SARU have announced that 15 players – including Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira, Eben Etzebeth, Marcell Coetzee, Pat Lambie, Juan de Jongh and Jean de Villiers – have been awarded Springbok contracts for 2013.
In all, four DHL Western Province/Stormers players will be contracted – lock Eben Etzebeth, No.8 Duane Vermeulen, centre Juan de Jongh and national captain Jean de Villiers (also a centre).
The group – whose average age is just over 26 years – includes the core of the Springboks Test players from 2012, while players who are based overseas or who have signed contracts with overseas clubs, were not awarded national contracts.
“We’ve kept as many of our top players in South Africa as we could by awarding them national contracts, despite the powerful lure of the pound, euro and yen,” said SARU CEO Jurie Roux.
“We worked hard with the Springbok Management and Sarpa to ensure the best possible deal is placed on the table for the players. A further five contracts are still available and will be finalised in due course.
“Last year provided Heyneke Meyer with an ideal opportunity to see what is needed in the Test arena, and by contracting this group of players, we have secured a core group for 2013. The average age of the contracted group is not very high for Test rugby, which bodes well for the future.”
The following players, who represented the Springboks last year but will be leaving South Africa to play abroad in the next couple of months, were not awarded contracts: Andries Bekker, Juandré Kruger, Morné Steyn, Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Zane Kirchner.
“All six of these players were going to receive contracts, but the fact that they have indicated that they have signed with overseas clubs or are planning to do so, has ruled them out of the reckoning,” said Roux.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer added: “I’m very excited about the contract group. Most of these players showed last year they have what it takes to play for the Springboks and they can only get more experienced and improve further.
“Losing experienced players to overseas teams is not ideal, but it’s their right to further their careers abroad.”
THE SPRINGBOK CONTRACTED GROUP IS:
Willem Alberts (The Sharks, 20 caps)
Marcell Coetzee (The Sharks, 12)
Juan de Jongh (DHL Western Province, 14)
Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province, 84)
Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks, 46)
Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks, 42)
Eben Etzebeth (DHL Western Province, 11)
Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 27)
Pat Lambie (The Sharks, 20)
Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks, 41)
Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 50)
Frans Steyn (The Sharks, 53)
Adriaan Strauss (Toyota Free State Cheetahs, 21)
Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 23)
Duane Vermeulen (DHL Western Province, 7)
