'Boks to rest 20 for Tri Nations: report

[Darren]

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/bok...74924-k67.html
June 24, 2007 - 5:41PM

Next month's Tri-Nations rugby Tests in Sydney and Christchurch have been dealt a blow, with reports on Sunday South Africa coach Jake White will leave behind 20 of his top players.

South Africa's Sunday Times and Sunday Tribune newspapers both reported White's 30-man squad for the July 7 Telstra Stadium and July 14 Jade Stadium Tests will be without most of his Bulls and Sharks players, who contested the Super 14 final last month.

Loose forward Bobby Skinstad is tipped to lead a side without stars including Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger and Bryan Habana.

The Sunday Times quoted White as saying it would be a "ludicrous risk" to travel with his best squad in a World Cup year.

He said Saturday's 26-21 loss to the All Blacks in Durban "proved how fatigued our guys are".

It was a seventh consecutive big match in as many weeks for the Springboks' Super 14 players, and White had hinted at the move last week.

"I've made it quite clear, there's a World Cup coming up, the All Blacks pulled 22 guys from the Super 14 which I wasn't able to do because our franchises didn't feel it was necessary," he said.

"New Zealand, Ireland, England and France have done it, so we've got to make sure we do whatever's best to give ourselves a chance to win the World Cup."

White names his squad on Monday.

[travelling_gerry]

I hope this all comes back and bites them on the arse come RWC....

[Thequeerone]

I actually think they are wise

[Happy]

can't wait to see some n.z. papers and what they think about it...

[hopep]

Funny, I seem to recall Jake White whinning about 'understrength teams' just a few weeks back.

This will bite them back. They risk going into the RWC with only one hard hit out - against Austr. and being undercooked, coupled with natural SA overconfidence.

[Shaun]

Jake is correct. Boks will win the RWC.

[hopep]

Shaun, if he is correct - then this was intended, to rest key players and do the 3N's on half-strength team. Then he had no right to whinge about England sending an understrength test team out.

If SA are to win the RWC they have to beat AB's. May as well do it now as in 3 months time. Boks play on confidence a lot (not withstanding talent) - to have a win against AB's in 3N would improve their chances in RWC, to my mind.

[The EnForcer]

I doubt they would have rested the players if they had won on Saturday.

[Sagerian]

Sounds like they're pulling up stumps early, the RWC shouldn't be views as the be all and end all.


We'd better thrash them in Sydney then...

[Thequeerone]

Exactly what I was thinking - but don't tell the VBookie

[chook]

The Bokkes are running scared after being smashed by the well 'ard Wallabies and then our cuz's the ABs coming in and finishing the job on Saturday. Soft. Soft as a softkock. And thats quite soft really.

[AndyS]

I reckon they are bloody mad when their first two WC matches are Samoa and England - I'd have thought they'd want to know the combinations are firing from the start...look at how rusty some of the ABs were coming back from their rest.

[Happy]

Jake is correct. Boks will win the RWC.

Want to put your money where your mouth is ?

[chook]

Want to put your money where your mouth is ?

Probably not Happy. He's a SoftBok.

[Sagerian]

Yeah seriously, what a bunch of softboks.