The National Selectors have named the SA squad to face the Namibian Invitation XV in Windhoek on Friday 29 May.
The 23-strong group includes 17 capped Springboks and 6 uncapped players. The uncapped players are Sharks flank Jean Deysel, Sharks lock Steven Sykes, Cheetahs prop Wian du Preez, Western Province centre Morgan Newman, Lions scrumhalf Jano Vermaak and Lions flyhalf Earl Rose.
Rose was in the Springbok squad at the end of last year but did not feature in the Tests, whilst Du Preez toured England and Wales at the end of 2007 but did not play. Vermaak was in the 2007 Emerging SA squad at the IRB Nations Cup, whilst Newman featured for the Emerging side in 2007 and 2008.
Players not considered due to injury are Sharks flyhalf Ruan Pienaar and prop Deon Carstens. Lions centre Jaque Fourie was not considered as he is getting married on Saturday 30 May.
The Bulls players could not be considered due to their involvement in the Super 14 playoffs.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers said he was disappointed about Pienaar’s injury but that it was important for the player to focus on his recovery in advance of the British & Irish Lions tour.
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Mike Stofile is aparently set to return to SA Rugby and be an influential figure once more.
The Sunday Times reports that the former SA Rugby Union (Saru) deputy president is an unopposed candidate for the position of independent director at Friday’s Saru AGM.
Stofile hasn’t been involved in rugby since failing in his attempt to become president in 2008, however, it is widely believed he still has ambitions on the presidency.
One of two independent directors (the other being either the Griffons’ Dr Jan Marais or incumbent Keith Parkinson) will hold the influential position of chairman, as they will sit on the Presidents Council.
However, it is believed that neither Stofile or Marais are hugely popular with the presidents of the big five unions, who think they lack the aptitude for the role.
‘They are supposed to have strong business and rugby acumen but I don’t think either of them has,” a leading member of the big five unions told the Sunday Times. “They’ve both only worked with small businesses and unions. Also, when Stofile left the last time he suggested his exit was racial. I wonder what’s changed.’
Source: keo.co.za
South Africa beat Wales 26 – 12 on Saturday in the plate final of the Wellington Sevens Tournament in New Zealand with Wales leading 12 – 7 at halftime.
The Springbok Sevens collected eight valuable points for their effort, enough to keep them on top of the IRB World Sevens Series log with 48 points after three tournaments. England joined New Zealand in second spot with 44 point after their success in the Cup final.
England beat New Zealand 19-17 in a thrilling final to capture their first Wellington Sevens title.
South Africa, who lost to Kenya in the pool stages and New Zealand in Cup quarter-final, made a bright start when Frankie Horne collected a loose pass from Wales to run straight through (7-0). Wales hit back a minute later through a try by Craig Hill (7-5). Lee Williams then beat the cover defence to score Wales’ second try (12-7).
After the restart Vuyo Zangqa dotted down in the corner after a patient build-up from a set-piece to level the scores at 12-all. South Africa then produced probably their best second half performance of the tournament, keeping possession and displaying clinical finishing when needed. Renfred Dazel and Paul Delport scored in quick succession to secure the Plate for the Springbok Sevens.
Next week the teams will compete for the USA title in San Diego.
Source + Pic: sarugby.co.za
The South African Sevens team got off to a very good start by beating Scotland 24 – 0 today.
Ryno Benjamin ran in the first and the last try. Gio Aplan and Renford Dazel added to the four try victory by scoring one each. Renford Dazel and Mzwandile Stick each converted one try.
The tournament is being played at the Westpac Stadium, in Wellington, in fair weather.
In their second game the Springbok Sevens beat Tonga 22-5 after leading 17-5 at the break.
Renford Dazel, Paul Delport, Howard Noble and Philip Snyman each scored a try, while Renford Dazel was successful with a conversion.
South Africa plays Kenya in the last match of the Pool stage.
Source + Pic: sarugby.co.za
If Robert Ebersohn, who first represented South Africa with his talented twin brother, Sias (a flyhalf) at under-19 level, were to receive a call from Springbok Rugby Coach Peter de Villiers tomorrow asking him to join the ’Boks, he would choose to remain with the SA Sevens Team.
This talented young Free State centre, who was recently named the SA Young Player of the Year, was also crowned best player of the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens Tournament in George on Saturday.
Not only was he one of the leading try scorers, but also defended like a man possessed, and on numerous occasions won turn over ball for his team.
The 19-year old took the decision not to make himself available for Super 14 rugby next year, and rather remain on the sevens circuit for another year, because he felt this would be best for his rugby career.
The Springbok coach, who attended the Sevens Tournament in George, said if he felt that if a player was good and mature enough, he wouldn’t hesitate to call him up from the Sevens side to the Springboks.
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The Sevens Springboks of South Africa finally won the IRB Sevens World Series final at Outeniqua Park in George on Saturday, by coming from behind and beating New Zealand 12 – 7.
“It was the first time South Africa had won the IRB tournament at home and also the first time that they had put two successive wins together. The Springboks beat England in Dubai last weekend.
It was a victory against all the odds, with South Africa weakened by the Super 14 call-ups of a number of stalwarts like Schalk van der Merwe, Fabian Juries, Jonothan Mokueana and the non-availability of Stefan Basson and the injured Marius Schoeman and captain Neil Powell.
Built on a solid defence and an unbelievable camaraderie and team spirit, the relatively inexperienced Springboks, lighter than their opponents in virtually every match defied all the odds — and are now clear leaders in the eight-tournament series.
Mzwandile Stick, who led the team in the absence of the injured Powell, was again outstanding in the final and scored the try that put the Boks ahead with less than two minutes remaining.
But hats off to every one of the players in this and the Dubai tournaments.
Robert Ebersohn received the Player of the Tournament award on saturday, but it might just as well have gone to any of Frankie Horn, Mpho Mbyozo, Stick or Renfred Dazel.
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The President’s Council of the South African Rugby Union resolved yesterday to move the Springbok emblem to the right-hand side of the national playing jersey.
“The decision was taken to accommodate the application of the National Sports Emblem – the King Protea – and to bring SA Rugby in line with other South African sports federations and planned legislation.
As a consequence of the change the Protea that is currently displayed above the leaping Springbok, will be removed from the Springbok logo.
“The Council took cognisance of the advice they received from the Sports Minister on pending national legislation and a consensus was reached,” said Mr Oregan Hoskins, SARU President.
“The possibility of retaining the Springbok on the left-hand side was discussed, as council had not taken a decision on the positioning and legislation remains to be promulgated. However, it was the decision of council to avoid confusion by making the move now and to prevent a future necessity of making a second change in due course.”
The timing of the change will be confirmed once logistical considerations have been finalised.“
Source: sarugby.co.za
Bok coach Peter de Villiers named the Springbok team that’ll take on the English at Twuckenham on Saturday.
“Tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis came into the front row in place of his injured brother Bismarck, with John Smit moving inside to hooker. There was also a change in the back row where Danie Rossouw is promoted from the bench to replace Juan Smith who took a blow to the head against Scotland and has not fully recovered.
The back division is unchanged – with Fourie du Preez still not fully recovered from a quadriceps injury – while there were two changes on the bench.
Flanker Heinrich Brussow could make his Test debut if he is called into action while Chiliboy Ralepelle covers for John Smit. They replace Rossouw and the injured Gurthro Steenkamp.
The team is as follow (test caps in brackets):
1. Beast Mtawarira (9)
2. John Smit (capt) (80)
3. Jannie du Plessis (6)
4. Bakkies Botha (54)
5. Victor Matfield (79)
6. Schalk Burger (48)
7. Danie Rossouw (35)
8. Pierre Spies (18)
9. Ricky Januaries (33)
10. Ruan Pienaar (26)
11. Bryan Habana (45)
12. Jean de Villiers (45)
13. Adi Jacobs (20)
14. JP Pietersen (23)
15. Conrad Jantjes (23)
Reserves:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle (2)
17. Brian Mujati (11)
18. Andries Bekker (12)
19. Ryan Kankowski (6)
20. Heinrich Brussow (-)
21. Frans Steyn (26)
22. Jaque Fourie (35)
Source: sarugby.co.za
South Africa made it two out of two on their British tour on Saturday by narrowly beating Scotland 10 – 14 on Saturday, after the Scots led 10 – 0 at halftime.
“For the second successive week it was the home coach who felt his team had played the better rugby and deserved to win, and Scotland’s Frank Hadden had even more right to do that here than Wales’ Warren Gatland did a week ago.
Scotland led 10-0 at half-time and were pressing for a try in the final minutes as they launched wave after wave of attack at a tired Bok defence. On a day where both kickers missed attempts at goal, it was Scotland who conspired most against themselves by fluffing no less than four shots at the posts.
It was not supposed to be this close against a Scottish team that now drops to ninth on the world rankings after this defeat, and which is at a low ebb at present. Just seven days ago the same Scotland team played the All Black second stringers and lost by 30 points, and much was made before this game of the fact the Scots had not crossed for a try at home in 14 months.
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It’s not often that 2.01 m tall Bok vice-captain Victor Matfield gets to look up to someone. That is exactly what he did when the Springbok team crossed paths with the WWE SuperStars at Cardiff Airport on Sunday.
The American wrestlers had touched down in the Welsh capital just as the Bok squad was getting ready to fly to Edinburgh on the second leg of its end-of-season Northern Hemisphere tour.
As the excited Bok players were spotting their favourite wrestlers, man-mountain Kali stopped to greet them and have his picture taken. He made the pride of South Africa look small in comparison.
Matfield, a tower of strength in the Bok second-row, was dwarfed by the seven-foot giant who chatted briefly before moving off to the waiting bus.
Kali was amongst more than 30 wrestlers in the group. The Bok players who are keen followers of the WWE action on TV back home were in awe as the many well-known characters passed by.
Source: sarugby.co.za
Pic: ramanindia.blogspot.com
