Bakkies set to boost Boks for end-of year tour

[Steve-o]

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&am...63720825C649966

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Star lock Bakkies Botha has a "very good chance" of being fit for the Springboks' end-of-year tour to the United Kingdom, which will take in Tests against Wales, Scotland and England in November.

Botha missed the second half of the international season after sustaining a knee ligament injury in the 63-9 victory over Argentina in Johannesburg on August 9. He did not undergo surgery to heal a ruptured posterior cruciate ligament, but instead participated in extensive rehabilitation.

Springbok convenor of selectors Peter Jooste told the Cape Times on Thursday that Botha is likely to be fit to tour. "Bakkies should be available to tour. John Smit is already playing off the bench this weekend, so he will also be back to tour," he said.
Blue Bulls communications manager Ian Schwartz told the Cape Times on Thursday that although Botha was unlikely to play for the Bulls this season, he is likely to turn out for the Boks. "Bakkies's chances of playing for the Bulls are virtually nil. He may be able to play in the Currie Cup final, if we make it, but that would be at a push," he said.

"But Bakkies has a very good chance of being fit for the Bok tour. He is currently busy with his rehabilitation. There are another seven weeks of rehabilitation left to get Bakkies back. We don't want to rush anything though, because we must think of the player's future and the fact that there is a Lions tour next year."

Jooste said that Bok coach Peter de Villiers will announce the squad after the Currie Cup final on October 25, which is two weeks after the semi-finals are played. De Villiers will have little time to prepare his team for three Tests in consecutive weeks. But Jooste said it was not a major concern.

The Boks face Wales at the Millennium Stadium on November 8, Scotland at Murrayfield on November 15 and England at Twickenham on November 22. "We haven't discussed anything with team management, but to my knowledge we will be picking a full-strength squad. We want to win the Tests and that is the only way we'll do that," he said.

"The squad will probably come together on the Sunday or Monday after the final. So I don't think that it will be problematic. We didn't think of naming the squad after the semi-finals. The core of the squad will be the same for the tour, so it shouldn't be an issue to get the guys in tune with things."

Jooste said that players in the Currie Cup do have a chance of making the tour squad. "We normally have 28 or 30 players in a tour squad. We will be meeting next week hopefully to start discussing what we want to do," he said.

"But the guys are putting their hands up in the Currie Cup. I can't mention any names though, as I don't want to create expectations for players. I might think a certain player must be in, but then the others who help pick the team may have a different view. But we are looking to pick players that are in form."

Top performers in the Currie Cup include Lions flyhalf Earl Rose, Cheetahs centre Robert Ebersohn, Blue Bulls prop Gurthro Steenkamp and centre Wynand Olivier, and Sharks loose forward Keegan Daniel.

Jooste said that he was worried that some top Boks who have played a lot of rugby this year were not being rested by their provinces ahead of the tour. "Guys like Jean de Villiers, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Victor Matfield are not getting enough rest," he said.

"It is a bit of a concern for me, but we can't interfere with the provinces. They are fighting for the Currie Cup semi-finals. So we have to leave it up to their management plans."[/b]

Glad to hear that the Springbok management is planning to take a full strength team up in November, I just hope the Bok players get enough rest with the S14 starting in early February and the Lions Tour coming up.
I hate to say it but Earl Rose has been playing very well in the Currie Cup and IMO is in contention for a Bok call up. HOWEVER how I still think M. Steyn should get called up ahead of him, he's definitely less of a mental case than Rose. Anybody is less of a mental case than Rose really. I'd really love to see Ebersohn play for the Boks, but 19 is still a bit young. Olivier has been brilliant this season as well, he is really a class player when his confidence is up, he's definitely in line for a call up. I'd also drop Watson in a second for Daniel, both similar players but Watson has been way behind Daniel in performances.

I'm starting to get excited for the end-of year tour

 

[alexrugby]

Nice to that legendary faces still in good condition to play their amazing plays!

I like this guy, he played high class during RWC 2007 and was outstanding in final against England

Nice for you to hear your team regained valuable player

And also I think amazing matches are to be awaited during this tour

:bravo: :bravo: :bravo:

 

[silent_shadow]

I predict:

Props: Beast, Gurthro, Mujati, CJ

Hookers: Smit, Bismarck, Strauss

Locks: Bekker, Matfield, Bakkies, Rossouw

Loosies: Burger, Brussouw, Smith, Spies, Kanko, Watson, Vermeulen, Deysel (way too many I know)

Scrumhalves: Du Preez, Januarie, Pienaar

Flyhavles: Butch, Grant, M. Steyn ,Rose (don't want him but will be selected)

Centres: Jean, Jacobs, Fourie, Meisiekind

Wings: Habana, Nokwe, Pietersen, Ndungane (would prefer Chavanga)

Fullbacks: Jantjes, Steyn

Too many there probably but it's hard to narrow it down. PdV spoke about resting some players so he may do a silly roation policy which means we end up with a biggeer squad. Not sure.
I don't think Watson is absolutely worthless like many do, but he's behind Schalk and Brussow at 6 and behind Kanko, Spies and Vermeulen at 8. Won't get dropped though. Vermuelen's one of our best and would be great at test level I think. Deysel played well, but he may not go along and Vermeulen can also cover flank. Still think Spies is overrated and doesn't deserve a spot.

Brussow's just on another level of awesomeness. Play him and the other teams won't know what hit them. If he played at one of the bigger unions he'd probably be a bok already.

 

[alexrugby]

Despite this is not actual topic theme I want to ask you about Os Du Randt, has he retired once and at all?

 

[Haysie]

I also must hijack the thread for a moment, what was the story on Earl Rose's drug charges? Was he trialled?

 

[Steve-o]

Well what it's worth he played like he was high on Saturday

 

[Boggle]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Sep 29 2008, 08:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well what it's worth he played like he was high on Saturday[/b]

I mentioned it before but I really don't think he handles the pressure that well, don't want to see him being a bok, not untill I'm absolutely sure he won't self destruct like he did on the weekend.

On Watson, I think his problem is that he's inconsistent.
He had a steller 2006 Super14 even outshining McCaw, and then a fairly bad 2007, then had a really awesome 2008 Super14 whilst also playing a new position, and now he's having quite a -meh- Currie cup.

And why does everybody keep asking if Os still plays ?
He's retired, for goodness sake people he's been anihilating oposing scrums since like 1993, the man had to stop at some point

 

[Steve-o]

I don't partake in the whole Watson saga that seems to be gripping the country. Everybody is on the guy's back.
But he just got lost against Australia and New Zealand this year, seriously. And what's up with him standing at fly half the whole time? He runs more sideways than Joe Van Niekerk and Waylon Murray combined!
Sorry but in a country like SA, where we're insanely blessed with good loose forwards we can afford to drop an off form fringe backrower. Give Brussouw, Grobelaar or Daniel a go I say, especially since I think it's a good idea we have smaller, ball fetching flankers in the ranks to add variation to our backrow.

 

[Jer1cho]

All I'm hoping for is for Kankowski to start ahead of Spies (Come on people, he is by far the most versatile 8 we have!), and i want Tonderai Chavhanga to get another chance...

Also holding thumbs for a Heinke vd Merwe inclusion, as well as Earl Rose dying in a Buffalo stampede.

 

[Steve-o]

It's insane that Spies ever started ahead of Kankowski this year. Spies only played like two S14 games, where Kankowski was the undoubted best 8th man of the tournament. He was getting rave reviews all year, even from the Kiwi's who likened him to Zinzan.
*sigh*
PdV, you...

Anyway, how has Chavhanga been doing in the Currie Cup? With Nokwe and O. Ndungane emerging this year I feel he's gone down the wing pecking order. He was woeful against Wales this year, where Nokwe broke a try scoring record against the Wallabies. If Chavhanga can work on his defense, positioning and awareness he'll be unstoppable.

 

[Boggle]

Chavanga's problem is that he keeps hurting himself, it's probably got to do with that one leg being shorter than the other.

I suppose you're right on Watson though, whether or not he's played good at some points, he's not the best we've got at the moment, and choosing any of the awesome loosies you've mentioned would rightly be the smarter thing to do. I often wonder why in the world we can constantly produce a plethora of the worlds' best loose forwards, yet we still havn't found another Lem.

I miss you Honnibol.

 

[Jer1cho]

I still think that with the proper coaching, and him actually playing there week in and week out, Frans Steyn can become one of the best 10's we have ever had. For now though, Ruan Pienaar is by a long shot my number one choice.

 

[Steve-o]

I also think that Frans Steyn will become one of our best players in any position he settles in (except wing of course!). Plumtree has been playing him consistently at 12 for the Sharks which is not only good for his confidence but skill level as well. Both Giteau and Carter started out at 12 and acquired the necessary skills to convert to a 10 quite easily, if needed.
I'd also love to see Pienaar get a season at 10, his vision is unmatched in SA imo. And his passing... So slick. Unfortunately he has stated it's 9 or nothing. Perhaps his mind will change once he gets dropped from the Boks. Du Preez is first choice, no doubt there, and Januarie adds that mongrel variation (although i rate Kockott more) at 9. He could find himself out of setup with that attitude.