The next best - Our Uncapped XV
With the latest Bok squad – for SA’s Tri-Nations home leg – announced at the weekend, Timmy Hancox has gone a step further and picked his Uncapped Bok XV; of those players not selected and currently parading their form in the Currie Cup.
An injection of youth and energy could do the Springboks a world of good and the Currie Cup is the platform where the next generation of starlets are showcasing their skills; for this exercise we have selected the next best 22 in SA at present – based purely on those in-form players who have not played for the Boks, at any senior level, as yet.
Sure, it would be a bold move to throw some of these youngsters into the international area, especially whilst they are still ‘teething’ in SA’s premier domestic competition, but it wouldn’t be the first time South African selectors have taken a leap of faith.
If memory serves, Bryan Habana and Frans Steyn were given Bok call-ups with a handful of Currie Cup games under their belts only… and their careers have since flourished.
The old saying that ‘if you good enough, you’re old enough’ still holds water if James O’Connor and Israel Dagg are anything to go by.
For that reason, we – at rugby365.com – present our Uncapped (Bok) XV:
Starting from the back, Hennie Daniller has been as trusty as any South Africa fullback as the last line of defence this season and the strength of his left boot helps him to pip Louis Ludik – who has just returned to action – for the No.15 jersey.
The wings select themselves – both ‘The Shadow’, Gerhard van den Heever, and Lwazi Mvovo have been struck with a try-scoring disease this season. Michael Killian is unlucky to miss out, but our pair just have that extra ability to create something from nothing.
Jaco Taute reverts to outside centre, where he played for the ‘Baby Boks’, and links up with fellow SA Under-20 star Pat Lambie in the midfield. The versatile 19-year-old Shark will play alongside Jacques-Louis Potgieter in next year’s Super 15, which is why we decided that Lambie should be the one to shift across to inside centre, where – of course – he has played this year, too.
South African rugby’s cup overfloweth with scrumhalf talent currently and the man from Kimberley who always punches above his weight, Sarel Pretorius, has the edge over the Lions’ nuggety No.9, Jano Vermaak, who could – and should – also win a Bok blazer in the future.
Duane Vermeulen, at No.8, is a man amongst men and isn’t adverse to the physical stuff. Jacques Botes and Deon Stegmann offer two fetchers capable of playing a tight game when it’s called for, while Willem Alberts deserves an honourable mention. The loose trio form a tough unit who wouldn’t be afraid to bleed for the cause.
Leader of the unbeaten Western Province side and the new line-out king in SA, Anton van Zyl, is our skipper. Mr. Reliable Steven Sykes is his second row partner. (Although Sykes was named on the bench for the third Lions Test last year, he was not called onto the field and is therefore still eligible for our team.)
Coenie Oosthuizen and Werner Kruger are mobile front-rankers and also powerful scrummagers, and they hold off some tough competition from the likes of Wicus Blaauw, Brok Harris, WP Nel and Pat Cilliers to fill our propping positions.
Deon Fourie – despite being the back-up at WP to Tiaan Liebenberg (a Bok against the Baa-baas in 2007) is our bolter at hooker and he will tear around the park tackling anything that moves for the first 60 minutes before Craig Burden gets called on to do much of the same in his helter-skelter style!
The bench is all about making an impact, with Burden and Keegan Daniel masters at roaring around the park late in the game. Lambie’s ability to switch to flyhalf means that Bulls form man Stefan Watermeyer provides midfield cover, with no flyhalf warming the pine.
rugby36.com’s Uncapped XV: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Patrick Lambie, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Jacques Botes, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Anton van Zyl (captain), 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wicus Blaauw, 18 Adriaan Fondse, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Stefan Watermeyer, 22 Louis Ludik.
* Have we missed out anybody? Let us know what YOU think of this Uncapped XV!
By Timmy Hancox
