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Bok fans welcome fresh faces

Cape Town - Springbok fans are upbeat about the prospect of Johan Goosen and Duane Vermeulen donning the green and gold in the near future.

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After Heyneke Meyer announced his Springbok team, the majority of Sport24 readers believed that Goosen, the 19-year-old Cheetahs flyhalf, and Vermeulen, the Stormers No 8, brought a much-needed injection of something fresh to the overall Bok mix, but many felt Meyer should not be too hasty in rushing the players into Test rugby so soon after recovering from injuries.

However, Meyer's squad as a whole received mixed reactions.

In an online poll, Sport24 asked: "Which of the four players added to the Springbok squad for their Australasian leg of the Rugby Championship are you most thrilled to see included?"

These were the results:

47% - Johan Goosen
25% - Duane Vermeulen
16% - Francois Louw
12% - Juan de Jongh


Here's what Sport24 readers had to say about Heyneke Meyer's squad:

"Yes, Yes and YES! Now this is a squad!" - Trevor Davey

"Sending a "B" team means we will lose by 20 points to the Wallabies and by 30 points to the All Blacks." - Nic Epstein

"I don't think Goosen and Vermeulen are fully game fit." - niclyde

"I welcome new faces to the team, especially youngsters as in 3 years time will be groomed and ready for the World Cup. However, rushing in players from injury will only wreck those guys careers in the long term as they are vulnerable to quick injuries at International level. If their coaches are saying that they are not ready then they are not ready – so who is H. Meyer to say otherwise?"
- Gregory Aubert

"How can you pick a player from overseas, and a player who is barely fit?" - Alicia Bracey

"I can't believe this man drops Keegan Daniel and Elton Jantjies without giving them a proper chance." - marvinseekoei

"I think that Daniel has been shafted here."
- david.w.logan

"So long as we continually kick away possession we will never win games. SA will not beat Australia or NZ with the current tactical approach, team selection and coach." - Trevor Tasker

"Desperate selection. Scrum half, fly half and full back positions are filled by off form players." - Tony Kirby

"Absolutely no reason why Elton Jantjies was dropped! I am a Bulls fan but clearly Meyer is playing favourites." - Nyameko Luso

"That's a good looking squad!Great to see Duane Vermeulen and Francious Louw in the mix. Even better to see Goosen stepping up...keen to see what this guy can do!" - seanreadcrisp

"Francois Louw is an outstanding player, and with Vermeulen and either Alberts, Coetzee or Daniels we will have a world class back row."
- Amused reader

"Great to see Flo back in the mix, we need a fetcher." - matthew.keegan.71


Johan Goosen, the future of Springbok rugby? (Gallo Images)
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