OORB

The official site of the Southern Spears is reporting that a provisional squad of 50 players had been identified. Together with the soon to be announced squad of Spearleaders- it seems that the new Franchise is well on their way to make them a very real part of the South African rugby scenery.

Oranje Orakel wishes them and the their staunches supporter "Kandas" the best of luck for their preparations.

Port Elizabeth: 10H30: SOUTHERN SPEARS SQUAD OF 50 TRIALLISTS ANNOUNCED

Peter de Villiers, the Head Coach of the new South African Super 14 franchise, the Southern Spears, comprising of Border, Eastern province and South Western Districts, today announced the much anticipated Trials Teams to play on Friday the 2nd December at 18H00 at Outeniqua Park in George.
The recently named and launched Southern Spears have already set a precedent in South African rugby circles, of surprise, strategic acumen and swift professionalism, in the roll out of their Super 14 campaign, which has the captured the attention of rugby supporters and business community in the Southern and Eastern Cape.
Peter de Villiers announcement of his Trial Southern Spears squad of almost 50 "unknown" players was no different, in fact the announcement and composition of the Southern Spears squad defies the South African rugby norms and stereotypes.
De Villiers has long been a remarkable judge of rugby talent, having coached at some time in his career, all the members of the 2003 World Cup Springbok Team, except three, namely, John Smit, Juan Smith and Jaque Fourie.
Peter de Villiers then went on to coach the Springbok U-21 side who won the 2005 IRB World Cup Championship in Argentina in July. His talent spotting and ability to motivate unknown players and craft them into a formidable and exciting team is legend amongst the elite rugby playing youth of South Africa, who still call de Villiers with regularity, to counsel them on agreements and career choices.
Without any prescribed formula to develop a Southern Spears Team that is representative of Border, Eastern Province and South Western Districts and especially of South Africa, de Villiers has called up a squad of 50 players to Try Out and Trial for the new Southern Spears franchise on Friday evening in George.
As testimony to the selection and coaching prowess of de Villiers, SA Rugby dispatched a team of High Performance Evaluators to assess the strength, conditioning, speed and fitness of the core squad of 24 players currently training in Port Elizabeth and the outstanding results of the players, stunned the SA Rugby High Performance evaluators and proved that these players are clear candidates to play in the elite Super 14 competition.
The squad of the Southern Spears trialists, based in Port Elizabeth, each donated much need blood to the Eastern Province Blood Transfusion clinic and tonight will attend the netball Test between South Africa and England to support the South African team at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Thereafter the Team departs for George on Thursday morning, for the squad of 50 to train at 13H00 at Outeniqua Park in preparation for the Trials at 18H00 on Friday the 2nd December.