Du Preez fit enough to tour

2007-11-13 16:11

Johannesburg - Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who struggled through the latter parts of the Super 14 competition as well as the World Cup with a painful shoulder injury, will tour with the Springboks after all, but clarity on Victor Matfield's situation will only be known on Tuesday night.

While Du Preez, who was married on Saturday, will join up with the squad in Cardiff on Monday, Matfield was to have talks with Springbok coach Jake White late on Tuesday afternoon.

Matfield is keen to spend time with his family and friends before finally making up his mind whether he will join up with Second Division Toulon in France.

If Matfield does not tour, the Springboks will be down to only three locks after the withdrawal from the tour of Danie Rossouw because of a neck injury. Bakkies Botha and second-stringers Johann Muller and Albert van den Berg are the remaining second rowers. Rossouw played at No 8 in the World Cup final.

Flank Wikus van Heerden is also out of the tour with a neck injury, while loosehead prop Gurthro Steenkamp suffered a hand injury in a kitchen accident.

Wian du Preez of the Cheetahs replaces Steenkamp, and uncapped Sharks No 8 Ryan Kankowski and the Bulls flank Hilton Lobberts have been included to cover for the two injured loose forwards.

The Springboks will have their first training run on Wednesday at 10:00 at St John's College since assembling in Johannesburg on Monday. The session is open to the public.

The SA squad departs for Cardiff on Friday. They play Wales in a Test at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, November 24 and then run out against the Barbarians a week later at Twickenham.

- SAPA