Springbok Bakkies Botha’s injured foot may be back in order, but his passport is apparently not.
The big lock forward was a notable absentee from the Boks’ third practice day at St Johns College in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
But maybe Botha had sneaked a look at the weather forecast on Tuesday night and decided that updating travel documents was a good excuse as Jake White put his charges through their paces on a blustery and unseasonally cold day.
”Ja, Bakkies has a problem with his passport and is in Pretoria trying to sort it out,” said a warmly clad White. Botha had been for a precautionary X-ray on his foot on Monday but took part in the full training session on Tuesday.
The chilly weather also seemed to have got the better of ”pocket rocket” Brent Russell and Marius Joubert, who were both ensconced in the team’s hotel, nursing bouts of flu.
First-choice scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who has an inflamed foot, must also have been counting his blessings as he was ordered into a warm gym to do a light workout.
However, flanker AJ Venter was not as lucky and had to be content with trying to keep his injured hamstring mobile with some easy running on the sidelines.
Injuries, sickness and dubious excuses aside, White was upbeat about the training sessions so far.
”The practice was very slick today and is getting better every day,” said White. ”The young guys in the squad were a bit nervous at first and were not too sure what to do, but they are starting to see what I want from them.”
The Boks still have two more practice sessions left on Thursday and Friday and will have the weekend free with a farewell dinner on Monday night before jetting off to Wales for the first Test of the Grand Slam tour next weekend. — Sapa