Fringe Springbok players likely to start in mixed-match team to play Wales

THE Springbok team to play Wales on Saturday in Cardiff will be announced by coach Rassie Erasmus today, and it will be a combination patched together from those remaining on tour.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

This match falls outside the international Test window, with various domestic competitions around the world resuming this weekend and, in the case of Japan League One, kicking off.

When the tour began at the start of November, Erasmus said he would have all 33 players available for the five matches, barring a couple based in the English Premiership and in the Irish and Scottish URC teams. However, after the match against Ireland, Erasmus revealed he was down to 25 players.

Erasmus has agreed to requests from Japanese clubs to have some of their players back. Originally, the Japanese clubs allowed all of their South African players to participate in the two tour matches outside the international window — Japan and Wales — but subsequently asked Erasmus to release a few individuals.