Tough tour ahead

Selection will also be in the mind of Springbok coach Peter de Villiers and company ahead of the November tour. I definitely think there will be some youngsters included in the squad, particularly when you consider that midweek games against Leicester and Saracens have been included in the tour schedule.

It will be a huge opportunity for some of the younger guys to impress in those games, and the added bonus will be the opportunity to rest the big guns ahead of the Tests, which will be particularly tough this year against the unpredictable French in Toulouse and the reigning Six Nations Champions, Ireland, at Croke Park.

There will also be a lot of Lions players in the Irish team, all of whom will still have some bad memories from the Lions series in SA that I am sure they would like to avenge?

To rest or not to rest?

I know that there has been a lot of talk about resting players ahead of this tour, but in my opinion I think we should select our strongest side. I know the big boys like John Smit and Victor Matfield have had massive years — and like I said it is going to a tough tour in November — and it's difficult not to take into account the effect that it has had on their bodies. But when you take key players like them out of the side I just feel you are missing something?

Players like John and Victor are the lynchpins in the side and you will need them on tour. Traveling can be hell of a difficult and you need the old hands in the squad — even if you play them off the bench.

The younger guys in the squad will also learn from having the veterans around. And when you consider we will be facing big, heavy packs in the European winter it would be a mistake to leave these guys out of the squad.

But more importantly we need to set the tone for next year with positive results on tour. By hammering England and beating Wales well last year, we set the tone for a big year in 2009. We have already had a unbelievable year to say the least and need to end well in Europe next month.

The year-end tours can at time seem more relaxed, but it is important to do well. We are the World champions and we need to make sure that we can get the favored result against anyone, on any field, anywhere in the world.

Chat soon,

BJ Botha