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Where the 'next generation' of Springboks could come from

Henco van Wyk of South Africa Select XV and teammates after their side conceded a fourth try during the match between Munster and South Africa Select XV at Páirc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

The four-year cycle leading up to the World Cup in Australia has started and Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen believes he has players that can play a big role for the Springboks.

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The Lions have only won two of their six games so far in the United Rugby Championship season, but they have shown plenty of promise with their performances.

In the matches that they have lost, it has been by seven points or less on each occasion and on Saturday they moved up to ninth in the standings after a 61-19 win over Zebre in Johannesburg.

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Players like Henco van Wyk, Francke Horn, Sanele Nohamba, Ruan Venter and a few others have proved their worth on the field and they could be knocking on the Bok door when Rassie Erasmus and the rest of his coaching team select the first squad next year.

“We believe we have eight to 10 guys that can be involved with the Boks in the next cycle, in terms of the more junior guys,” Van Rooyen told reporters after Saturday’s win.

“Off the bat there, Willem [Alberts] has probably been playing the best rugby for years,” he added with a smile.

“We are confident in the sense that the next generation [of Boks] could come from our team.”

If the Lions do offload a few players to the Bok squad, it would mean they will be unavailable for certain periods of the season with internationals and camps taking centre stage. However, Van Rooyen prefers to look at the positive side of it all.

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“If the World Cup is sitting in the cabinet, I think what we are doing is working. I think the main priority stays the Springboks and I think that is also important for the country.

“Obviously we are not in the position to lose players or get players. If you look at the Sharks, I think they got eight players back and obviously that will make a difference in your team, but it also tests your depth a little bit.

“Any team that plays without eight or nine of their best players will feel it a little bit, but I think for a South African franchise that it will build depth and we get exposure to the future superstars.

“I think in the short term it is challenging, but in the long term I think it is still good for South African rugby.”

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3 Comments
J
Jon 358 days ago

4 year cycle - there is time - just don’t be afraid to blood the occasional rookie

s
strachan 358 days ago

Boks will be in a semi at least. We have a excellent Chance being in a final I hope against France this time to silence that DuPoesnt

H
Henrik 358 days ago

I would suggest a ‘solera’-system (used to make sherry and other fine wines in casks) …. in every test match introducting one (but only one) new player, so he can get into the team …. it’s the team spirit which made the Boks win RWC 2023, so it’s paramount to keep that spirit going for RWC 2027

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Tom 1 hour ago
England player ratings vs South Africa | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

That 2019 performance was literally the peak in attacking rugby under Eddie. If you thought that was underwhelming, the rest of it was garbage.


I totally get what you're saying and England don't need or have any God given right to the best coaches in the world... But I actually think the coaches we do have are quite poor and for the richest union in the world, that's not good enough. 


England are competitive for sure but with the talent pool up here and the funds available, we should be in the top 3. At the very least we should be winning six nations titles on a semi-regular basis. If Ireland can, England definitely should.


England's attack coach (Richard Wigglesworth) is Borthwick's mate from his playing days at Saracens, who he brought to Leicester with him when he became coach. Wigglesworth was a 9 who had no running or passing game, but was the best box kicker in the business. He has no credentials to be an attack coach and I've seen nothing to prove otherwise. Aside from Marcus Smith’s individual brilliance, our collective attack has looked very uninspiring.

 

England's defence coach (Joe El-Abd) is Borthwick's housemate from uni, who has never been employed as a defence coach before. He's doing the job part time while he's still the head coach of a team in the second division of French rugby who have an awful defensive record. England's defence has gone from being brutally efficient under Felix Jones to as leaky as a colander almost overnight.


If Borthwick brings in a new attack and defence coach then I'll absolutely get behind him but his current coaches seem to be the product of nepotism. He's brought in people he's comfortable with because he lacks confidence as an international head coach and they aren't good enough for international rugby.


England are competitive because they do some things really well, mostly they front up physically, make a lot of big hits, have a solid kicking game, a good lineout, good maul, Marcus Smith and some solid forwards. A lot of what we do well I would ascribe to Borthwick personally. I don't think he's a bad coach, I think he lacks imagination and is overly risk averse. He needs coaches who will bring a point of difference.


I guess my point is, yes England are competitive, but we’re not aiming for competitive and I honestly don't believe this coaching setup has what it takes to make us any better than competitive.


On the plus side it looks like we have an amazing crop of young players coming through. Some of them who won the u20 world cup played for England A against Australia A on the weekend and looked incredible... Check out the highlights on youtube.

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