Rugby:Munster's South African signing Jean de Villiers has been called up to the Springboks' squad ahead of Saturday's Test match against Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.
De Villiers travelled to Dublin this afternoon to replace Adi Jacobs, who has been ruled out of due to an ankle injury.
The visitors have such an injury crisis at the end of a long, hard season that coach Peter De Villiers was forced to delay naming his starting XV until tomorrow as numerous players undergo late fitness tests.
No less than eight Springboks with injuries need further assessment before the team is finalised tomorrow, while today’s training session was cancelled.
Aside from Jacobs, fullback Zane Kirchner (knee/thigh), scrumhalf Fourie du Preez (bruised thumb), lock Bakkies Botha (stiff back acerbated by economy class flight from Italy), hooker Bismarck du Plessis (rib cartilage), reserve hooker Adriaan Strauss (back), Schalk Burger (rib cartilage) and CJ van der Linde, who picked up a hamstring strain against Saracens, are also injured.
South Africa might be the world and Tri-Nations champions but their season-ending tour to the northern hemisphere has been far from inspired.
To date their European tour has resulted in defeats to France, Leicester and Saracens with their only win coming against Italy.
De Villiers' side will look to sign-off with a much-needed win against the Grand Slam champions, who have their own incentive to win with some Irish Lions surely keen to put the record straight after losing the Lions Tour to South Africa earlier in the year.
