New Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is spoilt for choice ahead of the Springboks’ first Test of the year, against Six Nations champions Wales on June 7 in Bloemfontein. De Villiers, who took over from World Cup-winning coach Jake White at the beginning of the year, names his first South Africa squad on Saturday.
No image available
/ 13 February 2008
South Africa’s five Super 14 teams will have to produce some of their best rugby yet if they are to retain the title they so famously won, for the first time, last year. After years of being denied the title by the Australian and New Zealand teams, South Africa’s Northern Bulls finally went all the way in 2007.
Former Super 14-winning coach Heyneke Meyer is the favourite to succeed World Cup-winning boss Jake White as the new South Africa rugby coach next week. White stepped down as the Springbok coach at the end of last year after his four-year contract with the South African Rugby Union had run its course.
No image available
/ 3 September 2007
![]()
Jake White’s Springboks were due to leave for the World Cup in France later on Monday in an upbeat mood in stark contrast to the disastrous build-up to the last edition in Australia. In 2003 there was general discontent in Rudolf Straeuli’s camp after players were sent on the infamous military-style Kamp Staaldraad, while claims of racism rocked the squad.
Former South African World Cup-winning flyhalf Joel Stransky is backing the three southern-hemisphere powers as well as hosts France to have the biggest impact at this year’s Rugby World Cup, which kicks off on September 7. ”If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on South Africa,” he said.
In a little more than two weeks’ time, the Springboks will set out to win back the World Cup they won in 1995. It was a wonderful day for the new South African rainbow nation, just a year after the country’s first democratic elections and just three years after the mighty Springbok rugby team was allowed back into international sport.
Four years of meticulous planning and building a squad of 30 versatile players is what South Africa coach Jake White will be banking on when the Springboks launch their challenge for World Cup honours on September 9. Since his first day in charge of the national side in 2004, White said he would spend his time building a team that could seriously stake a claim for the trophy.
Bulls and Springbok number eight Pierre Spies was on Tuesday officially ruled out of this year’s World Cup in France. The 22-year-old was given the bad news on Tuesday after learning last week he may still have an outside chance of making it to France, where the tournament kicks off on September 7.
Springbok coach Jake White will get his first opportunity to see his World Cup side in action when South Africa face lowly Namibia in a warm-up match in Cape Town on Wednesday. It will also be the first match the Springboks play after former Australia coach Eddie Jones joined the squad a few weeks ago.
South Africa’s national selectors have stayed true to their word and named a predictable and experienced squad of 30 players to feature at this year’s World Cup tournament. National coach Jake White named 14 backs and 16 forwards with the squad being a good blend of youth and experience.