Olivier in line for test start
Julies joins Boks in PE
Springbok coach Jake White will continue to broaden his selection base when he names the team to face Scotland in the second test at the EPRFU Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The decision to call up Wayne Julies, who joined Bok squad in PE on Monday, as a replacement for the Jean de Villiers, is the first hint that young Wynand Olivier could start his first test for South Africa on Saturday.
White told a media conference in Port Elizabeth that De Villiers had bruised several ribs, which made it difficult to predict exactly when he would be back in the fray. But the good news is that he should be back in time for the Tri-Nations.
De Villiers had returned to Cape Town to continue his rehabilitation from the painful rib injury.
"It is more than just one rib that is bruised, and with ribs it is always hard to tell exactly how long it will be before a player can return," White told the media.
"It could be two weeks, it could be three weeks or it could be four weeks. But the medical staff have informed that he will be ready for the Tri-Nations, and that is what we will be aiming at. The game in Brisbane [on July 15] is when we will expect him back."
But of more immediate concern for White is whom to play in the No.12 jersey, alongside Jaque Fourie, in the second test on Saturday.
Having decided to call up Julies, White made it clear that he is not going to fall back on the badly out of form De Wet Barry.
He could, of course, start with Julies, an experienced international campaigner.
But Olivier, who replaced De Villiers in the second half in the first test in Durban at the weekend, showed enough in his 30-minute stint on the field to justify a start, with Julies perhaps on the bench.
White also made it clear that the solid win last week now affords him the opportunity to try a few things and thus broadening the selection base.
"We've laid the platform from which to build a stronger squad," White said.
And Olivier certainly falls in that category. There is no denying his talent and by giving him a full run against Scotland, he now gets the necessary test exposure and experience ahead of the Tri-Nations and next year's World Cup – which certainly means White has more depth in what till recently looked a threadbare midfield talent pool.
Julies is one of four players that rejoined the squad – the others being lock Bakkies Botha, prop CJ van der Linde and wing Bryan Habana.
However, Botha faces a medical assessment and fitness test before he will be cleared to play in the second test.
Lock Albert van den Berg and loose forward Jacques Cronjé, who were not available for last week's test because of injury but stayed with the squad, have also been cleared for selection this week.
Three players also returned to their provinces – loose forward AJ Venter (Sharks), along with props Deon Carstens (Sharks) and Jannie du Plessis (Cheetahs).
The reason for sending Carstens and Du Plessis back to their provinces is that Van der Linde is fit again.
It is clear that White will make some changes, both among the forwards and backs.
Players like Van der Linde, Cronjé, Van den Berg, Botha and Olivier are sure to play some role – maybe all in the starting XV.
It is not inconceivable that the tight five could show three changes – Botha (if he is fit) and Van den Berg at lock, Van der Linde on the tighthead.
Cronjé could get a run at No.8, where White feels he is far more effective than on the flank – where the Bulls used him in the Super 14.
And of course Habana is certain to take the place of a badly out of sorts André Snyman on the left wing.
