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What the Springboks really think of Gatland's 'hobbit-like' Lions picks and when they will finally announce their own tour squad
Springboks bosses Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber have finally reacted to the calibre of the Lions forwards that Warren Gatland will pit against them in July’s three-Test, eight-game tour to South Africa – while also outlining their own selections plans ahead of the upcoming series.
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It was May 6 when Gatland showed his hand for the tour but the South Africans have kept their powder dry until now, director of rugby Erasmus and head coach Nienaber fronting media on Friday, 22 days after the Lions’ big reveal.
South African fans will have to wait another eight days – until June 5 – to learn who has made their 45-man squad which will cover the three-game Test series against the Lions as well as the two warm-up fixtures versus Georgia and the South Africa A team meeting against Gatland’s tourists.
With Erasmus requesting not to be asked to speculate on who might be included in his selection, the Springboks duo were instead quizzed on what they made of a Lions selection where the inclusions of back-rowers Sam Simmonds and Hamish Watson resulted in them being compared to hobbits by some of the South African media.
It was written that “Gatland has picked hobbits to be giant slayers, and he has far too many Neville Nobodies in his squad of 37″, a barb that had seemingly escaped the attention of Erasmus. “I hope it is not our close media that came up with that,” he quipped. “Look, Jacques and I had a chat about this, we studied the Lions squad and it has fast loose forwards and it is explosive.
The 37 players chosen by Warren Gatland to tour South Africa have had their first meet-up in London ?#Lions2021 #Lions
https://t.co/DJFIM2PyFQ— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 26, 2021
“I’m not sure if Courtney Lawes will back up flank/lock, but I know Tadhg Beirne. I signed him for Munster from the Scarlets, I know what he can do. Then if you look at the other loose forwards, the whole pack the props are mobile and fast. It’s interesting the way he [Gatland] selected that squad. It’s almost a team that can play at the high veldt in winter at altitude. Those boys can move and him [Simmonds] specifically. He has made his mark, not from nowhere but he just stamped his authority and the way he was playing for his club [Exeter] he was tough to ignore. I don’t know the selection policy but it looks like a really good pack to me.”
Nienaber added: “If you look at Sam, it is well documented in terms of he is just improving his try-scoring record currently in the Premiership. I guess Warren went with guys who are on form because of both of them [Simmonds and Watson]. And the hobbit one, I don’t know where that came from.”
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Regarding their approach to the Springboks squad selection, Erasmus explained at the start of the media briefing: “I don’t want to be specifically asked about our team selection, we announce our squad next Saturday (June 5) and that will be a squad 45 players that will include the SA A team and the Springboks squad that will be playing against the Lions.
“After that SA A game, we will make the squad more or less the same size as the British and Irish Lions squad. You guys can shoot any questions and we will answer those but if we can stay away from team selection we will really appreciate that.”
The Springboks added that covid protocols would result in the locally-based players in their squad not being to play for the franchises in the warm-up matches versus the Lions. “With the tour agreement there is a Covid schedule and that is very specific, those guys have to be in a bubble for ten days to play against the Lions… there won’t be a franchise with nine, ten players out, it will be four, five, something like that.”
The Exeter message after their four 2021 Lions picks linked up with Gatland and co for the first time in midweek https://t.co/Lm7SRPZ5Jr
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 27, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments