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Cape Town - The Springbok squad for the upcoming end-of-year tour to Europe includes 10 players currently plying their trade for overseas clubs.
While the All Blacks and Wallabies continue to reward those who remain loyal to their domestic provinces with a blanket ban on the selection of overseas-based players, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer on Monday recalled three stalwarts, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie and Bakkies Botha, in his 32-man squad to face Wales (November 9, Cardiff - 19:30), Scotland (November 17, Edinburgh - 17:00) and France (November 23, Paris - 22:00) next month.
It will be Botha and Fourie’s first involvement with the Springboks since the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, while Pietersen is back in the squad for the first time this year.
Botha currently plays for French club, Toulon, while Fourie (Kobelco Steelers) and Pietersen (Panasonic Wild Knights) play in Japan.
The other overseas-based players in the squad are Fourie du Preez (Suntory Sungoliath, Japan), Bryan Habana (Toulon, France), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, Ireland), Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France), Zane Kirchner (Leinster, Ireland), Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse, France) and Francois Louw (Bath, England).
Breaking down the latest Springbok squad
Apart from the above-mentioned stalwarts back in the fold, Meyer's latest 32-man squad features a number of new faces from the 30-man one that did duty in the recently concluded Rugby Championship in which the Boks finished second behind the All Blacks.
Out go (7):
Bjorn Basson (Bulls)
Juan de Jongh (WP)
Jano Vermaak (Toulouse)
Juandré Kruger (Racing Métro)
Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions)
Trevor Nyakane (Free State Cheetahs)
Chiliboy Ralepelle (Toulouse)
In come (9):
Gio Aplon (WP)
Jaque Fourie (Kobelco Steelers)
Johan Goosen (Free State Cheetahs)
JP Pietersen (Panasonic Wild Knights)
Louis Schreuder (WP)
Bakkies Botha (Toulon)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks)
Frans Malherbe (WP)
Scarra Ntubeni (WP)
Rugby Championship 30-man squad:
Backs:
Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Juan de Jongh, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez, Willie le Roux, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn, Jano Vermaak, Jean de Villiers (captain)
Forwards:
Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Juandre Kruger, Francois Louw, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Adriaan Strauss, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Duane Vermeulen
End of Year 32-man squad:
Backs
Gio Aplon, Jean de Villiers (captain), Fourie du Preez, JJ Engelbrecht, Jaque Fourie, Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jan Serfontein, Louis Schreuder, Morné Steyn
Forwards
Willem Alberts, Bakkies Botha, Marcell Coetzee, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Frans Malherbe, Tendai Mtawarira, Scarra Ntubeni, Coenie Oosthuizen, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen
HAVE YOUR SAY: Your thoughts on the latest Springbok team? Who was unluckiest - and most fortunate - to get the axe or be selected? Your stance on SARU continued selection of overseas-based players? Send your thoughts to Sport24.
While the All Blacks and Wallabies continue to reward those who remain loyal to their domestic provinces with a blanket ban on the selection of overseas-based players, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer on Monday recalled three stalwarts, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie and Bakkies Botha, in his 32-man squad to face Wales (November 9, Cardiff - 19:30), Scotland (November 17, Edinburgh - 17:00) and France (November 23, Paris - 22:00) next month.
It will be Botha and Fourie’s first involvement with the Springboks since the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, while Pietersen is back in the squad for the first time this year.
Botha currently plays for French club, Toulon, while Fourie (Kobelco Steelers) and Pietersen (Panasonic Wild Knights) play in Japan.
The other overseas-based players in the squad are Fourie du Preez (Suntory Sungoliath, Japan), Bryan Habana (Toulon, France), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, Ireland), Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France), Zane Kirchner (Leinster, Ireland), Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse, France) and Francois Louw (Bath, England).
Breaking down the latest Springbok squad
Apart from the above-mentioned stalwarts back in the fold, Meyer's latest 32-man squad features a number of new faces from the 30-man one that did duty in the recently concluded Rugby Championship in which the Boks finished second behind the All Blacks.
Out go (7):
Bjorn Basson (Bulls)
Juan de Jongh (WP)
Jano Vermaak (Toulouse)
Juandré Kruger (Racing Métro)
Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions)
Trevor Nyakane (Free State Cheetahs)
Chiliboy Ralepelle (Toulouse)
In come (9):
Gio Aplon (WP)
Jaque Fourie (Kobelco Steelers)
Johan Goosen (Free State Cheetahs)
JP Pietersen (Panasonic Wild Knights)
Louis Schreuder (WP)
Bakkies Botha (Toulon)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks)
Frans Malherbe (WP)
Scarra Ntubeni (WP)
Rugby Championship 30-man squad:
Backs:
Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Juan de Jongh, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez, Willie le Roux, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn, Jano Vermaak, Jean de Villiers (captain)
Forwards:
Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Juandre Kruger, Francois Louw, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Adriaan Strauss, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Duane Vermeulen
End of Year 32-man squad:
Backs
Gio Aplon, Jean de Villiers (captain), Fourie du Preez, JJ Engelbrecht, Jaque Fourie, Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jan Serfontein, Louis Schreuder, Morné Steyn
Forwards
Willem Alberts, Bakkies Botha, Marcell Coetzee, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Frans Malherbe, Tendai Mtawarira, Scarra Ntubeni, Coenie Oosthuizen, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen
HAVE YOUR SAY: Your thoughts on the latest Springbok team? Who was unluckiest - and most fortunate - to get the axe or be selected? Your stance on SARU continued selection of overseas-based players? Send your thoughts to Sport24.
