was a scramble to establish if the touring team had suffered an injustice.

Journalists approached André Watson, South Africa’s chief referee about the kick. Watson admitted that he had his doubts about whether it was a valid kick and therefore studied visual footage.

The footage appeared to be contradictory but it was finally deduced, partly from the body language of the Lions, that the kick was valid.

“I watched it on Tuesday night in slow motion. With the shot from behind, you are looking for a moment when you see the ball and the posts disappear. You get it on two shots,” said Watson.

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Welsh and British & Irish Lions winger and World Player of the Year 2008 Shane Williams has admitted that the game against the Emerging Springboks on Tuesday at Newlands may be his last for the Lions if he does not perform up to standard.

Williams, who says that the current trip to South Africa is very much his last Lions tour, believes he can force his way back into the Test selection frame with the form that saw him win numerous accolades last year – including IRB Player of the Year, Six Nations player of the year and finishing as the tournament’s top try scorer.

However, should he fail to fire – as he has done all tour – Williams knows he will never wear the Lions shirt again.

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Dick Muir, the coach of the Emerging Springboks have  announced his team on Monday to take on the British & Irish Lions at Newlands on Tuesday the 23rd June 2009.

The team will be captained by Vodacom Blue Bulls flanker Dewald Potgieter, who was skipper of the South African Schools side in 2005.

“We are blessed with the amount of depth we have in South African rugby and the group of players assembled here proves that. We are wary of the fact that the British & Irish Lions will be looking to bounce back after their defeat in the first Test, but I’m confident that we’ll be competitive against them on Tuesday evening,” said Muir.

Muir will be assisted by Jerome Paarwater and Stanley Raubenheimer, while Charles Wessels, the Springboks’ Logistics Manager, has been appointed Team Manager of the Emerging Springbok side.

Emerging Springbok team to play the British & Irish Lions:

15. Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

14. Luzuko Vulindlu (The Sharks)

13. Deon van Rensburg (Platinum Leopards)

12. Morgan Newman (Vodacom Western Province)

11. Bjorn Basson (GWK Griquas)

10. Earl Rose (Xerox Golden Lions)

9. Jano Vermaak (Xerox Golden Lions)

8. Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Western Province)

7. Jean Deysel (The Sharks)

6. Dewald Potgieter (c) (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

5. Wilhelm Steenkamp (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

4. Steven Sykes (The Sharks)

3. Werner Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

2. Bandise Maku (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

1. Wian du Preez (Vodacom Free State Cheetahs)

Reserves:

16. Tiaan Liebenberg (Vodacom Western Province)

17. Pat Cilliers (The Sharks)

18. Franco van der Merwe (Xerox Golden Lions)

19. Jacques Botes (The Sharks)

20. Heini Adams (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

21. Willem de Waal (Vodacom Western Province)

22. Danwel Demas (Vodacom Free State Cheetahs)

Source: sarugby.co.za