Ken Borland

The city of Pretoria was in shock on Saturday night as three Bulls players who many considered to be dead-certainties for the Springbok squad to take on the British and Irish Lions were omitted from the 46 players announced by SA Rugby.

Inside centre Cornal Hendricks and loosehead prop Lizo Gqoboka have both been instrumental in the Bulls’ rise to dominance in domestic rugby, while Marcell Coetzee, after five dazzling years with Ulster, made a much-hyped return to local rugby in the match against the Stormers. And he certainly lived up to expectations with a bulldozing display that made up for Duane Vermeulen leaving the field injured.

Hendricks’ omission is the most interesting, with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus admitting the inspirational 33-year-old would have been chosen were it not for the continued doubts the SA Rugby medical staff have over his heart condition, which led them to cancel his national contract at the end of 2015. This is despite Hendricks enjoying two thoroughly healthy and productive years at the Bulls.

“The form Cornal is in, everyone can see that there must be some other reason for not choosing him. We have been scratching our heads over him and his medical condition and he is still very much in consideration. But it’s not up to myself or Jacques Nienaber [coach] to take a medical decision, he must be cleared first by our medical team.

“We spoke nicely with him a couple of weeks ago. The moment we get the green light then we can pick him, but we have to wait for the official word. Neil Powell is waiting too because he wants to take him to the Olympics with the Springbok Sevens,” Erasmus said.

The 46-man Springbok squad is a bit light at inside centre, with Damian de Allende and Francois Steyn the only players who have been regularly wearing the No.12 jersey.

Erasmus said Coetzee was certainly in contention for the squad but they were concerned that he had not played since March due to injury. But locks Lood de Jager and RG Snyman are both still injured and have not played for just as long but are in the squad.

De Jager fractured his femur in early April and Snyman has not played since August 2020 after rupturing his ACL and then picking up an unrelated knee injury last month.

“The difference is Lood and RG have won the World Cup and the Rugby Championship, they have played 20 Tests with us and we know them. We know how to get them fit and we’ll know if they’re sharp,” Erasmus said.

Gqoboka has become one of the darlings of Pretoria with his strong scrummaging and powerful ball-carrying, but Coenie Oosthuizen, who last played for the Springboks so long ago he might need a visa, and Ox Nche have leapfrogged him into the Springbok squad.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber admitted Gqoboka was unfortunate, but pointed to him arriving at an alignment camp last week with his foot encased in a moon-boot. Bulls coach Jake White had said earlier in the week though that Gqoboka should be okay to play next week.