Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Western Province duo, Louis Schreuder and Scarra Ntubeni, as well as the Bulls' Frik Kirsten will not be recognised as Springboks after the SA Rugby Union (SARU) announced a new policy.
SARU on Thursday revised its capping policy to avoid the anomaly of players becoming Springboks without ever taking the field.
In future only players who make an appearance in a Test match will be given a Springbok number and regarded as full Springboks.
The new policy replaces the historical precedent of awarding the status of being a Springbok to any player who departed on an overseas tour.
Scrumhalf Schreuder and hooker Ntubeni were included on the Boks recent tour to the UK and France, while prop Kirsten was called up after an injury to Frans Malherbe.
However, none of the three played on the tour and according to SARU's new ruling will not be recognised as Springboks.
According to Die Burger's website, the ruling will apply from South Africa's recent tour which means past players who received Springbok numbers without appearing in a match won't have the honour taken away.
"The responsibility and honour of representing the Springboks on an overseas tour was a considerable one in the days when the Boks toured only every four years or less frequently and were then overseas for months at a time," SARU CEO Jurie Roux said via a press statement on Thursday.
"Players deserved their national colours even though some did not appear in a Test match and a very small number, because of injury, became Springboks without ever pulling on the jersey.
"That policy was continued into the professional era where the number of matches and tours has increased dramatically with a similarly increasing number of players who have been given official status as Springboks while never appearing."
SARU on Thursday revised its capping policy to avoid the anomaly of players becoming Springboks without ever taking the field.
In future only players who make an appearance in a Test match will be given a Springbok number and regarded as full Springboks.
The new policy replaces the historical precedent of awarding the status of being a Springbok to any player who departed on an overseas tour.
Scrumhalf Schreuder and hooker Ntubeni were included on the Boks recent tour to the UK and France, while prop Kirsten was called up after an injury to Frans Malherbe.
However, none of the three played on the tour and according to SARU's new ruling will not be recognised as Springboks.
According to Die Burger's website, the ruling will apply from South Africa's recent tour which means past players who received Springbok numbers without appearing in a match won't have the honour taken away.
"The responsibility and honour of representing the Springboks on an overseas tour was a considerable one in the days when the Boks toured only every four years or less frequently and were then overseas for months at a time," SARU CEO Jurie Roux said via a press statement on Thursday.
"Players deserved their national colours even though some did not appear in a Test match and a very small number, because of injury, became Springboks without ever pulling on the jersey.
"That policy was continued into the professional era where the number of matches and tours has increased dramatically with a similarly increasing number of players who have been given official status as Springboks while never appearing."
