'Bok squad a joke'
2003-09-01 09:02
Johannesburg - Geo Cronje's omission from the Springbok World Cup squad is unacceptable to 1995 World Cup hero, Kobus Wiese.
Cronje was cleared of allegations of racism at the weekend, but was not included in Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli's 30-man squad. Neither was Quinton Davids, the other player at the centre of the storm.
The inclusion of one or both players would probably have disrupted the harmony in the Bok squad - something the international media most likely will use against the South Africans.
Wiese described the team that will fly the South African flag in Australia as a joke.
"SA Rugby overreacted with the Cronje incident. He should have been in the squad because he has more fire and drive than Victor Matfield and Selborne Boome combined," said Wiese.
Straeuli selected the Bulls' Danie Rossouw as the fourth lock in the squad along with Matfield, Boome and Bakkies Botha.
The 25-year-old lock is one of four new faces in die Bok squad. The others are three 20-tear-olds - Derick Hougaard (flyhalf, Bulls), Jaque Fourie (utility back, Lions) and Schalk Burger (flanker, WP).
"Rossouw had a good Vodacom Cup, and he also played well in the Currie Cup, but why was someone like Johan Ackermann (Griquas lock) not selected ahead of him. A player like Kleinjan Tromp (Lions) could also have been picked ahead of Rossouw," said Wiese.
Rossouw is no lineout specialist, but he is very fast and mobile and can also play at flanker.
Straeuli's predecessor, Harry Viljoen, picked Rossouw for the 2001 tour to Europe, but the player had to withdraw from the tour after a chest injury.
Wiese also questioned the inclusion of WP flanker Burger in place of Wikus van Heerden. "Don't get met wrong. Burger will be one of the greats of the game, but he is not ready yet. And where is Pedrie Wannenburg?"
The biggest shock in the World Cup squad is the absence of utility back Brent Russell.
He twisted his ankle at the Boks' training camp in Durban last Saturday, and was sent back to Durban. However, the expectation was that he would have been ready for the World Cup. Straeuli thought differently.
Flyhalf Andre Pretorius was also left out of the squad after doubts about his fitness. He had an operation on his left knee after the Tri-Nations tour.
Bulls fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen did not make the cut, and this had Wiese at a loss for words. He questioned why Ricardo Loubsher was selected ahead of Van der Westhuyzen.
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