There were a number of shocks and omissions in Jake White’s 33-man Springbok squad announced on Saturday night.
White has included three new caps: Bulls hooker Gary Botha, Lions scrumhalf Enrico Januarie and Tonderai Chavhanga from Western Province, but it is the players he left out that will no probably cause the most consternation.
Cats hooker Schalk Brits and Bulls tighthead prop Richard Bands find themselves out in the cold, although both were included in a list of fringe players that will join the squad for fitness testing on June 3.
Gcobani Bobo, Gerrie Britz, Michael Claassens, Tim Dlulane, Gaffie du Toit, Jonghikaya Nokwe and Juan Smit have all been left out, after being part of the mix last year.
The Western Province pair of Du Toit and Britz were not considered for selection due to pending surgery.
Former South African player of the year, wing Ashwin Willemse, a long time favourite of White, was also included in the squad. Cats teammate Januarie is also recovering from injury and has only just returned to the Lions squad.
As expected, just two overseas-based players — Jaco van der Westhuyzen (NEC, Japan) and Percy Montgomery (Newport, Wales) were included in the final squad. Both men were regular fixtures in White’s team that won the Vodacom Tri-Nations title last year.
Captain John Smit said he was happy with the squad chosen by the selection panel. ”It’s always difficult to choose a squad and you can’t make everyone happy, but I think the guys that have played well have been rewarded,” he said.
Smit backed White’s loyalty to a number of standout performers from last year’s Tri-Nations campaign.
”It’s important to retain the bulk of that squad for consistency. Jake has done that and he has stuck to the formula he knows.”
White also came in for criticism when he selected his first squad last year, but they went on to defeat New Zealand and Australia and win the southern hemisphere showpiece.
It is a relatively young, but experienced squad and the coach is clearly keeping the 2007 World Cup in mind.
Peter Jooste, convenor of the selection panel, said the panel was confident the squad represents strong elements of good experience and emerging talent.
”The policy of the selection panel is to strive for continuity, consistency and to integrate new players, rather than wholesale changes,” Jooste explained.
Springbok coach Jake White said: ”I thought we got our selection spot on last year and nine wins from 13 matches tends to vindicate this. I said last year that the core of the 2007 World Cup squad has been identified and they will over the next two seasons hopefully continue to achieve success and grow as a squad.”
The Boks play Uruguay in East London on June 11, before taking on France in a two-Test series, the first of which will be played in Durban on June 18 and the second in Port Elizabeth on June 25.
The squad will attend a training camp, starting in Bloemfontein on May 20.
The Bulls players, who form the bulk of the squad, will only join the rest of the squad once they have completed their Super 12 campaign. The Bulls play the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday morning (SA time).
Springbok squad: Backs: Percy Montgomery (Newport, Wales), Jaco van der Westhuyzen (NEC, Japan), Breyton Paulse, Marius Joubert, De Wet Barry, Bolla Conradie, Jean de Villiers, Tonderai Chavanga (all Stormers), Fourie du Preez, Bryan Habana (both Bulls), Jaque Fourie, Enrico Januarie, Wayne Julies, Ashwin Willemse (all Cats), Brent Russell (Sharks).
Forwards: Schalk Burger, Hanyani Shimange, Eddie Andrews, Joe van Niekerk (all Stormers), Jacques Cronje, Pedrie Wannenburg, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, Gary Botha (all Bulls), John Smit (captain), AJ Venter, Solly Tyibilika, Albert van den Berg (all Sharks), Os du Randt, CJ van der Linde, Gurthro Steenkamp, Lawrence Sephaka (all Cats).
Fringe players: Gcobani Bobo, Tim Dlulane, Jonghikaya Nokwe, Michael Claassen, Conrad Jantjes, Lukas van Biljon, Juan Smith, Quinton Davids, Schalk Brits, Richard Bands, Marius Hurter. – Sapa