Lions captain Warren Whiteley has been appointed Springbok captain for June’s three-Test series against France. Whiteley will be the 58th Springbok captain‚ succeeding Bulls hooker Adriaan Strauss‚ who retired from international rugby in 2016. While Whiteley’s appointment as captain does not come as a surprise considering the success of the Lions in the Super Rugby tournament in the past two seasons‚ there have been question marks over whether he is SA’s best number eight option. Toulon-based loose forward Duane Vermeulen has often been regarded as SA’s best number eight but the complexities of playing in France have made his selection difficult. Vermeulen‚ who was disappointing for the Springboks against Ireland in 2016‚ has also been picked and is expected to fulfil the blindside flank role. Another surprise inclusion was that of SA’s rugby prodigal son Francois Steyn‚ who has not featured for the Springboks in more than three years. Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has often batt...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.