White picks Bok ‘B team’ for Australasia

CAPE TOWN – The return of strongman Cobus Visagie at tighthead prop and the inclusion of Western Province flyhalf Peter Grant were two of the major surprises in the Springbok squad of 28 for the two Tri-Nations matches in Australasia.

Springbok coach Jake White has decided to rest his World Cup stalwarts for the tour and players like victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Os du Randt and Schalk Burger will follow a special conditioning programme while their teammates do battle against the Wallabies and the All Blacks. A Springboks captain for the tour has not been named but it is expected that Bulls hooker Gary Botha, who had his first outing in the run-on Boks team on Saturday against the All Blacks, will skipper the side.Two brothers, hooker Bismarck du Plessis and prop Jannie du Plessis, have also been included in the squad.Luke Watson, after playing his one and only Test so far against Samoa, is also in the squad.The Springboks leave Johannesburg on Wednesday June 27.The first game is on July 7 in Sydney against Australia, followed by New Zealand in Christchurch the following weekend.The squad: Johan Ackermann, Eddie Andrews, Gary Botha, Deon Carstens, Tonderai Chavhanga, Michael Claassens, Bolla Conradie, Bismarck Du Plessis, Jannie Du Plessis, Bevin Fortuin, Peter Grant, Derick Hougaard, Wayne Julies, Hilton Lobberts, Johann Muller, Waylon Murray, Wynand Olivier, Breyton Paulse, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jaco Pretorius, Bob Skinstad, Albert van den Berg, Wikus van Heerden, AJ Venter, Cobus Visagie, Pedrie Wannenburg, Luke Watson.News24.comA Springboks captain for the tour has not been named but it is expected that Bulls hooker Gary Botha, who had his first outing in the run-on Boks team on Saturday against the All Blacks, will skipper the side.Two brothers, hooker Bismarck du Plessis and prop Jannie du Plessis, have also been included in the squad.Luke Watson, after playing his one and only Test so far against Samoa, is also in the squad.The Springboks leave Johannesburg on Wednesday June 27.The first game is on July 7 in Sydney against Australia, followed by New Zealand in Christchurch the following weekend.The squad: Johan Ackermann, Eddie Andrews, Gary Botha, Deon Carstens, Tonderai Chavhanga, Michael Claassens, Bolla Conradie, Bismarck Du Plessis, Jannie Du Plessis, Bevin Fortuin, Peter Grant, Derick Hougaard, Wayne Julies, Hilton Lobberts, Johann Muller, Waylon Murray, Wynand Olivier, Breyton Paulse, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jaco Pretorius, Bob Skinstad, Albert van den Berg, Wikus van Heerden, AJ Venter, Cobus Visagie, Pedrie Wannenburg, Luke Watson.News24.com