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Why Rory, Luke weren't picked

Pieter Jordaan

Cape Town - Stormers loose forward Luke Watson and Sharks scrumhalf Rory Kockott have not been selected for the Springbok XV because they are simply not the best players in their positions, says coach Peter de Villiers.

The Springbok XV will lock horns next Friday in a practice match against a Namibian XV in Windhoek.

Watson, whose good form has been praised by various gurus of the game this week, is one of the three best No 8's in the country, according to De Villiers but not as good as the Bulls’ Pierre Spies and Sharks’ Ryan Kankowski.

“I don’t want to play games; I want them to start believing in my plan. Pierre and Ryan are my first and second choices in their positions and Luke is just below them,” said De Villiers.

No Bulls have been selected because they have reached the knockout stages of the Super 14.

Lions scrumhalf Jano Vermaak has been chosen above Kockott whose fiery temper sometimes overshadows his brilliant performances.
 
“I have looked at both, but Jano has shown some promise from a young age,” says De Villiers.

Springbok captain, John Smit, is the only tighthead prop in the squad, which could be a sign that he is the favourite for the position for the Test series against the British and Irish Lions.  

“It is a practice match and not the real thing. Things can still change before the series. But we have shown trust in John in another position (other than hooker) by selecting him at prop,” said De Villiers.

De Villiers has selected six players - Jean Deysel, Vermaak, Steven Sykes (lock), Wian du Preez (prop), Earl Rose (flyhalf) and Morgan Newman (centre) - with no Test experience.

The match in Windhoek doesn’t have Test status, but the selection of players gives a bit away regarding which players are in De Villiers's bigger plan.

Bulls players aside, the Boks will be missing injured stars Frans Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, Deon Carstens and Jaque Fourie (who is getting married).
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