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Bok quartet axed from squad

Sunday 03rd August 2008

Dropped: Frans Steyn and G�rthro Steenkamp

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has released Francois Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, Odwa Ndungane and G�rthro Steenkamp from his 28-man squad ahead of the Springboks' one-off Test against Argentina this coming Saturday.

World Cup winners Steyn, Pienaar and Steenkamp, plus winger Odwa Ndungane (brother of Akona, who also holds a World Cup winner's medal), have returned to their provincial teams to take part in South Africa's domestic Currie Cup competition.

Steyn and Pienaar's exclusion is surprising because De Villiers was expected to experiment with the fly-half position in the wake of incumbent stand-off Butch James' below-par form.

Both players provide depth at that position and their release, coupled with Stormers fly-half Peter Grant's recent departure from the team with a shoulder injury, confirms the coach has decided to persevere with James.

Both Pienaar and Steyn, the two versatile backs who could have fulfilled this role, have been released to the Sharks.

Veteran full-back Percy Montgomery has represented the Springboks at fly-half, but it will be a gamble to do so again in the three must-win Tri-Nations Tests.

Jaque Fourie, the Lions centre whose inclusion in the Springbok training squad was criticised as his provincial coach Eugene Eloff felt he was not yet fit for international duty, has also been retained in the smaller 24-man squad confirmed by the Springbok management on Sunday.

He is one of three players in the group who didn't tour Australasia.

The others are scrum-half Fourie du Preez, also back from injury, and wing Jongi Nokwe.

The front row has been a contentious selection to date and has seen five combinations start in six Tests. Saturday's Test will see it become six combinations in seven starts.

The 24-man squad will be further reduced as De Villiers wants only 22 players to work with for the upcoming four Tests.

As it now stands, six of the 22 players for the Test against the Wallabies have been omitted from the squad in what is another indication that De Villiers is still uncertain who his best combination is.

The three injured players from the Australasian Tests, Bryan Habana, Adi Jacobs and Schalk Burger, have been included in the squad.

South African squad:

Forwards: Adriaan Strauss, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Bismarck du Plessis, Brian Mujati, CJ van der Linde, Joe van Niekerk, Juan Smith, Luke Watson, Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger, Tendai Mtawarira, Victor Matfield (captain).

Backs: Adrian Jacobs, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Conrad Jantjes, Enrico Januarie, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Jongi Nokwe, JP Pietersen, Percy Montgomery.