Boks call up van der Merwe for suspended Botha
Source: Agencies |
July 15, 2010, Thursday
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SOUTH Africa has added lock Flip van der Merwe to its Tri-Nations squad after the suspension of test veteran Bakkies Botha for head-butting.
Van der Merwe, from the Pretoria-based Bulls, will join the squad ahead of Saturday's second test against New Zealand but is not part of the team for that match.
He will provide cover at lock for the Springboks' next Tri-Nations test, against Australia in Brisbane on July 24.
Botha was suspended for nine weeks on Monday for head-butting All Blacks halfback Jimmy Cowan in the opening minute of last week's Tri-Nations test in Auckland. New Zealand beat the Springboks 32-12.
Van der Merwe made his test debut against France in Cape Town last month.
New Zealand, meanwhile, has told international referees to "get fitter" in order to keep up with the pace of the modern game.
All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith delivered the message in Wellington yesterday, saying referees needed to be at peak fitness to meet the demands of test rugby.
Smith's comments came after the first test when 46-year-old Irish referee Alan Lewis appeared to struggle to keep up with play.
Another Irishman, Alain Rolland, will control Saturday's test.
Smith said the fitness requirement was greater as top teams keep the ball in hand longer and kick less, reducing stoppages.
"The ball in play is around 40 minutes in the test matches this year because of the way we're playing.
"If you talk to our tight forwards, they'll talk about how the game has changed, markedly, because of the amount of running they have to do. Referees are going to need to make sure they're up there fitness-wise."
Smith previously advocated the use of two referees in tests, while All Blacks head coach Graham Henry called for referee substitutes.
"The game is going in the direction people want it to go in," Smith said. "There can't be too many complaints around from people watching the game at the moment.
"We just have to make sure that the fitness levels of everyone goes up so we can continue playing it."
Van der Merwe, from the Pretoria-based Bulls, will join the squad ahead of Saturday's second test against New Zealand but is not part of the team for that match.
He will provide cover at lock for the Springboks' next Tri-Nations test, against Australia in Brisbane on July 24.
Botha was suspended for nine weeks on Monday for head-butting All Blacks halfback Jimmy Cowan in the opening minute of last week's Tri-Nations test in Auckland. New Zealand beat the Springboks 32-12.
Van der Merwe made his test debut against France in Cape Town last month.
New Zealand, meanwhile, has told international referees to "get fitter" in order to keep up with the pace of the modern game.
All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith delivered the message in Wellington yesterday, saying referees needed to be at peak fitness to meet the demands of test rugby.
Smith's comments came after the first test when 46-year-old Irish referee Alan Lewis appeared to struggle to keep up with play.
Another Irishman, Alain Rolland, will control Saturday's test.
Smith said the fitness requirement was greater as top teams keep the ball in hand longer and kick less, reducing stoppages.
"The ball in play is around 40 minutes in the test matches this year because of the way we're playing.
"If you talk to our tight forwards, they'll talk about how the game has changed, markedly, because of the amount of running they have to do. Referees are going to need to make sure they're up there fitness-wise."
Smith previously advocated the use of two referees in tests, while All Blacks head coach Graham Henry called for referee substitutes.
"The game is going in the direction people want it to go in," Smith said. "There can't be too many complaints around from people watching the game at the moment.
"We just have to make sure that the fitness levels of everyone goes up so we can continue playing it."
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