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Udine – Another forgotten and overseas-based World Cup Springbok, BJ Botha, has to answer his country’s call as a tighthead prop against Italy on Saturday.
Botha may be picked on the bench in place of the injured CJ van der Linde, who was called up from Leinster to replace the injured Jannie du Plessis.
Coach Peter de Villiers certainly did not expect the tour to turn into such a disaster with injuries, but confirmed to Sport24 that he had already asked for Botha to be called up.
Botha last played for South Africa in the 2007 World Cup and has since moved to Belfast, where he is playing for Ulster. He is apparently on holiday in Durban, but De Villiers is confident that he will be able to join the team in time.
The search for another tighthead prop is not a motion of no confidence in John Smit’s ability, but rather because hooker Bismarck du Plessis is struggling with a rib injury.
The plan for the test against Italy was to pick Smit at hooker and Van der Linde at tighthead prop.
Danie Rossouw would have replaced the injured Schalk Burger (rib) on the flank.
Andries Bekker was also injured against Saracens, and his tour might be over, so with Van der Linde struggling with a hamstring injury, De Villiers will have to make new plans before picking his test side on Thursday.
Jean Deysel now looks set to start in Burger’s place, with Rossouw set to be used as substitute lock again.
An option would have been for De Villiers to have called up Wikus van Heerden to play flank on Saturday given the way he played for Saracens on Tuesday night. If Van der Linde and Botha can be selected from overseas clubs, why not Van Heerden as well?
Smit is likely to play tighthead, with Adriaan Strauss set to start at hooker if Du Plessis is not fit. Smit will then cover hooker, with BJ Botha the replacement prop.
There are unlikely to be changes in the backs, though Jongi Nokwe may make the match-day 22.
While the majority of the midweek side jetted back to South Africa on Wednesday night, Deysel, Dewald Potgieter, Francois Hougaard and Nokwe stayed behind to join the test squad.
Possible Bok team: Zane Kirchner, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Adrian Jacobs, Bryan Habana, Morné Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Ryan Kankowski, Jean Deysel, Heinrich Brüssow, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, John Smit (capt), Adriaan Strauss, Beast Mtawarira. Substitutes: Wian du Preez, BJ Botha, Danie Rossouw, Dewald Potgieter, Ruan Pienaar, Wynand Olivier, Jongi Nokwe.
Udine – Another forgotten and overseas-based World Cup Springbok, BJ Botha, has to answer his country’s call as a tighthead prop against Italy on Saturday.
Botha may be picked on the bench in place of the injured CJ van der Linde, who was called up from Leinster to replace the injured Jannie du Plessis.
Coach Peter de Villiers certainly did not expect the tour to turn into such a disaster with injuries, but confirmed to Sport24 that he had already asked for Botha to be called up.
Botha last played for South Africa in the 2007 World Cup and has since moved to Belfast, where he is playing for Ulster. He is apparently on holiday in Durban, but De Villiers is confident that he will be able to join the team in time.
The search for another tighthead prop is not a motion of no confidence in John Smit’s ability, but rather because hooker Bismarck du Plessis is struggling with a rib injury.
The plan for the test against Italy was to pick Smit at hooker and Van der Linde at tighthead prop.
Danie Rossouw would have replaced the injured Schalk Burger (rib) on the flank.
Andries Bekker was also injured against Saracens, and his tour might be over, so with Van der Linde struggling with a hamstring injury, De Villiers will have to make new plans before picking his test side on Thursday.
Jean Deysel now looks set to start in Burger’s place, with Rossouw set to be used as substitute lock again.
An option would have been for De Villiers to have called up Wikus van Heerden to play flank on Saturday given the way he played for Saracens on Tuesday night. If Van der Linde and Botha can be selected from overseas clubs, why not Van Heerden as well?
Smit is likely to play tighthead, with Adriaan Strauss set to start at hooker if Du Plessis is not fit. Smit will then cover hooker, with BJ Botha the replacement prop.
There are unlikely to be changes in the backs, though Jongi Nokwe may make the match-day 22.
While the majority of the midweek side jetted back to South Africa on Wednesday night, Deysel, Dewald Potgieter, Francois Hougaard and Nokwe stayed behind to join the test squad.
Possible Bok team: Zane Kirchner, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Adrian Jacobs, Bryan Habana, Morné Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Ryan Kankowski, Jean Deysel, Heinrich Brüssow, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, John Smit (capt), Adriaan Strauss, Beast Mtawarira. Substitutes: Wian du Preez, BJ Botha, Danie Rossouw, Dewald Potgieter, Ruan Pienaar, Wynand Olivier, Jongi Nokwe.
