Old hands set for Bok recall

WING JP Pietersen and centre Jaque Fourie are set for recalls to the Springbok squad when coach Heyneke Meyer announces his touring group to Britain and France tomorrow.

Meyer could take as many as 32 players in the penultimate tour to Britain before the 2015 World Cup in England, offering the coach a chance to assess players in those conditions.

Pietersen last played for the Boks against England at Twickenham last November before taking up a club contract in Japan. He missed the June tests and the entire Rugby Championship because a clause in his contract at Panasonic Wild Knights excluded him from those tests. Pietersen went with the blessing of Meyer and the SA Rugby Union (Saru) on the understanding that he was free for the November tour.

Fourie, who has been campaigning for Kobe Steelers in Japan for nearly two years, last represented the Springboks during the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal in 2011.

His original contract excluded him from all test duty in return for a contract worth R13-million a year. But Fourie and his agent, Hilton Houghton, have just renegotiated an extension that frees Fourie to play for the Boks if they come calling.

And they have come calling. Houghton declined to confirm that Fourie was in the touring party, but he did say the following via SMS.

"There is interest [from the Springboks] but he has to be selected and then we can take it from there.

"November is international month. Jaque arrives on Monday for a holiday in South Africa. Everything is set up so I hope that he is selected."

It is likely to be a short holiday for Fourie. He and Pieteren boast 117 test caps between them (Pietersen 48 and Fourie 69) and that experience, on top of their class, will be a huge boost to the Boks.

The Boks face a tough opener, against Wales at the Millennium Stadium, followed by Scotland at Murrayfield and France at the Stade de France in Paris. It's a tour littered with banana peels for the No-2 ranked team in the world.

Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen is unlikely to make the trip despite proving his fitness in the latter part of the Currie Cup. Meyer will reward Morné Steyn and Pat Lambie for now.

In addition, Jano Vermaak, third-choice scrumhalf in the Rugby Championship, could lose out to Western Province halfback Louis Schreuder.

Another casualty from the championship could be lock Juandre Kruger.

After a poor performance in the finale at Ellis Park against the All Blacks, his test aspirations will be put on hold for now.

Franco van der Merwe and Pieter-Steph du Toit will be the No5 locks on tour, while Eben Etzebeth and Flip van der Merwe, who also played No5 successfully this season, cover the No4 position.

It also appears that prop Trevor Nyakane, who missed a flight earlier in the year and was axed on the eve of the tour to Argentina, hasn't done enough to win back his place.

Meyer has been building the squad and the bulk of the team that has done duty this season will tour as the coach continues to grow his vision.

Another issue for Meyer is whether to take Frans Steyn on tour. The fact that the squad announcement will only take place 48 hours after the Currie Cup final suggests certain players might force their way in from the back door. Steyn could be one of those.

It's unlikely Schalk Burger will make the cut for this tour, having made a successful but low-key return to rugby after nearly two years out through injury and illness.

He still looks well short of game time and breaking up an effective Bok loose trio to accommodate Burger is unlikely.

PROBABLE TOURING SQUAD

Fullbacks: Zane Kirchner.

Wings: JP Pietersen, Bryan Habana, Willie le Roux.

Centres: Jean de Villiers (capt), JJ Engelbrecht, Jaque Fourie, Jan Serfontein.

Flyhalves: Morné Steyn, Pat Lambie.

Scrumhalves: Fourie du Preez, Ruan Pienaar, Louis Schreuder.

Loose-forwards: Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Siya Kolisi, Marcell Coetzee.

Locks: Eben Etzebeth, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Props: Tendai Mtawarira, Gurthro Steenkamp, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jannie du Plessis, Lourens Adriaanse, Frans Malherbe.

Hookers: Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Chiliboy Ralepelle.

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