Springbok storms out of training in disgust days before Ireland match
Maybe it is the weather in Dublin at the moment? Maybe it was Bongi Mbonambi’s lineout throwing? Maybe it was something his teammate Jesse Kriel said? Maybe it was the fact that Kriel decided to wear a coat to training? We just don’t know. What we do know is that Springboks lock Lood de Jager stormed out of training this week/ walked off camera.
The bad news for de Jager, who is set to start against Ireland, is that the weather is not looking like it is going to improve for Saturday. The bad news for Kriel, who is set to start at outside centre, is that he won’t be allowed to wear a coat during the match (although it might help with the potential kit clash).
The ongoing debate over who should be the starting hooker for the Boks out of Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx is a divisive one in South Africa, but up until now no one was aware that it has even caused upsets inside the Bok camp. Whatever the reason, de Jager did not look a happy man at training this week*:
Conditions at training yesterday, can’t wait to see what Saturday will look like 🌧#Springboks #StrongerTogether #StrongerForever #IREvRSA pic.twitter.com/tQZYq7YhgN
— Springboks (@Springboks) November 3, 2022
Springboks team to face Ireland in Dublin:
15 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon) – 20 caps, 50 pts (10t)
14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 10 pts (2t)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 56 caps, 60 pts (12t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 66 caps, 45 pts (9t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 33 caps, 110 pts (22t)
10 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 23 caps, 19 pts (1t, 4c, 2p)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 10 caps, 12 pts (2t, 1c)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 18 caps, 5 pts (1t)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 64 caps, 15 pts (3t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 71 caps, 35 pts (7t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 64 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 106 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 54 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 55 caps, 65 pts (13t)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 67 caps, 5 pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 52 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks) – 15 caps, 0 pts
18 – Vincent Koch (unattached) – 38 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 59 caps, 10 pts (2t)
20 – Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers) – 3 caps, 0 pts
21 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 27 caps, 15 pts (3t)
22 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 42 caps, 25 pts (5t)
23 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 79 caps, 65 pts (13t)
*we acknowledge he might have just been walking in that direction.
