Faf axed from Springbok training group

27 March 2017 - 14:51 By Craig Ray
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Faf de Klerk during the South African national rugby team training session at Cape Town Stadium on June 09, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Faf de Klerk during the South African national rugby team training session at Cape Town Stadium on June 09, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

Lions scrumhalf Faf de Klerk appears to be the highest profile casualty of coach Allister Coetzee’s second season at the helm of the Springboks after he was omitted from a training squad named on Monday.

Sharks players who weren’t considered for the first training camp last month because of Super Rugby duty were included in the group for the camp‚ which will be held in Stellenbosch from April 2-4.

Sharks flyhalf sensation Curwin Bosch has been included in the 41-member group along with scrumhalf Cobus Reinach‚ who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

Coetzee’s decision to overlook De Klerk for this camp is a strong indication that the Lions scrumhalf is unlikely to feature for the Boks against France in June. De Klerk has struggled to make the transition to Test rugby after proving himself a capable Super Rugby player although he was dropped from the Lions starting team earlier this season.

Springbok selectors invited a group of 13 Sharks players‚ 10 each from the Lions and Stormers as well as eight Cheetahs players to the three-day camp. There are no players from the Bulls or the Southern Kings in the latest training group as these two franchises are in action abroad.

As with the first camp‚ there are also no overseas-based players included amongst the squad‚ adhering to World Rugby regulations. Lock Franco Mostert is not available for this camp as his wife is due to give birth to their first child.

Other exciting inclusions are Cheetahs flyhalf Fred Zeilinga‚ Sharks centre Lukhanyo Am and Stormers wing/fullback Dillyn Leyds. Injured Springboks Pat Lambie‚ Uzair Cassiem and Ruan Combrinck have been invited to the camp‚ but injured players such as Damian de Allende and Jean-Luc du Plessis (both Stormers)‚ who made the trip to the previous camp in Johannesburg‚ are not required to do so again.

 Included amongst the 41 players are another five Young Guns‚ players all under the age of 23 years who have been earmarked as potential future Springboks.

They are Ox Nche (prop‚ Cheetahs)‚ Wilco Louw (prop‚ Stormers)‚ Ruan Ackermann (looseforward‚ Lions)‚ EW Viljoen (centre‚ Stormers) and Bosch (flyhalf‚ Sharks). “The first camp was very successful and we managed to cover a lot of our planning and training plans with the group that assembled in Johannesburg‚" Coetzee said.

"We aim to do the same in Stellenbosch.

“This group has a different look to it because of the addition of the Sharks players‚ while we are not able to call up players from the Bulls and the Southern Kings because they will be abroad when the camp takes place.” With a third camp planned for May‚ there is still time for players to catch the attention of the selectors‚ according to Coetzee: “There is still one more camp to follow after Stellenbosch‚ so we will keep the door open for players who perform in Super Rugby. “The camp provides another opportunity for us to cast the net wider and also to have a closer look at certain positions.

"There are a couple of new faces in this group who have shown consistently good form.

"I also want to thank our franchise and conditioning coaches for their continued collaboration and support.” During their three-day stay in Stellenbosch‚ the group will undergo medical and conditioning assessments‚ attend gym and undertake a couple of field training sessions.

1. Ruan Ackermann Looseforward Emirates Lions

2. Lukhanyo Am Centre Cell C Sharks

3. Clayton Blommetjies Fullback Toyota Cheetahs

4. Curwin Bosch Flyhalf/Fullback Cell C Sharks

5. Ruan Botha Lock Cell C Sharks

6. Uzair Cassiem Flank Toyota Cheetahs

7. Andries Coetzee Fullback Emirates Lions

8. Ruan Combrinck Wing Emirates Lions

9. Ruan Dreyer Prop Emirates Lions

10. Jean-Luc du Preez Flank Cell C Sharks

11. Pieter-Steph du Toit Lock DHL Stormers

12. Eben Etzebeth Lock DHL Stormers

13. Rohan Janse van Rensburg Centre Emirates Lions

14. Elton Jantjies Flyhalf Emirates Lions

15. Siya Kolisi Flank DHL Stormers

16. Jaco Kriel Flank Emirates Lions

17. Pat Lambie Flyhalf Cell C Sharks

18. Dillyn Leyds Wing DHL Stormers

19. Wilco Louw Prop DHL Stormers

20. Frans Malherbe Prop DHL Stormers

21. Lionel Mapoe Centre Emirates Lions

22. Malcolm Marx Hooker Emirates Lions

23. Bongi Mbonambi Hooker DHL Stormers

24. Oupa Mohoje Flank Toyota Cheetahs

25. Beast Mtawarira Prop Cell C Sharks

26. Lubabalo Mtembu No 8 Cell C Sharks

27. Lwazi Mvovo Wing Cell C Sharks

28. Ox Nche Prop Toyota Cheetahs

29. Coenie Oosthuizen Prop Cell C Sharks

30. Etienne Oosthuizen Lock Cell C Sharks

31. Chiliboy Ralepelle Hooker Cell C Sharks

32. Cobus Reinach Scrumhalf Cell C Sharks

33. Raymond Rhule Wing Toyota Cheetahs

34. Seabelo Senatla Wing DHL Stormers

35. Kobus van Wyk Wing Cell C Sharks

36. Jano Vermaak Scrumhalf DHL Stormers

37. Francois Venter Centre Toyota Cheetahs

38. Shaun Venter Scrumhalf Toyota Cheetahs

39. EW Viljoen Centre DHL Stormers

40. Warren Whiteley No 8 Emirates Lions

41. Fred Zeilinga Flyhalf Toyota Cheetahs

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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