Bok fans fear worst for superstar after Jacques Nienaber names latest squad
Jacques Nienaber has named his South Africa squad to face Argentina this Saturday at Ellis Park in the final match of the Rugby Championship, and it has left some fans fearing for some players’ World Cup hopes.
There are a few big names that have played very little rugby, if any, during the Championship, and fans online feel that indicates who is and who is not likely to go to France in September.
No8 Evan Roos is one of the players that fans are fearing will not help the Boks defend their World Cup crown. The 2022 United Rugby Championship player of the year has only made one bench appearance for the Boks this year, and his total omission for the Pumas match is not filling fans with confidence. The same applies for centre Andre Esterhuizen, who only played against the Wallabies, and Jean Luc du Preez, who has not played at all for the Boks.
While South Africa have World Cup warm up matches, those games will likely contain players already selected for the World Cup. So Nienaber’s mind might even be made.
This is what has been said online:
Jean-Luc Du Preez just got selected for Vibes at this point. Deserves a fair shot like others even if it’s off the bench.
— Alexis Mbuc Allister (@TheRealMbuso) July 25, 2023
no Steenekamp, JLDP? They invited to camp only to hold tackle bags? Real sad. Kleyn going to become another one capped Bok?
— RUGBYSAURUS (@rugbysaurus) July 25, 2023
Gutted for Jean Luc, hope this doesn’t mean another Esterhuizen ommission come final squad announcement
— Madlokovu (@Sinathi_m) July 25, 2023
I suspect the following players are not going to the WC:Roos, H Jantjies, E Jantjies, JL Du Preez, Fourie D. and the Bulls prop.
— @PeterReen74 (@peterreen74) July 25, 2023
Roos and Jean-Luc will feel hard done by,
— Sibusiso (@SbuOfficial) July 25, 2023
Roos unlucky, surely he won’t make the world cup squad
— Tᴀɪᴛ 🇶🇦 (@Jozitait) July 25, 2023
Time to tell Evan Roos and Herschel Jantjies that they are not going to France.
Big mistake! https://t.co/J2iBCf7XCF— David Wolpert (@DavidWolpertZA) July 25, 2023
Springbok team to face Argentina in Johannesburg:
15 – Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 85 caps, 65 pts (13t)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 24 caps, 81 pts (12t, 3c, 5p)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 59 caps, 60 pts (12t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights) – 71 caps, 45 pts (9t)
11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps, 50 pts (10t)
10 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 5 caps, 19 pts (8c, 1p)
9 – Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) – 3 caps, 0 pts
8 – Duane Vermeulen (captain, SA Rugby) – 67 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 68 caps, 30 pts (6t)
6 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps, 0 pts
5 – Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps, 0 pts
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 111 caps, 20 pts (4t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 60 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 60 caps, 75 pts (15t)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (Ulster) – 73 caps, 10 pts (2t)
Replacements:
16 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 58 caps, 60 pts (12t)
17 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 59 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Cell C Sharks) – 43 caps, 0 pts
19 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 32 caps, 20 pts (4t)
20 – RG Snyman (Munster) – 25 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 47 caps, 44 pts (5t, 2c, 5p)
22 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 33 caps, 30 pts (6t)
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 29 caps, 36 pts (2t, 4c, 4p, 2d)
