/ 8 August 2006

Two new faces in Tri-Nations Bok squad

Springbok selectors added two uncapped players to their squad and recalled centre Jean de Villiers after an injury lay-off on Monday for their three remaining home Tri-Nations games.

The Sharks duo of scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, who can also play flyhalf, and prop Brendon Botha were named in the 28-man squad to take on New Zealand twice and Australia once.

Cats flyhalf Andre Pretorius was recalled to the squad for the first time this season.

De Villiers and lock Danie Rossouw, who were both injured while playing for South Africa against Scotland and Australia respectively, also returned to bolster the team, who have lost their past four Tests.

De Villiers bruised ribs in the second Test against Scotland in June and only made a return to rugby in a low-key club match last Saturday. Rossouw has fully recovered from a hamstring injury and will play a provincial match before joining the squad.

The Springboks lost all three of their Tri-Nations matches in Australia and New Zealand, which followed a loss against France in June — their first defeat at home for two years.

They face the All Blacks in Pretoria on August 26 and in Rustenburg on September 2 before completing the competition against Australia in Johannesburg on September 9. — Reuters

South Africa squad

Backs: Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, JP Pietersen, Percy Montgomery, Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, Andre Pretorius.

Forwards: John Smit (captain), Eddie Andrews, Brendon Botha, Jacques Cronje, Os du Randt, Victor Matfield, Johan Muller, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, Lawrence Sephaka, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Solly Tyibilika, Albert van den Berg, CJ van der Linde, Joe van Niekerk.