Springbok coach Jake White said on Monday he was optimistic he would have a full squad of 28 to choose from for Saturday’s Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand in Pretoria.
”We’ll see after training this afternoon, but I’m very hopeful the medical staff will give everyone the all-clear,” White told reporters in Pretoria.
”Danie Rossouw [hamstring] looks okay and has probably recovered enough to stay with the squad and Andre Pretorius [shin and calf] is also much better.
”Juan Smith [hamstring], Jacques Cronje [ankle] and Joe van Niekerk [calf] should also be fine and it makes little sense to get someone extra in if he’s not going to be needed,” White said.
The Springboks are looking to end a four-match losing streak as injuries have sliced through their squad, with first-choice players Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Ashwin Willemse and Gurthro Steenkamp still unavailable.
White said he would not be making many changes to the team who went down narrowly 20-18 to Australia in Sydney on August 5.
”The team will be as close to Sydney as possible and the youngsters who have come in have done reasonably well. There’s light at the end of the tunnel in terms of our planning going forward.”
Inside centre Jean de Villiers is back with the squad after missing the overseas leg of the Tri-Nations and will almost certainly be recalled for Saturday’s meeting with the All Blacks.
White said New Zealand’s 34-27 win over Australia in Auckland on Saturday had reaffirmed the high regard in which he held the All Blacks.
”I was pleasantly surprised with the Wallabies because I thought it would be much more one-sided. Eden Park has been a happy hunting ground for the All Blacks and they’ve been playing very well lately.
”But it speaks volumes for what the All Blacks are getting right as a squad that they were able to come back from being 20-11 down. They didn’t look like panicking and it said a lot about their character.”
The Kiwis flew over to South Africa on Sunday with the Tri-Nations title safely retained, but coach Graham Henry is still looking to win in the SA for the first time with New Zealand.
”Saturday will be a big game for Graham Henry and he’s also busy getting ready for the World Cup. So I really can’t see that there’s going to be nothing to play for,” White said. ”They are going to give us as much stick as they can.” — Reuters