We run the rule over the uncapped Bok players and what they could bring to the table

24 May 2017 - 17:46 By Khanyiso Tshwaku
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Sharks's Lukhanyo Am (L) tackles Jaguares Santiago Cordero (C) during the Super XV rugby union match between Sharks and Jaguares at Kingspark Rugby Stadium on April 8, 2017, in Durban.
Sharks's Lukhanyo Am (L) tackles Jaguares Santiago Cordero (C) during the Super XV rugby union match between Sharks and Jaguares at Kingspark Rugby Stadium on April 8, 2017, in Durban.
Image: Lukhanyo Am

Of the eight uncapped players Springbok coach Allister Coetzee added to his squad yesterday‚ four of them are from the Lions.

That itself is a belated nod to the excellence displayed by the Johannesburg-based franchise have displayed in the last two seasons.

It could also be an acknowledgement of the mistake made last season when Lions players were not preferred‚ only for them to save Coetzee's bacon in the Ireland series.

With the Lions again showing they're a cut above the rest‚ their weight of numbers is showing but what will they bring to the table?

  • Allister puts trust in Whiteley & CoSpringbok head coach Allister Coetzee hit the reset button yesterday when he named 31 players for the three-Test series against France next month. 

Ruan Dreyer (Lions) Position: Tighthead prop

With the Lions having the most functional scrum in Super Rugby‚ it was always going to make sense for Coetzee to pick one of their front-rowers.

With Julian Redelinghuys missing in action with what could be a career-ending neck injury‚ Dreyer has seamlessly filled the void.

  • 'I had to put on Peppa Pig (kiddies cartoon) on for the little one so I could get my wife's attention,' says WhiteleyAllister Coetzee loosely admitted wisdom comes with age but he stopped short of conceding that as Springbok coach he has wasted a year in delaying Warren Whiteley's appointment as team captain. 

France may not have England's or Ireland's scrumming power but they will ask questions of a green prop and the conservative Coetzee may not want to throw Dreyer in the deep end like he did with Marx but with Frans Malherbe not in the best of form‚ Dreyer could be pressed into service sooner rather than later.

Ross Cronje (Lions) Position: Scrumhalf

Cronje moved from being an overrated schoolboy star with unlimited potential to an important cog in the Lions' attacking unit.

  • 'I'm never too old to learn but you also have to reward form,' says Bok coach CoetzeeSpringbok coach Allister Coetzee revealed that his chastening 2016 experiences have informed his selection of a mix-and-match squad that has a fair blend of youth and experience. 

His unblemished service and kicking from the base of the scrum have relieved Elton Jantjies.

It's the kind of uncomplicated scrumhalf play South Africa are requiring after Faf de Klerk's pyrotechnics fizzled out swiftly in the heat of the international rugby cauldron.

He's no Aaron Smith or TJ Perenara but to learn how to walk‚ one needs to learn how to crawl first.

That's what Cronje has done and despite Jantjies not always fitting in well with Coetzee's game plans‚ the importance of the combination is understood and this could be Coetzee's saving grace.

  • ANALYSIS: Allister Coetzee hits the reset button on the SpringboksSpringbok coach Allister Coetzee hit the reset button on Tuesday when he named 31 players for next month's three-Test series against France. 

Courtnall Skosan (Lions) Position: Left wing

Because of his relatively small size‚ Skosan has always been looked down upon but what can't be frowned upon are his try-scoring abilities.

The Lions have the perfect game plan for him but international rugby is a different kettle of fish.

France do have some big wingers and fullbacks who will ask questions of Skosan's defensive commitment but that's something that can only be tested once Skosan is on the field.

His high ball work has been exceptional despite his lack of height and also looks for work off the ball.

  • Stormers tone down expectations after 'learning' against New Zealand teamsThe Stormers coaching staff insists that it’s premature to expect the team to be serious Super Rugby title contenders this season and their development is expected to take ‘two to three’ years. 

South Africa may not have the wing monsters New Zealand possess but the country has to make do with what they have.

Dillyn Leyds (Stormers) Position: wing/flyhalf/fullback

Leyds's selection was a proper bolt out of the blue but has also signalled a shift in South Africa's rugby thinking.

Small‚ electric and unpredictable players have not always featured highly among South African coaches but Leyds has come on in leaps and bounds.

  • Whiteley named Springbok captain as Steyn and Vermeulen recalledWarren Whiteley has been named Springbok captain for 2017‚ with Frans Steyn and Duane Vermeulen receiving recalls. 

While he's been caught short defensively on more than one occasion‚ the attacking element Leyds bring far outweighs his defensive shortcomings.

However‚ these are things that are often exposed at test level but like in Skosan's case‚ it's a case of waiting and seeing.

Lukhanyo Am (Sharks) Position: Centre

The jury is still out on Am's best midfield position but what can't be denied is that he deserves to be in the Bok reckoning.

  • Newlands Test hanging in the balanceThe venue for the Rugby Championship Test between the Springboks and the All Blacks is still not decided because SA Rugby is waiting for Newlands to produce a safety certificate. 

Am has sparkled for the Sharks at outside centre and even though there was a worry he could fizzle out after his match-winning try against the Brumbies‚ he's gained momentum with each outing.

His distribution and defensive abilities do not make him the quintessential South African centre‚ especially with South African centre's known for straightening the line more than anything else.

Am's selection could have been seen as a raw deal for Lionel Mapoe but should the Frans Steyn/Jan Serfontein/ Damian de Allende experiments fail at inside centre‚ there lies a chance for them to stake a serious claim as the first choice midfield pairing.

  • Ackermann backs Jantjies for the Springbok flyhalf positionWhether it's sage or biased‚ but Lions coach Johan Ackermann dispensed advice for Springbok coach Allister Coetzee ahead of Tuesday's squad announcement for the three-Test series against France. 

Lizo Gqoboka (Bulls) Position: Loosehead prop

The fact the Bulls only have three tight forwards in the 31-man Bok squad speaks volumes about their fall from grace.

Their scrum has been pushed into the construction site on the west side of Loftus and if it wasn't for the interventions of Gqoboka and Trevor Nyakane‚ things could have been worse.

Gqoboka has been a functional point in sea of dysfunctionality at Sunnyside and he's a deserved squad member.

Whether he starts ahead of Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is another story but he's done the hard yards‚ especially in the face of the brutal Lions' scrummagers.

Andries Coetzee (Lions) Position: Fullback

A serious knee injury robbed Coetzee of his pace‚ but not his tactical kicking ability and tactical acumen.

While the Lions have been flashy‚ he's been one of those solid players who are only missed when they are absent.

Fullback has been a particularly difficult position for Coetzee to fill and Ruan Combrick's comeback from injury means he has to start with the South Africa A side before he can move back to the Boks.

Unspectacular but solid and that's how Coetzee likes his players to be.

Raymond Rhule (Cheetahs) Position: Left wing

There have been question marks in regards with Rhule's defence but there's no denying the fact he's an explosive player.

Bryan Habana's longevity and Lwazi Mvovo's adaptability closed the door on him but with those players on the wrong side of 30‚ his time has come.

He's one of the more experienced uncapped players but his defence will need sharpening up.

 - TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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