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Duane Vermeulen says this Saturday’s Springbok ‘tryouts’ will present an opportunity for players to impress national coaches in more ways than one, he writes CRAIG LEWIS.
A host of up-and-coming players, along with some older Springboks, will be in action when two 25-man squads take action in Newlands this Saturday.
In a sense, it will serve as a form of national tryouts, as Bok’s coaches have admitted that there will be an opportunity for players to put themselves on the Tryouts radar as they continue to plan for the possibility of competing in the revised Rugby Championship later on. . this year.
Although it seems increasingly unlikely that all obstacles will be overcome for the Boks to defend their Rugby Championship title, an expanded team would need to be selected if South Africa were given the green light to travel to Australia.
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Speaking to the media via an online conference on Tuesday, Vermeulen said there were a number of important goals that players could focus on in Saturday’s unique game.
“The most important thing for us is working on our fitness heading into the Currie Cup season, and there are a lot of young people who have been selected and now have the opportunity to show their skills on a bigger platform. Whenever we meet again as a Springbok team, it might help.
“There are guys like Arno Botha who have been in the fold before, and now they are back in the mix and they have another shot. I think it would be nice for the coaches to see what they can do, and if they still have the burning desire to play for the Boks.
‘Rassie [Erasmus] and Jacques [Nienaber] he’s always talking about being a warrior, and they’ll want to see who has that warrior spirit in them, and then from there you can always develop some different abilities once you’re in the Springbok ‘setting.
Vermeulen said players knew that the Springboks’ participation in the Rugby Championship was out of their control, so the top priority would remain on catching up again whenever the opportunity to win playing time arose.
“For our part, as players, we have to adapt if we have the opportunity to play. For our part, we are getting used to things, but we can only focus on what we can control. And that’s what’s going on in the now, how to prepare our bodies to be physically ready. We are focusing on the Currie Cup, which is confirmed, and we don’t think too much about the future.
“If the Rugby Championship were to take place, however, we would be entering with a bit of a disadvantage, as we have just started a competition, while Australia and New Zealand have already finished theirs,” he added. “It would be difficult, since there was talk from the medical side that the ideal would be to have played more than 400 minutes before entering an international competition, but as I said, there are others who will decide the way forward.”
Green Team: 15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Trev Nyakane, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nche.
Subs: Schalk Erasmus, Thomas du Toit, Luan de Bruin, Teboho Mohoje, Juarno Augustus, Junior Pokomela, Embrose Papier, Manie Libbok, Jeremy Ward, Mnombo Zwelindaba.
Team Commissioner: Rassie Erasmus
Team Coach: Mzwandile Stick
Gold team: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Rosko Specman, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Nizaam Carr, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Substitutes: Dylan Richardson, Dylan Smith, Carlu Sadie, Jason Jenkins, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Jaden Hendrikse, Curwin Bosch, Werner Kok, Manual Rass.
Team Commissioner: Jacques Nienaber
Team Coach: Deon Davids
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