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SA-based Springboks to face Eddie Jones' England

By Ian Cameron
Frans Steyn catches a high ball /PA

SA Rugby looks set to reward their South African-based players in 2022 when they field a Springboks team against Eddie Jones’ England exclusively made up of players based in the country.

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The Boks are set to face England in a Test match at Twickenham on Saturday, 26 November, 2022 – a date that falls outside the official international window.

As a result, the Boks will likely be without their French and English-based squad members. According to Afrikaans outlet Rapport in South Africa, the plan is to field a team purely made up of those plying their trade in the Rainbow Nation.

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As it stands, the majority of the Springboks’ first team are now playing abroad, with the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen, Cobus Reinach, Handré Pollard, Malcolm Marx, Joseph Dweba, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager, Faf de Klerk, Franco Mostert, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Rynhardt Elstadt, Jean-Luc du Preez, Dan du Preez, Elton Jantjies, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Kwagga Smith, Jasper Wiese, Willie le Roux and Marco van Staden all set to miss out on the game.

Head coach Jacques Nienaber should still be able to call on the likes of Siya Kolisi, Lukhanyo Am, Sbu Nkosi, Aphelele Fassi, Ox Nché, Makazole Mapimpi, Herschel Jantjies, Frans Steyn and Marcell Coetzee.

Given that it falls outside of the international window, England boss Jones will also be unlikely to pick a first-team selection for the match himself.

The news comes after a number of calls for the Springboks to stop selecting overseas players. Prior to the 2019 Rugby World Cup the Boks ditched their policy of favouring home-based players and it was widely cited as a major reason behind their ultimate success in the tournament.

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Last week saw Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White call on the Springboks to stop selecting overseas-based players ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

“Now is a good time, before the next contracting cycle, for SA Rugby to draw a line on picking players who are contracted to overseas clubs,” White told SA Rugby Mag last week. “South Africa are world champions and SA Rugby did something that has worked because, in 2018 when Rassie Erasmus was appointed, the current cycle of Springbok players were all overseas. But we can’t allow that with the next cycle of players.

“South African franchises have basically become academies for overseas clubs.”

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Jon 1 hours ago
Why Sam Cane's path to retirement is perfect for him and the All Blacks

> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.

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