Springboks pull out of 2020 Rugby Championship SA Rugby says it has reluctantly decided to withdraw the Springboks from the 2020 Rugby Championship, citing player welfare among other concerns. an impressive stock of playing personnel. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'3wryAo_NTaBdcLZK4fwS8w',sig:'DtIn3UhZQk8Ngk-tUUjtSIWrdal226VFNgpJ4B3o_mo=',w:'594px',h:'389px',items:'1181060433',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); In recent years, two competitions have been added that fit between provincial schoolboy or age-group level and the lower levels of senior provincial representative level. Steyn is one of the most versatile players in world rugby - he can play at flyhalf, centre and fullback, and made his Test debut for the Boks on the wing in 2006. South Africa’s premier club rugby competition pits each province’s club champions against each other. Frans Steyn was the youngest member of the the Springboks' RWC squad in 2007, when they brought home the coveted Webb Ellis Cup. The Springboks … How world sees SA: Rassie Erasmus Springbok team talk to ‘bully’ rugby players goes viral. A darling of Loftus, Hougaard was capped 8 times by the Springboks scoring 69 points. great play in the set piece, he also has very good ball skills. In post-war Springbok rugby, there are a number of instances reflecting sporting talent in a family unit. Steyn is one of the most versatile players in world rugby - he can play at flyhalf, centre and fullback, and made his Test debut for the Boks on the wing in 2006. In 2016, he overtook Os du Randt as the most-capped Springbok prop. In a country such as South Africa, Springbok rugby players have an added responsibility of bringing hope to a nation desperate for good news. by most pundits as one of the best hookers in the world. Towering RG Snyman is regarded as the natural successor to former Vodacom Bulls and Springbok lock kingpin Victor Matfield. He overcame a life-threatening illness in 2018 to establish himself as a regular in the Bok squad. Tendai Mtawarira was among the three Springboks named in World Rugby’s Team of the Decade as part of the Special Edition Awards held on Monday evening. Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is the most-capped member of the current squad. New Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and director of rugby Rassie Erasmus – the World Cup-winning coach – believe the South African players need … The player pipeline needs to be strong to compensate for the annual churn of top players leaving to be paid in stronger currencies. The pool draw took place in Paris in a virtual meeting attended by all the participating teams. The razor sharp wing from Durban was unlucky not to have made his Springbok debut in 2017, when injury postponed his entry into the Test arena. Completed; Castle Lager Springbok Showdown: Saturday, 03 Oct 2020 - Monday, 05 Oct 2020 : LOG MATCHES TEAMS STATS. The former Cell C Sharks scrumhalf has been in superb form for his club, Northampton Saints, in the English Premiership, where he is a firm fan favourite because of his try-scoring exploits. Eleven former South African international players have been inducted into either the International Rugby Hall of Fame or the IRB Hall of Fame. Rassie Erasmus 1st @Springboks 43 squad has 17 uncapped players, 20 players of colour & only a handful of foreign-based players #Springboks. He also played for Bordeaux-Bègles in the French Top 14 before returning to South Africa in 2017 and is now an established member of the Bok front row. The top 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby point scorer has established himself as a leader in the Bok team. He relocated to England at the end of 2018, where he signed with Gloucester. In June 2017, he scored 52 points against France in three Tests. Siya Kolisi and Lukhanyo Am to lead Springbok Green and Gold teams 1 month ago by Ultimate Rugby. Springboks withdraw from Rugby Championship due to South Africa's coronavirus travel restrictions and player safety concerns Posted 25 m minutes ago Fri Friday 16 Oct October 2020 at 1:57am This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Bath-based player, who made his Test debut in 2010, has a wealth of experience because of many campaigns in the English and European top flights, as well as serving the Springboks for several season as loose forward in the international arena. However, consistent performances for the Cell C Sharks has once more caught the attention of the national selectors and he established himself in the squad in 2018. He was signed by the Cheetahs the following year. South Africa complete hat-trick at World Rugby awards with Pieter-Steph du Toit crowned player of the year, Rassie Erasmus named best coach and Springboks winning team award 03/11/19 14:48 Please read our Comment Policy before commenting. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Previously, schoolboy players would be selected to represent their provinces in the annual Craven Week competitions. Would you like to comment on this article or view other readers' comments? Malherbe is very strong in the scrums and not shy to put in the hard yards around the park. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made just one change to his starting lineup for the Rugby World Cup Final in Tokyo. “The coaching staff has done a lot of preparation and the players’ contribution in this process, during and after our three camps, has been tremendously positive,” said Erasmus. Read more at the SA government's online coronavirus portal or use the 24-hour public hotline: 0800 029 999, Meet your Rugby World Cup 2019 Springbok squad. Those schools would include the usual favourites. Rugby Player of the Year in 2015 brings considerable experience to a position where the Springboks have already. Siya Kolisi, who made his Test debut against Scotland in Nelspruit in 2013, captained the DHL Stormers from 2017. Marx, the SA Rugby Player of the Year for 2017, is back to his best after missing a part of the 2018 Vodacom. He is the son of the late former Springbok winger and South African track and field star Jaco Reinach. He represented the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but missed most of the following two seasons due to serious knee and ankle injuries. All the latest news and developments on the Springboks. Springbok rugby players. Mostert, who is nicknamed "Sous" by his teammates, has made a telling impact at lock for the Emirates Lions over the past few seasons. He plays for the Vodacom Bulls and like his twin brother, Dan, also represented the Junior Boks. The best way to help them to do this is to ensure that the system gives players ever opportunity to find their way to the top, irrespective of their social standing. The Springboks have defeated England 32-12 to claim their third ever World Cup after previously winning the tournament in 1995 and 2007. Upon his return to South Africa in 2019, the ever-smiling Brits played for the Vodacom Bulls. The latter was born on August 1st, 1990 in Graaff-Reinet. Six are members of the International Rugby Hall of Fame only; two are members of the IRB Hall of Fame only, and four are members of both Halls of Fame. A strong scrummager on either side of the scrum and very busy in the tight loose, Nyakane excelled for the Toyota. In 2016, he overtook Os du Randt as the most-capped Springbok prop. He has been a cornerstone of the Bok pack since 2008 and was massive in the 2009 series victory over the British & Irish Lions. At his relative young age, he is already considered. The South Africa Springbok players pose for the cameras during the Rugby World Cup 2019 squad announcement at Ulwazi Centre, MultiChoice City on August 26, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Malherbe is very strong in the scrums and not shy to put in the hard yards around the park. Cheetahs and the Vodacom Bulls in the last couple of seasons. Two players used the Gold Cup to revive their rugby 15’s careers. Admittedly, many of those who were selected as Springbok rugby players would have progressed from age-group levels to the Varsity Cup anyway. Learn how your comment data is processed. Rosko Specman revived his 15’s career in 2016 with a season playing for Durban Collegians in the Gold Cup. Kitshoff has tasted World Rugby U20 Championship success with the Junior Springboks in 2012 and won three South African Vodacom Super Rugby Conference titles with DHL Stormers, all before his 24th birthday. An unfortunate spite of injuries saw the DHL Stormers front rower making a handful of Test appearances the previous three years after he was a regular for the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England. He was appointed Springbok captain last year and the Bok skipper is a huge fan favourite. The type of player who was missed by the provincial age-group and Varsity Cup systems. He is a skilful midfielder with good hands and deceptively quick, which has seen him set up many tries for the men on his outside. Elton Jantjies. He is the son of the late former Springbok winger and South African track and field star Jaco Reinach. He has been one of the standout players for the Vodacom Bulls since regaining his full fitness last season and has continued with his solid showings in the No 15 jersey. Siya Kolisi, who made his Test debut against Scotland in Nelspruit in 2013, captained the DHL Stormers from 2017. He has been a cornerstone of the Bok pack since 2008 and was massive in the 2009 series victory over the British & Irish Lions. Smith made his Bok debut in 2018 against Wales in Washington. The Springbok team fresh off winning their maiden Rugby Championship 3 … Pieter-Steph, who was named the SA Rugby Player of the Year for 2016 and 2018, is an uncompromising forward who is equally comfortable playing on the side of the scrum and at lock. The abrasive No 8 is one of the world’s best in his position and his strong ball carrying abilities and bone crushing tackling make him an ideal loose forward. Lukhanyo Am has been in good form the past few seasons and yet again shone for the Cell C Sharks in Vodacom Super Rugby. Two Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks, Lukhanyo Am and Sbu Nkosi, have been named in the Cell C Sharks’ backline for their Carling Currie Cup clash with … He represented the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but missed most of the following two seasons due to serious knee and ankle injuries. The King Protea as South Africa's national flower was chosen for this purpose, so that the national cricket team became known as the Proteas, for example. He is known for his massive work-rate and strength in the lineout and is a very popular member of the Springbok squad. Erasmus opted for a 17/14 split amongst forwards and backs with 7 players in the squad plying their trade overseas. South Africa remains an unbalanced society, but alternate routes to the top of the game are starting to give players who were not part of the elite system the opportunity to make their presence felt at the highest level of the game. De Jager makes a welcome return to the Springbok fold in November 2018 after missing the entire Test season through injury. Garth April, now playing for the Sunwolves was in Lions system early in his career. Thirty-two capped Springboks – 13 of whom were part of the Rugby World Cup-winning squad in Japan a year ago – a number of Blitzboks and recent Junior Boks are among a roster of 93 players in the draft squad for the historic Castle Lager Springbok Showdown in Cape Town on … After making seven Springbok appearances in 2016, he did not feature in 2017, but he was back with the Boks in 2018 and delivered many outstanding performances in the No 15 jersey. If players from less popular rugby schools (highlighted in bold below) can be given alternative routes to the top, the game can only continue to flourish. He is a versatile back, has great hands and a knack for busting tackles. After starring for the Springbok Sevens for a number of years on the international scene, the industrious flanker decided to concentrate on fifteens with the Emirates Lions, for whom he has made many outstanding outings in Vodacom Super Rugby. Vermeulen battled with some injuries in 2017 but has bounced back to his usual reliable best in 2018 as he played another influential role for the Boks. In 2008, he left his beloved Bulls to join the Leicester Tigers having won the Currie Cup and Super Rugby title with the side setting multiple records in both competitions. While it has not yet produced a rich pipeline of players, it does further extend the net to bring players into the system. He has sniping speed around the scrums and edges of broken play, and gives a crisp service from the base. Mostert, who is nicknamed "Sous" by his teammates, has made a telling impact at lock for the Emirates Lions over the past, He is known for his massive work-rate and strength in the lineout and is a very popular member of the. Jantjies first toured with the Boks at the end of 2010, when he was also named SA U20 and Young Player of the Year. The competition has produced 49 Springboks, 13 of which were selected for the Springbok Rugby World Cup 2019 campaign. The razor sharp wing from Durban was unlucky not to have made his Springbok debut in 2017, when injury postponed his entry into the Test arena. Fit-again wing Cheslin Kolbe returns to the Springbok team for the Rugby World Cup final against England at Yokohama International Stadium. The top 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby point scorer has established himself as a leader in the Bok team. Vodacom Super Rugby: Friday, 31 Jan 2020 - Saturday, 20 Jun 2020 : LOG MATCHES TEAMS STATS. Historically, a Springbok rugby players’ journey to the top of the game started at one of the elite rugby schools in South Africa. springboks.rugby Springboks to resume England rivalry at Twickenham South Africa and England will meet for the first time since the 2019 Rugby World Cup final when they clash at Twickenham on 20 November 2021 as part of the Springboks’ three-match tour of Europe. There would be casualties along the way, but the best of the playing crop would progress to the Currie Cup teams and the cream eventually to Super Rugby. Since the demise of apartheid the ruling African National Congress has wanted to replace the Springbok across all national teams, as emblem of the racially segregated sporting codes, with a neutral symbol that would represent a decisive break with a repressive past. Kitshoff has tasted World Rugby U20 Championship success with the Junior Springboks in 2012 and won three South African Vodacom Super Rugby Conference titles with DHL Stormers, all before his 24th birthday. In June 2017, he scored 52 points against France in three Tests. Grey College Bloemfontein, Monument, Affies, Paul Roos, Paarl Gymnasium….. Generally, the natural progression for those fortunate enough to play for the provincial schools team would be the age group teams of the top provincial unions. Koch is a powerful scrummager and has great ability around the park – two of the hallmarks of his game. Required fields are marked *. Le Roux has established himself as a fan favourite at Wasps in England thanks to his attacking play, good kicking skills. The South African Rand will always struggle against Northern Hemisphere currencies, so casting a wider net to bring more talent in the system becomes more important. He forms a formidable partnership with fellow locks Lood de Jager and Jason Jenkins, and has impressed with his handling skills and agility. Rugby News, Analysis, History, Schedule, Rumours. To illustrate the point that a widened net is starting to produce Springbok rugby players, we took a look at where the members of the original Springbok Rugby World Cup 2019 went to school. © 2020 Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Percy Montgomery came into a Springbok team in the midst of a revolution. He captained the Springboks in the once-off Test against Wales in Washington at the start of the 2018 season. Your email address will not be published. But what of those players who did not have the privilege of attending one of the elite rugby schools? Schalk Brits (Paul Roos), Lood de Jager (Hugenote, Springs), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Hoërskool Swartland), Eben Etzebeth (Tygerberg High School), Steven Kitshoff (Paul Roos Gymnasium), Vincent Koch (Hugenote, Springs), Siya Kolisi (Grey High PE), Francois Louw (Bishops), Frans Malherbe (Paarl Boys), Malcolm Marx (King Edward VII School), Bongi Mbonambi (St. Alban’s College), Tendai Mtawarira (Peterhouse, Zimbabwe), Franco Mostert (Brits High School), Trevor Nyakane (Ben Vorster, Tzaneen), Kwagga Smith (Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg), RG Snyman (Affies), Duane Vermeulen (Hoërskool Nelspruit), Lukhanyo Am (De Vos Malan High School, King Williams Town), Damian de Allende (Milnerton High), Faf de Klerk (Waterkloof), Warrick Gelant (Outeniqua, George), Elton Jantjies (Florida High), Herschel Jantjies (Paul Roos), Cheslin Kolbe (Brackenfell High), Jesse Kriel (Maritzburg College), Makazole Mapimpi (Jim Mvabasa SS School, King William’s Town), S’bu Nkosi (Jeppe Boys), Willie le Roux (Paul Roos), Handre Pollard (Paarl Gym), Cobus Reinach (Grey College, Bloemfontein), Frans Steyn (Grey College, Bloemfontein). Kolisi is a tough-as-nails loose forward who is comfortable on either side of the scrum. Morné du Plessis and father, Felix are the only father/son combination to captain the South African rugby team. To illustrate the point that a widened net is starting to produce Springbok rugby players, we took a look at where the members of the original Springbok Rugby World Cup 2019 went to school. AGE 32 Towering RG Snyman is regarded as the natural successor to former Vodacom Bulls and Springbok lock kingpin Victor Matfield. The SA Rugby Player of the Year in 2015 brings considerable experience to a position where the Springboks have already an impressive stock of playing personnel. Kolisi will lead the Green team and Springbok team-mate Lukhanyo Am captains the Gold team. Vermeulen battled with some injuries in 2017 but has bounced back to his usual reliable best in 2018 as he played another influential role for the Boks. He was appointed Springbok captain last year and the Bok skipper is a huge fan favourite. Springboks past and present, Blitzboks from the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, Junior Springboks and the best provincial talent were among the list of 93 players originally identified to take part in this unique match. It does, however, allow for players who were not caught in the age-group structures to catch the eye of senior provincial talent scouts. Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is the most-capped member of the current squad. ASICS launches unique Springbok jersey for British & Irish Lions 2021 Tour. He made his Test debut in 2013 and apart from his. Three Springbok Rugby World Cup-winners, Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis and Bryan Habana, were named in the World Rugby 15s Team of the Decade as part of the World Rugby Awards Special Edition on Monday night. Kriel made his Test debut in 2015 and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting backs in the local. 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