Boks To Face The Lions

01/06/09 17:31 Filed in: Springboks | Team Announcement

The Springboks have announced the following squad to face the British and Irish Lions in the three test series.

Springbok Squad

Forwards
Andries Bekker
Bakkies Botha
Schalk Burger
Deon Carstens
Bismark Du Plessis
Ryan Kankowski
Victor Matfield
Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira
Chiliboy Ralepelle
Danie Rossouw
John Smit
Juan Smith
Pierre Spies
Guthrö Steenkamp

Backs
Jean De Villiers
Fourie Du Preez
Jaque Fourie
Bryan Habana
Adrian Jacobs
Ricky Januarie
Odwa Ndungane
Jongi Nokwe
Wynard Olivier
Ruan Pienaar
JP Pietersen
Earl Rose
Francois Steyn
Morné Steyn

The squad comprised 14 backs and 14 forwards, 10 players from S14 victors the Blue Bulls, 10 from the Natal Sharks, 4 from the Western Province and a pair each from both the Golden Lions and the Cheetahs.

Peter de Villiers has chosen to not include an out and out full-back in the squad, and when drawn on the omission he said: "I think we do have a few brilliant players there that have played in that position already. I don't know where and when you qualify as a recognised rugby player."

"We do have a few options and we will use the opportunity to take the best combinations for the kind of rugby that we want to play."

De Villiers also said that the likes of Luke Watson, Zane Kirchner and Johann Muller were unlucky to miss out on selection. Kirchner, the Blue Bulls incumbent full-back who has played brilliantly in the last few months is a particularly surprising omission given the Boks problems at the back.

Asked about the possible momentum the national side could draw from the Bulls emphatic win over the Chiefs at the weekend, team captain John Smit suggested it was "colossal".

"That's the kind of momentum and certainly we've seen the kind of confidence that they play with as a team. I'm sure that will infiltrate into our team and we are blessed that they are playing such good rugby and that they can come into this side that we are going to put against the British and Irish Lions."

The British & Irish Lions meet the Springboks in the first of three tests on Saturday June 20th at the ABSA stadium in Durban. The Lions also play an Emerging Springbok side on the Tuesday between the first and the second test and this squad was also announced.

Emerging Springbok Squad

Forwards: Jacques Botes, Jean Deysel, Wian du Preez, Werner Kruger, Patrick Cilliers, Tiaan Liebenberg, Bandisa Maku, Dewald Potgieter, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Steven Sykes, Franco van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen.

Backs: Heini Adams, Bjorn Basson, Burton Francis, Zane Kirchner, Louis Ludik, Morgan Newman, Earl Rose, Deon van Rensburg, Jano Vermaak, Luzuko Vulindlu.

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Boks To Face The Lions