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An exciting Springbok backline awaits

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There have been a number of standout individual performances thus far in Super Rugby, and with the Bulls edging the Hurricanes and the Stormers getting one over on the Blues, the potential Springbok backline that can be selected for the upcoming June series against England, there is much to be excited about.

One such player who could receive a recall to the Springbok setup, having not been part of the plans since 2013, is Stormers wing JJ Engelbrecht.

"What really excites me is that if you go through a list of a potential Springbok backline, beginning of the year we were speaking about where these players are going to come from, and all of a sudden we have got guys with gas and feet. 

"JJ has unbelievable feet, he has heaps of talent, aerial skills are amazing and if we look at the list of a potential Springbok backline at the moment, we all of a sudden have players that can compete with New Zealand.

"With JJ, he went to Wales and Japan, comes back and still performs. I think the level of rugby may not have been as high as potentially if he would have played here but he has come back a new player, a new zest for life, wanting to get involved but we haven't seen half of the talent that guy has," Morgan Newman said.

Anton van Zyl believes the 29-year-old's size is something the Springboks has been missing for some time.

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"The best thing about JJ was that it always took two or three guys to bring him down and as a wing – I sometimes think that is something South African teams lack, in contrast to the New Zealand teams – it is one thing he guarantees you. He has that ability that makes him difficult to stop," Van Zyl said.

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