Springbok Squad for RWC 2011

Here is the Springbok squad.

Forwards

Beast Matiwarira, age 26, caps 26, 1.88m, 112kg
Guthro Steenkamp, age 30, caps 33, 1.89m, 122kg
John Smit (c), age 33, caps 103, 1.88m, 117kg
Bismarck du Plessis, age 27, 1.89m, 105kg, 38 caps
Chiliboy Ralapele, age 25, 1.78m, 93kg
CJ v d Linde, age 30, 1.90m, 122kg, 72 caps
Jannie du Plessis, age 28, 1.87m, 113kg, 26 caps
Victor Matfield age 34, 2.00m, 108kg, 107 caps
Bakkies Botha, age 31, 2.02m, 118kg, 74 caps
Danie Rossouw, age 33, 1,97m, 118kg, 58 caps
Schalk Burger, age 28, 1.93m, 110kg, 63 caps
Heinrich Brussow, age 25, 1.81m, 101kg, caps 15
Willem Alberts, age 26, 1.91 m, 106 kg,
Pierre Spies, age 26, 1.94m, 103kg, 42 caps
Frans Louw, age 26, caps 7, 1.90m, 114kg
Johan Muller, age 31, 2.00m, 106kg, 23 caps

Backs

Fourie du Preez, age 29, caps 57, 1.82m, 91kg
Francois Hougaard, age 21, caps 10, 1.79m, 90kg
Ruan Pienaar, age 27, caps 49, 1.87m, 95kg
Morne Steyn, age 27, caps 29, 1.84m, 90kg
Butch James, age 32, caps 42, 1.84m, 98kg
Jean de Villiers, age 30, caps 69, 1.90m, 103kg
Jaque Fourie, age 28, 65 caps, 1.90m, 105kg
Juan de Jongh, age 23, 8 caps, 1.77m, 84kg
Bryan Habana, age 28, caps 70, 1.80m, 94kg
Patrick Lambie, age 20, caps 7, 1.77m, 92kg
Frans Steyn, age 24, caps 43, 1.91m, 110kg
JP Pietersen, age 25, 38 caps, 1.84m, 102kg
Gio Aplon, age 28, caps 15, 1.75m, 78kg
Odwa Ndungane, age 30, caps 8, 1.91m, 102kg

Some surprises. Happy to see Johan Muller is in. didn't think frans Louw would make it. Lwasi Mvovo could count himself to be unlucky. Not too happy about butch James and Ruan Pienaar.

What a squad !!! the fowards are immense...the backs also look very good...once again the boks may come into form and get everyone back from injury just at the right time ??

Damn you PDV!

Very predictable,most of those picked have been around a long time.
PDV has more or less stuck with his known combinations big forwards
and most of the backs are known ,few surprises.
Any Bok team deserves respect especially in a RWC with there pedigree.

While I don't have a problem with FLouw (he's a good player), it is a bit strange that he's picked out of nowhere - having not played any test rugby since 2010 - ahead of some, like Deysel and Johnson who have aquitted themselves quite well in tests this year (despite trying circumstances)

MrFishpaste, the reasoning explained behind F Louw is that we need a second specialist fetcher, and hence his inclusion, although I was very surprised when I saw that.

Why does Matiwarira look more than 112 kgs to me?

Because the other 10 kg you are seeing is the mean look in his eyes.

i was having an argument with someone bout Frans steyn the other day , they reckon he's one of the best fullbacks in the world , i reckon he shouldnt even be starting for the Boks let alone being called one of the best. The man is fat from all the french food !!! he weighs 112kg , same as SBW but u dont need me to tell you who's the fitter athlete there...

Francois remains an enigma - sometimes I think he's just out there out of self interest as he selfishly trys to drop his goals from everywhere - there's no doubting his talent but on occasion he can be a liability

If Spies is only 103kg I will ate me mickey.

Spies has lost a few kilo's since losing the water weight...

Big forward pack and big centre's. I don't see where Wales can break through these guys if I'm honest.

A few of the boks has lost a bit of weight, if you look at previous stats the forwards especially.

All bar John Smit at 117kg.... for a test hooker thats easily 10kg to heavy.. no wonder he looks spent after 30 mins.

Alberts can't be 106kg surely.. the boy is a monster.

Yes, I was surprised to see that , but that is the figure they put up on the screen last night.

What do you think of the squad FA?

I think it's a pretty decent squad really. Mvovo and Johnson strike me as the more unlucky players to be omitted, but overall not a surprising group.

Despite PDV's best efforts, the Boks are certainly big challengers.

No real surprises bar Louw & Ndugane.

Louw situation is a bit perplexing.... good player and deserves place IMO... but why leave him out for so long and no play him in 3N? We all knew Smith was never going to make it and that Brussow would be the only recognised openside so why did PDV go top heavy on blindside flankers?

Will be a bit of a snub to Deysel & Johnson but overall its the right move.

Ndugane - what a joke. The man who has scored 2 tries in the last 2 Super Rugby seasons... in 25 matches. Mvovo rather has scored 18 over same period.

Both have rather poor test figures... both less than 10 caps, Ndugane never scoring for SA whilst Mvovo has 1 I believe.

So he chose Ndugane for experience? The man can't kick, can't run... his only highlights being he's a semi decent tackler and that he tries hard.
Unfair on Basson & Mvovo who were given an impossible task of shining on the away tour with an inferior pack and scraps for possession.

Looks a very strong squad though and Rassie's fitness work on the 21 MIA away tour players looks like it has worked as the players look very streamlined.

They have to get Frans Steyn fit though... at his current weight he won't add much value. To lose +5kg by the RWC will be a big ask but without it he could be exposed esp. if he plays 15.

Only just realised Muller has been picked, over the moon for him, but really disappointed Ulster wont have their captain at the start of the season.