Goosen back in the melting pot for Boks

17 August 2016 - 09:29 By LIAM DEL CARME

He thought his Springbok goose was cooked, hence Johan Goosen's surprise when he got a recall for the Rugby Championships.Whoever wins the kicking"When I got the call from Uncle Ian (Schwartz), the Bok team manager, I wondered, where was my blazer?" Goosen said after completing a Springbok training session yesterday.Perhaps fittingly the training was against the local Pumas in preparation for Saturday's Test against Argentina at the Mbombela Stadium.Goosen now knows signing a three-year deal with a French club can stifle Bok ambitions and he feared he might not feature again following his last appearance against Italy in Padova in November 2014."After that tour I made peace with the fact that the Bok dream was over," he said.To complicate matters his form at Racing 92 in his maiden season wasn't exactly exemplary."That year was difficult. I doubted the decision I made. I adapted to what was needed. I wasn't really worried about what they were saying, but they forced me to adapt. I'm happy I did. It was a good decision to go there. I would love to come back but I've learnt as well."Goosen finds himself back in the fold for a number of reasons.He learnt how to become a team player at Racing, his form has been solid and he has remained injury-free. But the main reason he's back in Bok colours is because he is endowed with a Big Bertha of a right foot. It is the kind of explosiveness South Africa lacked against Ireland."It is a huge honour to play for the Boks. Test rugby is about territory. Whoever wins the kicking battle wins the Test," Goosen observed...

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