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One big name missing from Bok Rugby Championship squad
By Christopher Devine
Springbok captain Warren Whiteley will miss the start of the Rugby Championship and is facing a further six weeks on the sidelines due to the groin injury that brought a premature end to his Super Rugby season.
The talismanic number eight was unavailable for the closing weeks of the Lions' season, which culminated in a 25-17 Super Rugby final defeat to the Crusaders on Saturday.
After that game, the Springboks named a 34-man squad for the start of their Rugby Championship campaign, with Whiteley a notable absentee.
"Warren's absence is a massive blow for the Springboks and for him personally. I really feel for him but I am sure he will get back stronger," said South Africa coach Allister Coetzee.
"It gives an opportunity for another player now and I am sure there will be very strong competition for the number eight jersey."
One of the players in line to stake a claim is Dan du Preez - the brother of Springbok loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez and one of four uncapped players in Coetzee's squad.
Playmaker Curwin Bosch and full-back Warrick Gelant will also hope to make their first senior appearances for the Boks, along with prop Lizo Gqoboka.
South Africa's opening match against Argentina takes place on August 19.
Springbok squad for The Rugby Championship:
Forwards: Uzair Cassiem, Lood de Jager, Dan du Preez, Jean-Luc du Preez, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Lizo Gqoboka, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi, Jaco Kriel, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Chiliboy Ralepelle.
Backs: Curwin Bosch, Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Damien de Allende, Warrick Gelant, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Dillyn Leyds, Rudy Paige, Handre Pollard, Raymond Rhule, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan, Francois Venter.
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Latest Comments
Nice! Should be an even more exciting season that last year. Who have Verblitz got to replace Beauden Barrett? They should be a lot better this year. Tiaan Falcon might be able to run the ship.
Is Ben Herring still their coach? I was hoping he would return to NZ with Fosters addition to the team but a recent article seemed to suggest he was still just an assistant.
Appreciate the player insights for the up and commers. Been a bit dreary watching Champions Cup rugby so can't wait for it to start.
Go to commentsThru 2021 I naively became optimistic, not before that.
The biggest issue is the fact he was that being the skipper shouldn't have had anything to do with it. Big deal if your chosen skipper is injury for large majorities and you have to use pro's like Whitelock (who would otherwise have been skipper anyway if Razor got the job), and up and comers like Barret and Ardie, is no reason to jettison Cane.
The problem was that the All Black coach didn't even realise this fact, and continually included Cane, because he was skipper, as soon as he was back from injruy. When he should have helped develop some more 7s and only playing Cane with some came time under his belt. He wasn't Riche McCaw after all, though he did play pretty well in that Irish series after coming straight back in. Hell everyone was getting critized by everyone for the fact Foster SUBBED him after 60. It was a ridiculous period as Yeow mentioned.
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