Pretoria – Glory beckons for Peter de Villiers’s Springbok team, who look more than ready for the away leg of the Tri-Nations. They are well-placed for a first tournament win since 2004 after three successive victories at home.

De Villiers is concerned about the composition of his loose-trio, his flyhalf and centre combination, even if Thursday’s team’s training session at Loftus Versfeld had a carefree feel to it.

They are still without Juan Smith, who has a sore ankle and could not participate in training. He was injured in the test against the Wallabies at Newlands and he is doubtful for the first Test on tour.

That may just solve De Villiers’s loose-trio problem, given that Schalk Burger will have served his suspension and will be available for the match at the Subiaco Oval.

Burger’s his inclusion in the Bok team is no certainty, though. Heinrich Brüssow used his opportunity in Burger’s absence and cannot easily be axed from the side.

De Villiers could opt to pick Brüssow and Burger in combination while Smith is recovering from his injury.

Not much could be read into Thursday’s training session, which consisted mostly of skills drills.

Utility back Odwa Ndungane ran on his own and did not participate in training. He sustained a bruised hip in Saturday’s Currie Cup match between the Sharks and Lions, but will be fit to tour.

Ricky Januarie was also absent to be at the birth of his child. He will rejoin the side on Monday. Ruan Pienaar trained at scrumhalf in Januarie’s place and there are no lingering concerns about the ankle injury that kept him out of matches against New Zealand and Australia.