Toetie shocks with selection of Sharks captain for Boks
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has ignored an inform player like Nizaam Carr to replace the injured Jean-Luc du Preez.
Carr is currently the best number eight in the country and is in the form of his life.
Toetie has however instead decided to select Ruan Botha, the Cell C Sharks’ skipper. Botha will join the Springbok squad on Tuesday afternoon in Johannesburg.
The group assembled on Monday and will use the week in Gauteng to prepare for their month-long Castle Lager Outgoing Tour.
It was decided to bolster the group with another lock as the squad currently has sufficient cover amongst the loose forwards, according to Coetzee.
“Ruan has played consistently well this year and has been part of our training camps,” said Coetzee.
“He has led the Cell C Sharks to the Currie Cup final and the Vodacom Super Rugby playoffs this season and is not only a consistently good performer but also a strong leader.
“Franco Mostert is not available for the Welsh Test as it falls outside the international window, and the tour gives us a good chance to work with Ruan while he also familiarises himself further with the Springbok environment.
“With Pieter-Steph du Toit that can also perform well at flank plus the addition of Oupa Mohoje to the loose forwards, we believe that we have sufficient cover at blindside flank.”
The Springboks will fly out to Dublin at the end of the week in two groups, for their Tests against Ireland, France, Italy and Wales.
