Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has named his 32-man squad to take on Wales, Scotland and England without veteran Morne Steyn, who has retired.
South Africa have named two uncapped players in their 32-man squad for Tests against Wales, Scotland and England next month but will be without veteran flyhalf Morne Steyn, who has retired from international rugby.
Steyn kicked the penalty that won the Springboks the series against the British & Irish Lions in August, but the 37-year-old has called time on his career in the green and gold after 68 Tests to focus on club rugby and spending more time with his family, local media reported.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is a first call-up for lock Salmaan Moerat, who has impressed with the Stormers this year, and joins Durban-based Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams as the uncapped players in the squad.
Williams has made the cut with experienced No.9 Faf de Klerk out with a hip injury that is likely to see him sidelined into 2022.
“Salmaan has established himself as a talented lock and captain since his younger days in our junior (Springbok) structures and has continued to show his class at senior level,” Bok coach Jacques Nienaber said in a media release from South African Rugby.
“His call-up is well earned, and we are looking forward to witnessing what he adds to the squad. He is also familiar with most of the players in the squad having either played with them or against them, so we have no doubt he will slot in with ease.”
Nienaber has otherwise kept the core of the squad that played the Lions series and in the Rugby Championship, the group that he clearly believes will feature when they defend their title at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
“We are two years out from the World Cup in France, and we have close to 20 Test matches before we start our defence of the title, so every match will count in terms of building confidence and consistency as a group,” he said.
Nienaber expects the home nations to be fierce competitors, especially after the hotly-contested and at times controversial Lions series.
“England is in fourth place on the world rankings, and Scotland and Wales are in seventh and ninth place respectively, and they are all top-class teams that will want to make a strong statement in front of their home crowds,” he said.
The Boks start their tour against Wales on November 6, before matches in Edinburgh and London on consecutive weekends.
Forwards: Thomas du Toit, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Joseph Dweba, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie, Siya Kolisi, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Duane Vermeulen, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert.
Backs: Herschel Jantjies, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams, Elton Jantjies, Handré Pollard, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Aphelele Fassi, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Sbu Nkosi, Damian Willemse, Frans Steyn.
WEST
Roar Guru
Haha hard to ever get angry with a Neil bro
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Nope. I replied to Harry’s comment. In your defence I’ve noted this site sometimes offers up incorrect or missing notifications of comments. I hope those pictures in your head calm down for you. Voices to?
WEST
Roar Guru
Neiilll, when was even talking to you either! I was getting a reply from you?? anyway? Everytime I hear the name Neil, I picture Neil pye off the young ones.. That hippie. Heavyyy man.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Why would I or anyone pay attention to you when you're having a completely different conversation to the one I'm having? And what makes you think I'm paying any attention to you in the first place? I wasn't addressing you.
WEST
Roar Guru
Haha :laughing: Ok. It looks similar to the All Blacks after 2015. I’d like to see more of the younger guys getting quality Test time, especially against the All Blacks and the Wallabies. Test experience is paramount in international Rugby
biltong
Guest
Kitshoff is 29, and you get 34 in two years? Anyway, 7 players you have an issue with? I will take that, although I as mentioned earlier, Le Roux, Vermeulen and Frans Steyn is most likely not going to be there anyway. Which brings it down to four dinosaurs by your reasoning.
WEST
Roar Guru
Get a grip Neil, just commenting on the ages of the SA props. Pay attention to what I’m saying
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
I think you may be joining some tenuous dots there CoxC.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
The comment was 28-32. And it was applied to props. You need to pay more attention to what is actually being said.
Praetorian
Guest
Probably many Kolbes in the townships Tragic. Undiscovered talent .
WEST
Roar Guru
From all the years I’ve been watching international rugby I haven’t seen many props in their 30s to mid thirties .. Just saying Vincent Koch will be 34 after the RWC. Trevor Nyakane 35 Steven Kitshoff 33 Franco Mostert will be 33 Duane Vermeulen 38! François Steyn 37 Willie le Roux 35. talk about Dads Army! Getting into the realm of delusional if you see these guys after 2023. that’s just some, the other half are either early 30s or late 20s
CoxC
Roar Rookie
Neil, I agree with your comment about the Boks being undercooked. They were really in a disadvantaged position opposed to the BIL who had a number of hit outs before test 1. Based on my impressions during the series, I think the BIL were chasing cards too hard during the games and forgot to play somehow. This is underscored by their media rants such as Faf should have gotten a Red. Equally contributing to slowing the game down at their own peril.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
The Boks in both the Lions series and the RC slowed games down to their own advantage, either because certain players were seriously short of gas, or to negate a purposefully high tempo opposition. It was about managing intensity due to deficiencies in their own side in that moment rather than your interpretation, in my opinion and those of many others. But on this age profile debate, I like the Bok composition going to the next RWC. A lot of the current squad will be at the back end of their careers but not the end necessarily, and there's two years to understudy and mentor their back ups and replacements. Beware the tag 'Dads Army'. It famously backfired on Australia in '03
NotKev
Roar Rookie
West …. Sorry for the misunderstanding … Yes i agree wiht you about most of the squad … however in context of depth development there is stuff happening and the younger ones who have actually gone on tour although not even featured as options in being picked have still been exposed to systems and the likes expected. Jacque and Rassie had 18 months to shift stuff pre 2019, they will be thinking of this believe m, as will the rest of SA, its a much talked about thing there too in context of different talk boards etc and getting younger guys making great waves, although i think most are just being provincial in thr thinking
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Yep. A few hit the their heights earlier but can't think of one that doesn't either maintain their high or reach it during that period.
Harry Jones
Expert
Good club player, and fits in that Quin team.
biltong
Guest
Yep I haven't seen muxh, but the try he scored he didn't look like lightning, as for selfish, leopards don't easily change their spots.
WEST
Roar Guru
Oh wow! Cool, let’s see how the Boks go the next few years :thumbup:
Harry Jones
Expert
Green is still selfish. And not fast enough for test rugby.
Harry Jones
Expert
A prop only gets good at 28-32.