Flanker Luke Watson kept his place on Sunday in a revised Springbok squad for the first Test against England on May 26 while Bulls flyhalf Derick Hougaard was added as cover for the injured Andre Pretorius.
Hougaard’s inclusion came an hour after officials released details of a squad that had been reduced from 46 to 37 players. The addition of Hougaard made it 38.
”[Chairperson of selectors] Peter Jooste confirmed that he had been added,” Springbok press officer Vusi Kama said.
Watson had been added to the initial training squad before the two-Test series by South African Rugby Union president Regan Hoskins against the wishes of Springbok coach Jake White, a move that triggered a media frenzy.
Watson (23) is the son of anti-apartheid hero Dan ”Cheeky” Watson, who turned his back on white rugby to play in the black townships at the height of isolation.
His performances and his father’s struggle credentials have made him a political cause celebre. Parliament’s watchdog sports committee accused rugby in February of deliberately excluding Watson on political grounds.
White and his fellow selectors had refused to pick Watson, with the coach maintaining over the years that the 1,86m player was too small and that there were better players around.
Centre Jaque Fourie and Pretorius were not included in the reduced squad for the first Test in Bloemfontein because of injuries while another seven capped players were cut after fitness testing and medical checks on Wednesday and Thursday.
They were wings Tonderai Chavhanga, Breyton Paulse and Jaco Pretorius, fullback Bevin Fortuin, prop Eddie Andrews, lock Gerrie Britz and flanker Kabamba Floors.
Flanker AJ Venter will join the squad after the first Test as he is due to get married on match day. — Reuters
Squad:
Backs: Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Bryan Habana, Derick Hougaard, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Wayne Julies, Percy Montgomery, Waylon Murray, Odwa Ndungane, Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Frans Steyn, Ashwin Willemse
Forwards: Johan Ackermann, BJ Botha, Bakkies Botha, Gary Botha, Schalk Burger, Deon Carstens, Bismarck du Plessis, Os du Randt, Victor Matfield, Johann Muller, Danie Rossouw, Bob Skinstad, John Smit, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Gurthro Steenkamp, Albert van den Berg, CJ van der Linde, Wikus van Heerden, Joe van Niekerk, AJ Venter, Luke Watson