Sunday 23rd September 2007
Springbok coach Jake White will bring out his A-Team, including star flank Schalk Burger, when South Africa face the United States in their final World Cup pool match at Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier next Sunday.
White said he was always going to use the match against the winless pool minnows for his frontline players to shake off any cobwebs, after resting some of his stars in the fortuitous 30-25 win over Tonga at the weekend.
However, after having watched his back-up players failing to produce the goods for a second time in a month - the second string team also produced a shocker in the pre-tournament game against Irish province Connacht last month - White had no hesitation in confirming which selection would face the US Eagles,.
It is the return of Burger that will be the most anticipated aspect of team selection this week.
He was handed a four-match ban by the under-fire judiciary of the tournament, which was reduced to a two-match suspension, following a dangerous tackle on Samoan scrum-half Junior Polu in the opening match.
With White's loose forward options further reduced at the weekend when utility forward Danie Rossouw was stretchered off in the encounter with Tonga, Burger looks like starting at number eight.
"He'll definitely be back next week," White said of Burger's inclusion in the team to face the Eagles.
"He needs game time and I'll probably play him 80 minutes as well, because he is going to need it going forward.
"He hasn't played for two weeks. I'll put him in the team and we'll keep him on the field as long as we can.
"At least that way he'll get nice and sharp for the play-offs," White added.
At least the Boks received a timely boost with the news that Rossouw had not been seriously injured.
It was feared the 29-year-old Blue Bulls star had suffered a neck or spinal injury, but he was subsequently declared fit and will take part in training on Monday.
However, White has indicated that Rossouw will not be considered for the encounter with America.
Rossouw, one of the few survivors of the squad from the disastrous 2003 edition of the World Cup, has started in all three of the Springboks matches so far.
White is expected to play Burger at number eight, with Juan Smith and Wikus van Heerden as his flanks - after veteran loose forward Bobby Skinstad failed to fire against the Tongans.
Skinstad is expected to provide loose forward cover from the bench.
The only selection debate might centre on tighthead prop - BJ Botha, who struggled against England, or CJ van der Linde, who stood firm against Samoa in the opening match.
The backline will not change much from that which smashed England 36-0.
The tournament's leading points scorer and the Boks' most capped player of all time, Percy Montgomery, will be the last line of defence - with the likes of Francois Steyn, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Butch James and Fourie du Preez the other first choice selections.
However, wing Akona Ndungane, who has not played in a World Cup match, may be given a run this weekend - having fully recovered from a chest injury suffered in a warm-up match.
The loose forwards and locks are a given - Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Wikus van Heerden, Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha - veteran prop Os du Randt will wear the number one jersey and John Smit will captain the team.
South Africa - likely: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 François Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Wikus van Heerden, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Os du Randt.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 BJ Botha, 18 Johann Muller, 19 Bob Skinstad, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 André Pretorius, 22 Wynand Olivier.
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