Springboks: giocatori esteri possono essere selezionati
Inviato: 26 mag 2008, 2:43
Doors opened wider for overseas-based players
5:00AM Sunday May 25, 2008
World champions South Africa have lifted a ban on selecting foreign-based players for the Springboks.
The national body decided yesterday to broaden their 2004 decision to allow a limit of three foreign-based players. The three-player rule was suspended last year to ensure only domestic players would be picked for South Africa.
"We want to give the Springbok coach the best tools to do the job to the best of his ability," South African Rugby Union (SARU) president Oregan Hoskins said.
Coach Peter De Villiers has named four European-based World Cup winners - captain John Smit, lock Victor Matfield and backs Percy Montgomery and Butch James - in his Springbok training squad ahead of two tests against Wales next month.
"We do not expect the floodgates to open and it is our expectation that only a small number of overseas-based players will be called up," Hoskins said.
"But these returning players must understand that there will be no guarantees they will be handed contracts beyond their match-by-match remuneration."
It is a decision that will be met with interest in this country, where New Zealand's rugby stocks are taking a battering through a large number being signed up to play in Europe.
The NZRU still maintains a policy of picking only New Zealand-based players for the All Blacks but this is coming under increasing pressure because of the player drain.
South Africa play Wales in Bloemfontein on June 7 and Pretoria a week later but they will be without scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, centre Jaque Fourie and flanker Schalk Burger.
Du Preez misses out because of a fractured hand, fellow former South African player of the year Burger has torn knee ligaments and Fourie is suffering from a medial ligament tear in his elbow.
The three World Cup winners lead a long injury list which includes hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, winger Tonderai Chavhanga, fullback Zane Kirchner, scrumhalf Heini Adams and No 8 Duanne Vermeulen.
Flanker Wikus van Heerden, who came on as a replacement in last year's final against England, will miss the first test following knee surgery, but could recover in time to face the Six Nations champions in Pretoria a week later.
- REUTERS
5:00AM Sunday May 25, 2008
World champions South Africa have lifted a ban on selecting foreign-based players for the Springboks.
The national body decided yesterday to broaden their 2004 decision to allow a limit of three foreign-based players. The three-player rule was suspended last year to ensure only domestic players would be picked for South Africa.
"We want to give the Springbok coach the best tools to do the job to the best of his ability," South African Rugby Union (SARU) president Oregan Hoskins said.
Coach Peter De Villiers has named four European-based World Cup winners - captain John Smit, lock Victor Matfield and backs Percy Montgomery and Butch James - in his Springbok training squad ahead of two tests against Wales next month.
"We do not expect the floodgates to open and it is our expectation that only a small number of overseas-based players will be called up," Hoskins said.
"But these returning players must understand that there will be no guarantees they will be handed contracts beyond their match-by-match remuneration."
It is a decision that will be met with interest in this country, where New Zealand's rugby stocks are taking a battering through a large number being signed up to play in Europe.
The NZRU still maintains a policy of picking only New Zealand-based players for the All Blacks but this is coming under increasing pressure because of the player drain.
South Africa play Wales in Bloemfontein on June 7 and Pretoria a week later but they will be without scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, centre Jaque Fourie and flanker Schalk Burger.
Du Preez misses out because of a fractured hand, fellow former South African player of the year Burger has torn knee ligaments and Fourie is suffering from a medial ligament tear in his elbow.
The three World Cup winners lead a long injury list which includes hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, winger Tonderai Chavhanga, fullback Zane Kirchner, scrumhalf Heini Adams and No 8 Duanne Vermeulen.
Flanker Wikus van Heerden, who came on as a replacement in last year's final against England, will miss the first test following knee surgery, but could recover in time to face the Six Nations champions in Pretoria a week later.
- REUTERS
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