Springbok training squad

[LancelotSA]

...excluding all the Sharks of course....

Forwards
Andries Bekker
Bakkies Botha
Schalk Brits
Schalk Burger
Wian Du Preez
Kabamba Floors
Hilton Lobberts
Victor Matfield
Gerhard Mostert
Brian Mujati
Chilliboy Ralaphele
Danie Rous
John Smit (c)
Juan Smit
Pierre Spies
Guthro Steenkamp
CJ Van der Linde
Heinke ven der Merwe
Wickus van Heerden
Joe van Niekerk
Duane Vermeulen
Luke Watson


Backs

Heini Adams
Gcobana Bobo
Meyer Bosman
Tenderai Chavanga
Jean De Villiers
Ismael Dollie
Fourie du Preez
Jacque fourie
Peter Grant
Brian Habana
Butch James
Enrico Januarie
Conrad Jantjes
Zane Kirchner
Louis Ludik
Percy Montgomery
Akona Ndungane
Jongi Nokwe
Wynand Olivier
Earl Rose

 

[stepper]

I thought Kabamba Floors gave up 15 men Rugby....

 

[LancelotSA]

Yeah, they did mention him in their discussions afterwards but I was so busy typing that I forgot to listen!!

Just interesting to note and in no way wanting this to become a quotas discussion but I did a quick count of players of colour (and I may have missed some fence sitters like Gibbs in cricket who confuse me). It showed only four "black" players in the forwards (not sure where Guthro goes?) and 11 in the backs!!! This, to me, showed the problem with quotas in rugby, again at risk of generalising, but most black players just do not have the physique to play as an international forward (in fact most English people don't either!!! ha ha). We have plenty of black backs but battle to get numbers in the forwards so this means we have to squeeze as many as we can into the backline!

 

[sand_man]

It showed only four "black" players in the forwards (not sure where Guthro goes?) and 11 in the backs!!! but most black players just do not have the physique to play as an international forward

Thanks for posting squad, I missed this announcement. Looks a pretty potent squad even without the Shark stars of which there should be quite a few, Ryan, BJ, Rory, Ruan, JP, Johan, Botha etc etc

How do the yanks manage to find those brutes playing basketball? African Americans are a different genetic beast aren't they? If you look at a the worlds greatest athletes they're predominantly black regardless of the sporting code except rugby. It surprises me that even the Eagles rugby team has very few blacks in its squad.

Perhaps they just don't like the sport, full stop...

 

[Picard]

It surprises me that even the Eagles rugby team has very few blacks in its squad.

Perhaps they just don't like the sport, full stop...

I like Americans. But they are a bunch of misguided fools. Rugby is a much better sport. But maybe we should be grateful that they don't play rugby because they would have totally dominated the game in every facet.

 

[LancelotSA]

I like Americans. But they are a bunch of misguided fools. Rugby is a much better sport. But maybe we should be grateful that they don't play rugby because they would have totally dominated the game in every facet.

They do play rugby... the Eagles have been at the last two world cups and in true American tradition most of their players seem to have been bought from other countries. Money can make you good at most sports but obviously they have not thrown enough at rugby as they have their own "World Series" events to amuse themselves with!

Further to this I do not think a sport where you actually put your body on the line will catch on in America. They like perceived danger but their society does not allow actual danger. Hitting another person while running at full speed is fine but only if the person is covered from head to toe in padding and protection.

The drug use debate is open for exactly that, debate, but I think you will find it is far more prevalent in American football and very well policed in rugby union... perhaps this explains the size of the "African" Americans compared to our local black population. Diets?

 

[Ou grote]

this is a good squad, Sharks will make it better, when they are included.

 

[Just_Ice]

Not a bad squad but I wanna see who will be representing from the sharks.

 

[LancelotSA]

There should be a lot of Sharks players getting a look in... if we look at the Sharks squad for this years Super14 :

Forwards:

Johan Ackermann*, Skipper Badenhorst*, Nikolai Blignaut, Jacques Botes, BJ Botha*, Craig Burden*, Deon Carstens*, Patric Cilliers, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Bismarck du Plessis*, Jannie du Plessis*, Alistair Hargreaves, Robbie Harris, Jody Jenneker, Ryan Kankowski*, Kees Lensing*, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, Johann Muller*, Steven Sykes, Johan Snyman, Epi Taione*, Albert van den Berg*, AJ Venter*.

Backs:

Bradley Barritt, Adrian Jacobs*, Rory Kockott, Scott Mathie, Dumisane Matyeshana, Charl McLeod, Henno Mentz*, Frederic Michalak*, Waylon Murray*, Odwa Ndungane, Ruan Pienaar*, JP Pietersen*, Francois Steyn*, Andries Strauss, Stefan Terblanche*, Frank Wagenstroom.

* denotes International Player

There are a lot of names there that stand out. I've "bolded" the ones I feel deserve a look in but even then there are others that I feel deserve a shot but can't for various reasons...

Beast - not sure he is eligible as he is Zimbabwean
Stefan - too old
AJ, Ackerman - retired if I'm not mistaken
Adrian Jacobs - Never seems to have been fancied by selectors and battles to get Sharks start...

Another point, Odwa must get in if his brother Akona did... and besides I think he has improved dramatically. But once again this would only be selection for the training squad as when it comes to the test team we have an abundance of good wings (and they are black too).

Also we have a lot of loose forwards in the running so that is going to be a bit of a fight!

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

I think the Beast is eligible to play now .... he's done his 3 year residency thingy. And if he is eligible, they better pick him ......... /me loves this monster He is so blerry committed in every aspect of play.

 

[Fiekus]

I think the Beast is eligible to play now .... he's done his 3 year residency thingy. And if he is eligible, they better pick him ......... /me loves this monster He is so blerry committed in every aspect of play.

Brian Mujati is also Zimbabwean, as too Chavanga. Also, if you've never represented your country of birth does it matter? Rathbone represented SA at under 21 level then went to Oz...ok he may have had an Australian passport because of parents / grandparents??
Too late to think

 

[James]

Brian Mujati is also Zimbabwean, as too Chavanga. Also, if you've never represented your country of birth does it matter? Rathbone represented SA at under 21 level then went to Oz...ok he may have had an Australian passport because of parents / grandparents??
Too late to think

If you have dual nationality and have never represented either country there is no delay (Clyde). If , like in Beast and Mujati's case, you are not dual nationality you need to apply for citizenship after 4 years (i think, possibly 5) after that you can play play for the country.

 

[hxc87x]

Further to this I do not think a sport where you actually put your body on the line will catch on in America. They like perceived danger but their society does not allow actual danger. Hitting another person while running at full speed is fine but only if the person is covered from head to toe in padding and protection.

ok, not exactly on topic, but this reminds me of a Friends episode where Ross plays rugby with some british guys... it pretty much shows how most americans look at rugby (or at least, the handful i've met)
the british guys are made to seem like these rough and tough hooligans, which is exactly how the americans see all rugby players (except for percy, his hair is too pretty ) [again, this is only based on what i've seen and heard from the couple i've met]

anyway, i think we've got a pretty hectic squad going there... especially if you include some of the missing sharks. the super 14 hasnt gone as well as i had hoped but it at least seems like we're capable to kick some ass with this squad!

 

[Devill]

Yeah, they did mention him in their discussions afterwards but I was so busy typing that I forgot to listen!!

Just interesting to note and in no way wanting this to become a quotas discussion but I did a quick count of players of colour (and I may have missed some fence sitters like Gibbs in cricket who confuse me). It showed only four "black" players in the forwards (not sure where Guthro goes?) and 11 in the backs!!! This, to me, showed the problem with quotas in rugby, again at risk of generalising, but most black players just do not have the physique to play as an international forward (in fact most English people don't either!!! ha ha). We have plenty of black backs but battle to get numbers in the forwards so this means we have to squeeze as many as we can into the backline!

Check the stats on how many black/cloured players there are in the wing positions....

 

[Londo]

Check the stats on how many black/cloured players there are in the wing positions....

Well... We will just play with more wings! We does it say there can be only 2?