The Springboks have delayed naming their match 22 for the opening Tri Nations Test against the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday until Thursday.
With locks Danie Rossouw and Bakkies Botha still receiving treatment for minor injuries, management has decided to postpone the announcement to later in the week to allow the medical team more time to work with the two players.
Aside from Rossouw and Botha, the remainder of the 28-man squad has been given a clean bill of health ahead of Saturday’s clash.
The full squad assembled in Auckland on Monday evening after travelling in two groups on Saturday and Sunday. Players had a gym session in the morning on Tuesday and their first field session at Onewa Park in the afternoon.
Speaking at a press conference earlier in the day, captain John Smit said the squad was looking forward to the kick-off of the 2010 Tri-Nations.
“It’s always good to come here,” Smit said.
“There is a great rivalry between us and the All Blacks and we expect a tough contest.
“The nature of the Tri-Nations is that any one of the three teams can beat the other on any given day which makes it a very difficult competition indeed.”
Smit said the Boks’ preparations so far had gone well but that the Tri-Nations represented a new challenge altogether.
The Bok skipper refused to be drawn into the customary verbal battle that typifies contests between the two Nations.
“We are here to play rugby,” he said. “That’s all part of the build-up, but what really matters is what happens in the 80 minutes.”