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Springbok squad for end of year tour announced

Heyneke Meyer was a brilliant club coach, so what went wrong at Test level? (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
Roar Guru
27th October, 2014
63

Heyneke Meyer has announced his Springbok squad for the November tour.

It is a squad of 36, bigger than usual, I suspect due to the overseas players who won’t be available for the match versus Wales which falls outside the Test window.

Front row
Robbie Coetzee (Golden Lions) – Hooker, uncapped
Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks) – Hooker, 66 Test caps
Jannie du Plessis (Sharks) – Prop, 60 Test caps
Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks) – Prop, 61 Test caps
Trevor Nyakane (FS Cheetahs) – Prop, 9 Test caps
Coenie Oosthuizen (FS Cheetahs) – Prop, 17 Test caps
Julian Redelinghuys (Golden Lions) – Prop, uncapped
Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse, France) – Prop, 52 Test caps
Adriaan Strauss (FS Cheetahs) – Hooker, 40 Test caps

Second row
Bakkies Botha (Toulon, France) – Lock, 83 Test caps
Lodewyk de Jager (FS Cheetahs) – Lock, 7 Test caps
Eben Etzebeth (Western Province) – Lock, 29 Test caps
Victor Matfield (Blue Bulls) – Lock, 117 Test caps

Back row
Schalk Burger (Suntory, Japan) – Loose forward, 73 Test caps
Nizaam Carr (Western Province) – Loose forward, uncapped
Marcell Coetzee (Sharks) – Loose forward, 22 Test caps
Jaco Kriel (Golden Lions) – Loose forward, uncapped
Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohoje (FS Cheetahs) – Loose forward, 3 Test caps
Duane Vermeulen (Western Province) – No 8, 25 Test caps
Warren Whiteley (Golden Lions) – Loose forward, 2 Test caps

Halfbacks
Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls) – Scrumhalf, 32 Test caps
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland) – Scrumhalf, 80 Test caps
Cobus Reinach (Sharks) – Scrumhalf, 2 Test caps

Flyhalves
Johan Goosen (Racing Metro, France) – Fullback / Flyhalf, 5 Test caps
Patrick Lambie (Sharks) – Flyhalf / Fullback, 36 Test caps
Handré Pollard (Blue Bulls) – Flyhalf, 6 Test caps
Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France) – Flyhalf, 59 Test caps

Midfield
Damian De Allende (Western Province) – Centre / Wing, 2 Test caps
Jean de Villiers (captain, Western Province) – Centre, 102 Test caps
Jan Serfontein (Blue Bulls) – Centre, 16 Test caps

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Back three
Bryan Habana (Toulon, France) – Wing, 103 Test caps
Cornal Hendricks (FS Cheetahs) – Wing, 9 Test caps
Willie le Roux (FS Cheetahs) – Fullback / Wing, 21 Test caps
Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks) – Wing, 9 Test caps
JP Pietersen (Panasonic, Japan) – Centre / Wing, 56 Test caps
Seabelo Senatla (SA Sevens/WP) – Wing, uncapped

The ‘What are you thinking?’
Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse, France) – Prop, 52 Test caps

The ‘Wish you weren’t here and please age gracefully’
Victor Matfield (Vodacom Blue Bulls) – Lock, 117 Test caps
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland) – Scrumhalf, 80 Test caps
Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France) – Flyhalf, 59 Test caps

The ‘If you want them to last until next year then leave them at home’
Jannie du Plessis (Cell C Sharks) – Prop, 60 Test caps
Jean de Villiers (captain, DHL Western Province) – Centre, 102 Test caps

The ‘Congratulations boys, hope you get some time on the field’
Julian Redelinghuys (Xerox Golden Lions) – Prop, uncapped
Jaco Kriel (Xerox Golden Lions) – Loose forward, uncapped
Nizaam Carr (DHL Western Province) – Loose forward, uncapped
Seabelo Senatla (SA Sevens / DHL WP) – Wing, uncapped

The ‘Didn’t see that coming’
Robbie Coetzee (Xerox Golden Lions) – Hooker, uncapped

It looks like Meyer is considering Goosen as a back-up at fullback for Willie le Roux, which is not a bad option, apparently Goosen is playing most of his rugby at fullback in France. It can also help to reduce injuries as Goosen has been very injury prone at Flyhalf.

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