1st test teams in 97

[TrapperChamonix]

Below are the 2 teams for the 1st test in the 97 SA tour. A few things leap out
Contrary to the new line that the 97 Boks weren't really that good, have a look at Joubert, Small, Honiball, Joost, Os, Mark Andrews, Kruger, Venterline & Teichmann - all exceptional players. I seem to remember that Kruger used to wrestle wildebeasts on his farm.
Amazing the number of players who came from nowhere to star on the Lions team.Tait, Smith, Wallace, Davidson. Townsend at 10 was a hugh gamble and the most important selection decision was getting Jenkins on the field at 15 (1st tie he played there IIRC).
Has there ever been a more physical Lions Back row than Dallaglio, Hill, & Rodber? Expect something similar this year with some sort of combination of Ferris, Wallace, Worsley, Powell leading the charge

Andre Joubert 15 Neil Jenkins
James Small 14 Ieuan Evans
Japie Mulder 13 Scott Gibbs
Edrich Lubbe 12 Jeremy Guscott
Andre Snyman 11 Alan Tait
Henry Honiball 10 Gregor Townsend
Joost van der Westhuizen 9 Matt Dawson
Os du Randt 1 Tom Smith
Naka Drotske 2 Keith Wood
Adrian Garvey 3 Paul Wallace
Hannes Strydom 4 Martin Johnson (capt)
Mark Andrews 5 Jeremy Davidson
Ruben Kruger 6 Lawrence Dallaglio
Andre Venter 7 Richard Hill
Gary Teichmann (capt) 8 Tim Rodber

[Isaac4leinster]

Many marqee names there, more so than in the 2009 37, though I suppose its on the lions that names are made.

[Kyle]

exactly sure the likes of Johnson, Wood, \Dawson ,Wallace and Smith, to nmae but a few all made their names on that tour, hopefully the next time we tour SA we can look back and look at a load of Irish lads that made their announced themselves properly on this tour!

[Corkdub]

That was a serious SA team. Gary Teichmann, I remember when he played a seaon or two for Clontarf back in the early nineties before they got into the AIL. He was a class act although at the time they reckoned he was too wiry to make the Boks back row. He was lightning fast for an eight with really great hands. I was lucky enough to train and play alongside him a few times. Lovely bloke very down to earth and humble.