Bok captain joins his team
2008-05-26 22:03
Cape Town - Springbok captain John Smit joined the Springbok training session in Stellenbosch on Monday morning just hours after stepping off the plane from France where he had been playing for Top 14 club Clermont.
The arrival of Smit was greeted with great relief by the Springbok coach Peter de Villiers. "We could not do our planning fully without him," De Villiers explained.
There has been much speculation about where Smit will be continuing his rugby after the Springbok management arranged for him to return to the country in the interests of South African rugby.
His old province KZN have not sounded too enthusiastic and Western Province have said he's been priced out of the market.
The other three foreign-based members of the training squad, Percy Montgomery, Victor Matfield and Butch James have all been granted permission by De Villiers to arrive at the Somerset West camp as late as Wednesday.
New Springbok backline coach Dick Muir is also likely to arrive on Wednesday after his child had an accident at home.
The Springbok management decided to close Monday afternoon's session to the spectators and the media. Only the forwards worked out and they concentrated on line-out skills. The backs had a theory session at the team hotel.
In the absence of Muir, De Villiers has been working with the backs.
- SAPA