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De Villiers blasted for Bok selection

August 13 2008

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has come in for strong criticism due to the line-up he has named to face the All Blacks at Newlands this weekend.

In two major changes to his starting XV De Villiers has replaced Ricky Januarie and Conrad Jantjes with Fourie du Preez and Percy Montgomery respectively.

However Cedrick Frolick, vice-chairperson of the parliamentary sport portfolio committee, blasted De Villiers' selection on Tuesday, branding it sentimental and sub-standard.

"It was Ricky (Januarie) who helped make history in the House of Pain," Frolick told Super Rugby, referring to the scrum-half's recent try that enabled the Springboks to win, for the first time in history, a Test match in Dunedin.

"Personally, I think Ricky has proved himself as South Africa's leading scrum-half.

"Is it Fourie's World Cup status that now elevates him above Ricky? In my view, Fourie has done nothing to justify a place in the starting line-up."

Frolick went on to question the selection of veteran full-back Montgomery, who on Saturday will become the first ever Springbok to reach 100 Test caps.

"Conrad Jantjes is, on present form, the number one full-back," Frolick added.

"It is worrying that people make decisions with their heart to give someone (Montgomery) his 100th Test cap."

What concerns Frolick the most is that De Villiers is, in his eyes, selecting too many 'stalwarts' from Jake White's era.

Frolick is concerned that if De Villiers continues in this vein then the national team will fail to progress, let alone play the style of rugby the new coach promised at the start of the season.

"This creates questions about where we are heading," Frolick said.

"I know Peter wants to win the Tri-Nations but he must realise he will be measured according to his ability to transform the team and to make it representative of the country's population for the 2011 World Cup.

"We have also seen nothing of the new type of rugby that Peter has spoken of."

With the All Blacks in Cape Town there is a strong divide between fans, with the majority of the coloured and black communities opting to root for New Zealand.

Frolick believes this is due to a lack of coloured and black players in the Springbok team, and feels such a fact is turning fans against their own country.

"It is interesting that coloureds and blacks traditionally support the All Blacks when they play at Newlands," he added.

"Is the team that has been selected of such a nature that it will ensure the support of most South Africans?

"We cannot repeat the cycle of the White era. We must build for 2011.

"It is easy to fall into a comfort zone. Peter should be reminded of his mandate."

Frolick concluded by stressing the importance of transforming the team ready for the 2011 World Cup, and said he was hoping De Villiers knew what he was doing.

"It's not all about transformation but it (transformation) is an important part of it. Not one black player has let South Africa down this year," he concluded.

This attack comes after Frolick heaped praise on De Villiers earlier in the year when the Springbok coach selected seven black players for the run-on team against Wales.