Despite kicking the Blue Bulls to an overwhelming 31-7 victory in the Currie Cup final at Ellis Park on Saturday, there was no place for sensational flyhalf Derick Hougaard in Rudolf Straeuli’s 26-man Springbok squad.
Also, Victor Matfield’s inclusion came at the 11th hour after he was apparently initially left out of the squad. His performance for the Bulls in the final seems to have swayed the selectors to include the lineout king.
The Lions, comprehensively defeated on Saturday have five players in the squad — four of which are up the South African Player of the Year award next week.
Andre Pretorius, despite being outshone by Hougaard in the final has been consistently the best pivot in the country this year and, injury permitting, should wear the No 10 jersey in all three Tests next month.
The squad announced at Ellis Park after the final, however, does include eight new caps for the tour to France, Scotland and England next month.
Blue Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer believes that Hougaard’s time will come. ”He is the man to take the Springboks all the way at next years Rugby World Cup in Australia,” said Meyer after the final.
”Derick is a special player. I have no doubt that he will play many Tests for South Africa. In fact I think he is the guy that can win the World Cup for us,” enthused Meyer.
The new caps are: Bakkies Botha, Wessel Roux and Pedrie Wannenburg (Bulls), Deon Carstens (Sharks), Jean de Villiers (WP), Friedrich Lombard (Cheetahs) and Pierre Uys and Marco Wentzel (Pumas).
The Currie Cup champions have only four players in the squad, three of which are new caps, while Western Province who were so woeful this seaason have the most players from any province with eight.
However, the return of centre Robbie Fleck and Jean de Villiers’ call-up are both well-deserved.
The inclusion of Uys and Wentzel is at the expense of the Sharks AJ Venter, whose indiscipline may have cost him a place in the touring squad. His Sharks team-mates Warren Britz and Shaun Sowerby can also consider themselves unlucky to miss out.
Joost van der Westhuizen, the most capped Springbok player in history could not, despite some good performances in the Currie Cup, gain a place ahead of the WP pair of Bolla Conradie and Neil de Kock.
”I am enjoying my rugby thoroughly,” he said basking in the glory of the Bulls final win. It seems Van der Westhuizen’s days are not yet numbered.
Springbok squad: Bakkies Botha (Bulls), Deon Carstens (Sharks), Johannes Conradie (WP), James Dalton (Falcons), Neil de Kock, Jean de Villiers, Robbie Fleck (WP), Werner Greeff (WP), Adrian Jacobs (Falcons), Butch James (Sharks), Marius Joubert (WP), Corne Krige (WP — captain), Jannes Labuschagne (Lions), Friedrich Lombard (Cheetahs), Victor Matfield (Bulls), Willie Meyer (Lions), Breyton Paulse (WP), Andre Pretorius (Lions), Wessel Roux (Bulls), Brent Russell (Pumas), Lawrence Sephaka (Lions), Pierre Uys (Pumas), Joe van Niekerk (Lions), Lucas van Biljon (Sharks), Pedrie Wannenburg (Bulls) and Marco Wentzel (Pumas).
Players not considered due to injury/fitness include: Stefan Terblanche, Dean Hall, Bob Skinstad, Hanyani Shimange, Faan Rautenbach, John Smit, Ollie le Roux, Rassie Erasmus. – Sapa