Smit faces club v country row

2007-11-13 10:29

Cape Town - The Springboks are running into the first roadblocks that come with selecting overseas players with captain John Smit being held back by his French club for South Africa's clash with the Barbarians at Twickenham on December 1.

The world champions are still toying with the idea of selecting offshore players in the future but have decided to go down that line for their brief end-of-year-tour north that sees them play Wales in Cardiff on November 24 and the Baa-Baas a week later in London.

Smit's French club Clermont has cleared him to lead the Boks in the Test against Wales but won't release him for the non-international against the Barbarians.

Flyhalf Butch James, loose forward Jacques Cronje, hooker Gary Botha and wing Ashwin Williams are other Springboks being held back by their European clubs.

But coach Jake White's problems don't end there as he looks to finish his Springboks tour of duty in style.

White could be without as many as half of his World Cup winners for this tour.

Leading tighthead prop Gurthro Steenkamp is out of the tour with a hand injury, while loose forwards Danie Rossouw and Wikus van Heerden (both neck) have also withdrawn.

Os du Randt and Bob Skinstad have retired, Percy Montgomery is unavailable with injury and now there are injury question marks over Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez as well.

The final Springbok squad will be finalised on Thursday.

All Blacks Jerry Collins, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Conrad Smith have been listed to play for the Barbarians against the Boks.

The Baa-Bass have also run into selection problems with England's clubs declaring their players can't be selected that weekend.

- Rugby Heaven