Spies not yet No1 for No8 jersey

05 May 2015 - 09:57 By SBU MJIKELISO

Despite Pierre Spies enjoying a season filled with burgeoning runs, well-timed tackles and crucial tries, Heyneke Meyer says his sometime boy wonder will have to join the back of the queue to earn a Rugby World Cup place. Pundits have hailed this as the Bulls eighth man's finest season in five years, with his many fine performances having helped the Bulls to top the South African Super rugby conference.Now that his bicep injuries are a thing of the past, Spies is carrying the ball a lot straighter to the line and when he's in the clear not even a comet can stop him crossing the try line.He has recovered in the nick of time to be part of the 44-man Bok training camp that gathered in Sunninghill, Johannesburg, yesterday. But to force his way into the final 31 that will go to the UK will be a much tougher task.Incumbent No8 Duane Vermeulen is the man mountain standing in his way."Spies has always been a great player and people were harsh on him," Meyer said yesterday."He's been injured for two years. It's tough to come back from one injury and then get another. Pierre is back to his best. I still think he can play better because I've known him since he was a youngster and he's an awesome player."Meyer oversaw a large Springbok training squad that reported for national duty on Sunday.Of the 44, only 20 took full part in the training drills yesterday, while captain Jean de Villiers worked with specialists as he recovers from a serious knee injury.There were a number of fresh faces at the camp - Faf de Klerk, Jesse Kriel and Vincent Koch - but Meyer said that people should not expect dramatic changes."We spoke to coaches from countries that won the World Cup and the one thing is that you have to stick with the things that have worked for you. You can't change everything," he said...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.