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Four locks for SA

VERSATILE: Bok flank Teboho Mohoje may fill in at lock photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
VERSATILE: Bok flank Teboho Mohoje may fill in at lock photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

SPRINGBOK coach Heyneke Meyer has left himself thin at lock when naming a 36-man squad yesterday to tour Ireland, Britain and Italy.

There are only four recognised locks in the group - Bakkies Botha, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth and Victor Matfield.

In a squad this large it seems a risky ploy considering there are seven loose forwards and four flyhalves in the touring party.

Also, Botha will not be available for the final test of the tour against Wales, which falls outside of the International Rugby Board's test window.

An injury in the build-up to that game could force Meyer to employ flank Teboho Mohoje as emergency lock cover.

Meyer's second row selection underlines the problems in that area. Flip van der Merwe and Pieter-Steph du Toit are injured and Andries Bekker is still ineligible due to Japanese club commitments.

In all there are five new caps in the squad - hooker Robbie Coetzee, tighthead Julian Redelinghuys, No 8 Nizaam Carr, flank Jaco Kriel and wing Seabelo Senatla.

Prop Coenie Oosthuizen and flyhalf Johan Goosen have been also recalled to the squad.

"Julian has been impressive all season and if it wasn't for injuries, he might have been a Springbok already," said Meyer.

"He was great in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup, where his strong scrummaging has been a hallmark of the Lions' play. Scrumming will be vitally important in the northern hemisphere and we would like to see what he can do in those circumstances.

"Nizaam is a versatile loose forward who can play any position in the back row and has proven his worth at flank and No 8 this season."

The Bok squad

BACKS - Jean de Villiers (captain), Damian de Allende, Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana, Cornel Hendricks, Francois Hougaard, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Seabelo Senatla, Jan Serfontein, Morne Steyn.

FORWARDS - Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Nizaam Carr, Marcell Coetzee, Robbie Coetzee, Lood de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Jaco Kriel, Victor Matfield, Teboho Mohoje, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Julian Redelinghuys, Gurthro Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Duane Vermeulen, Warren Whiteley.

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