Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

World Cup champions picked in star-studded Green and Gold squads for Springbok Showdown trial match

(Photo by Pablo Morano/MB Media/Getty Images)

A blend of World Cup-winning Springboks, Blitzboks sevens stars and promising Junior Boks prospects have been named in two 25-man squads for the Springbok Showdown trial match to be held in Cape Town next week.

ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and newly-appointed Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber selected the two sides in a live draft, the first of its kind in South African rugby history.

Both Erasmus, the coach who guided the Springboks to their third World Cup title in Japan last year, and Nienaber are the commissioners for the two sides, which features a total of 13 players from the world champion Springboks squad.

Video Spacer

The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 19

Video Spacer

The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 19

Erasmus’ Green squad will be coached by Springboks assistant Mzwandile Stick, while Nienaber’s Gold team will be led by former Southern Kings coach Deon Davids.

“The draft picks exercise was a refreshing way to select the two squads for the game,” Erasmus said.

“Myself, Jacques and the coaches thoroughly enjoyed the exercise, but the tension of picking squads on live television wasn’t good for the nerves… I hope our fans enjoyed something new on the South African rugby landscape.”

The 50 players selected for the trial match were picked from a pool of 93 domestically-based players who were last week named as contenders for the clash.

ADVERTISEMENT

The group of players were identified from the Super Rugby and PRO14 seasons that ground to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, as well as those who stood out in last year’s Currie Cup.

There are also a slew of younger players who have been included that have been involved in South Africa Rugby’s Elite Player Development program in recent years.

According to a South Africa Rugby press release, both squads have been augmented by seven international rookies, of whom will be named in the coming days.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFhEOo8gChJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Numerous national stars, such as reigning World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit, World Cup-winning wing Sbu Nkosi, Sharks speedster Aphelele Fassi and Bulls prop Lizo Gqoboka weren’t considered due to injury.

ADVERTISEMENT

The two squads will assemble in Cape Town on Sunday, where they will prepare separately in their respective “bio-bubble environments” ahead of the October 3 clash at Newlands.

Springbok Green squad:

Props: Ox Nche*, Thomas du Toit**, Trevor Nyakane**, Luan de Bruin

Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi**, Schalk Erasmus

Locks: JD Schickerling, Hyron Andrews, Oupa Mohoje*

Looseforwards: Siya Kolisi**, Arno Botha8, Duane Vermeulen**, Junior Pokomela, Juarno Augustus

Scrumhalves: Sanele Nohamba, Embrose Papier*

Flyhalves: Elton Jantjies**, Manie Libbok

Centres: Frans Steyn**, Wandisile Simelane, Jeremy Ward

Outside backs: Seabelo Senatla, Yaw Penxe, Gianni Lombard, Malcolm Jaer

Springbok Gold squad:

Props: Steven Kitshoff**, Dylan Smith, Frans Malherbe**, Ruan Dreyer

Hookers: Scarra Ntubeni*, Dylan Richardson 

Locks: Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie*, Jason Jenkins*

Looseforwards: Marco van Staden*, Nizaam Carr*, Sikhumbuzo Notshe*; Vincent Tshituka, James Venter

Scrumhalves: Herschel Jantjies**, Jaden Hendrikse

Flyhalves: Damian Willemse**, Curwin Bosch*

Centres: Rikus Pretorius, Lukhanyo Am**, Werner Kok, Manuel Rass

Outside backs: Sergeal Petersen, Rosko Specman, Warrick Gelant**

** denotes Springbok RWC squad members

*denotes capped Springbok test players

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
NB 28 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

293 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame' 'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'
Search