South Africa coach Jake White will partly reveal his World Cup plans when he announces his first national training squad on Saturday.
White, together with his selection panel, is expected to name a training squad of about 45 players for the tours to South Africa later this month and in June of England and Samoa.
England, the defending world champions, will come to South Africa with a depleted squad hit by eight injured players and the absence of players from London Wasps, Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby, not considered because of their participation in European finals on May 19 and 20.
The Test matches against the Springboks are scheduled for May 26 in Bloemfontein and June 2 in Pretoria. The Test against Samoa is a week later in Johannesburg.
The South Africans then go straight into the Tri-Nations series with New Zealand and Australia before heading to Britain for a few warm-up matches, and then it’s off to France for the World Cup, where they’ll again meet England in the group stages.
White’s training squad will gather in the central South African city of Bloemfontein as soon as the country’s participation in the Super 14 competition is over.
The Bulls and Sharks — the teams which produce the most number of Springboks — look set to play in the semifinals next weekend and possibly a final a week later, leaving White with precious little time to prepare a team for the first England Test.
Convenor of national selectors Peter Jooste said: ”It’s certainly not an ideal situation to be in.
”Obviously we’re happy to have two teams vying for Super 14 honours, but it makes Jake’s life a lot tougher. There just isn’t going to be enough time to get the squad functioning as we want.
”Fortunately many of the players have been part of the Bok setup for some time now and they’re pretty familiar with the structures and other players.”
As such a big squad is being selected, there are unlikely to be many surprises.
Former Springbok captain Bob Skinstad is, however, expected to be named in the group. Skinstad returned to South Africa from England where he was involved in television work at the start of the season and has since produced scintillating rugby for the Sharks in the Super 14.
There is also likely to be a recall for former SA Rugby Player of the Year, wing Ashwin Willemse, who’s set to make his first appearance in top flight rugby for over a year when he turns out for the Lions in their final Super 14 match of the year this weekend.
Willemse, who’s battled various injuries in recent years, told the Star newspaper on Thursday: ”I’m hungry to feel the atmosphere again. I’m thankful to Jake White who’s kept backing me — and I’m grateful I’ve got another opportunity.”
White is expected to work with the 45-man group throughout the season and only trim the squad to 30 players before heading to the World Cup. — AFP
