Euro Boks await De Villiers' call
Wed, 07 May 2008 13:58
New South African coach Peter de Villiers has revealed that he will name a national training squad of up 45 players for the forthcoming international season - which starts against Wales on June 7.
De Villiers, who took over the reigns from World Cup winning coach Jake White in January this year, is expected to include only a handful of the Europe-based players - like John Smit (Clermont), Butch James (Bath) and Victor Matfield (Toulon) - in the enlarged squad.
Smit, who led the Boks to glory at the World Cup in France last October, has already been handed the captaincy by De Villiers, while Matfield has recently confirmed he is heading back to the Bulls in Pretoria following his six-month contract with the French Second Division club.
With South Africa's limited depth at flyhalf, James is certain to get a look-in, but there is unlikely to be a spot for veteran fullback Percy Montgomery, who is playing for Perpignan in France.
De Villiers will also have to consider whether the likes of injured flank Schalk Burger of the Stormers as well as his wing teammate Tonderai Chavhanga, also injured, will be ready for the first Test of the season.
The squad is likely to include the majority of the players who did duty during last October's World Cup, but veteran prop Os du Randt and loose forward Bob Skinstad will be absent as both have retired from the game.
The 45-man squad will be named on Saturday May 17, following the Super 14 match between the Sharks and Chiefs in Durban.
The Springboks face Six Nations champions, Wales in a two-Test series in South Africa in June.
The World Champions will also play Italy, who're now coached by former Bok mentor Nick Mallett, before turning their attention to the Tri-Nations series.
The Springbok management team for the 2008 season will be announced on Friday.
SA Rugby also confirmed that 11 players signed one-year Springbok contracts at the beginning of the season.
They are: Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls), Schalk Burger (Western Province), Jean de Villiers (Western Province), Jaque Fourie (Golden Lions), Bryan Habana (Blue Bulls), Ruan Pienaar (Sharks), JP Pietersen (Sharks), Juan Smith (Free State Cheetahs), Pierre Spies (Blue Bulls), Frans Steyn (Sharks), CJ van der Linde (Free State Cheetahs).
AFP
