AFTER the Blue Bulls failed to remain afloat after being swept aside by the large orange Free State tidal wave (36-16) in Saturday’s Currie Cup final in Bloemfontein, Springbok coach Allister Coetzee announced two squads to do duty in Europe next month.
With the Barbarians game falling outside of the international fixture window and being regarded as a non-official test, Coetzee was forced to announce two separate squads owing to foreign player availability.
The squad that will face the Barbarians side at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, 5 November at 5pm local time is as follows:
Forwards – Lourens Adriaanse, Nizaam Carr, Uzair Cassiem, Eben Etzebeth, Lizo Gqoboka, Lood de Jager, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Jean-Luc du Preez, Roelof Smit, RG Snyman, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit and Thomas du Toit.
Backs – Damian de Allende, Ruan Combrinck, Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Patrick Lambie, Rudy Paige, Sergeal Petersen, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Tian Schoeman, Jamba Ulengo, Francois Venter and Piet van Zyl.
The exciting part about this squad is that players who put their hands up in the Currie Cup competition were rewarded for their hard work and determination.
Even more exciting is the inclusion of wing Ruan Combrinck who made a huge impact for the Boks before breaking his leg a few months ago.
But these young guns will have their work cut out for them, as the two sides have locked horns seven times, with the Barbarians winning four and the Boks three.
The Barbarians won the last two encounters at Twickenham – in 2007 (22-5) and 2010 (26-20).
After the team’s poor run in the Rugby Championship this season and the Boks’ confidence dragging on the floor, Coetzee will have to pull something out of his bag of tricks to uplift the spirits within both squads again.
Once the Baabaa dust settles, the year-end tour squad will take on England, Italy and Wales.
This is another tough ask for the team that’s going through ‘transformation’.
To start one’s tour off against Eddie Jones’ men, who are currently playing phenomenal rugby, is going to be tough.
One will never forget how Jones’ Japanese side pulled the wool of the Boks’ eyes in their 2015 World Cup opening game.
Since Jones’ appointment in November last year, he won the 2016 Six Nations Championship, picked up the Grand Slam title, became the first English coach to pick up a 3-0 series whitewash in Australia and improve the team’s IRB World ranking to second spot.
If the Boks survive the gauntlet against England at Twickenham on Saturday, 12 November, they will then look to carry their success to Florence on Saturday, 19 November where they take on the Italians.
They will end their tour off against the Dragons (Wales) in Cardiff on Saturday, 26 November.
Captain Adriaan Strauss will be retiring from international rugby at the end of the tour.
Springbok year-end squad
Forwards – Willem Alberts, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Jaco Kriel, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Jean-Luc du Preez, Roelof Smit, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit and Warren Whiteley.
Backs – Damian de Allende, Ruan Combrinck, Faf de Klerk, Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Patrick Lambie, Lionel Mapoe, Rudy Paige, Sergeal Petersen, JP Pietersen, Willie le Roux, Francois Venter and Piet van Zyl.
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