Uncapped Bismarck du Plessis will join the South African squad as cover for injured captain John Smit ahead of the Tri-Nations Series match against New Zealand in Durban on Saturday.
Hooker Du Plessis becomes the 31st member of a squad that was hit by injuries after the Springboks' 22-19 win over Australia in the opening match of the tournament in Cape Town at the weekend.
Smit left the field in the first half with a hamstring injury, while loosehead Gurthro Steenkamp bruised a knee and flanker Juan Smith suffered a bruised thigh. "He (Smit) will be assessed during the week and the medical team will make the call," team manager Zola Yeye said in Durban yesterday. We've called up Bismarck du Plessis as cover for him."
Yeye said none of the injured players had yet been ruled out of the match against the All Blacks, seen as an important indicator of the relative strengths of two of the most fancied teams to win the World Cup in France in September/October.
Candidates to stand in as captain should Smit not play are lock Victor Matfield, who took over for the rest of Saturday's match, and former skipper Bob Skinstad, who returned to international rugby this year after an absence of four years.
Lock Greg Rawlinson will play a Test in his home town for the first time when he runs out for New Zealand in Saturday's match. Durban-born Rawlinson, who moved to New Zealand in 2002, was named in the All Blacks starting XV and will win his fourth cap. "He played for the All Blacks last year, and I think he's probably playing at an even higher level this year because the competition is greater," said coach Graham Henry.
NEW ZEALAND (v South Africa): 15-Mils Muliaina; 14-Joe Rokocoko, 13-Isaia Toeava, 12-Aaron Mauger, 11-Sitiveni Sivivatu; 10-Daniel Carter, 9-Byron Kelleher; 1-Tony Woodcock, 2-Anton Oliver, 3-Carl Hayman, 4-Troy Flavell, 5-Greg Rawlinson, 6-Jerry Collins, 7-Richie McCaw (captain), 8-Rodney So'oialo. Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Neemia Tialata, Ross Filipo, Chris Masoe, Piri Weepu, Luke McAlister, Leon MacDonald.
Meanwhile, Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has named two uncapped players in a 40-man training squad ahead of the World Cup.
Parma flanker Paul Derbyshire, who captained the Italy under-21 side to victories over Scotland and Wales in their Six Nations campaign earlier this year, was named in the squad which was announced yesterday.
Derbyshire's under-21 team-mate, Treviso centre Alberto Sgarbi, also made the step up to the senior squad.
The squad will meet on July 1st for the first of three pre-World Cup training camps.
Berbizier then has until August 14th to trim it down to 30 players before their departure for tournament in France from September 7th to October 21st.
Several first-team regulars who missed Italy's Six Nations campaign this year through injury were picked, including fullback David Bortolussi and wingers Marko Stanojevic and Pablo Canavosio.
"These call-ups signal the start of our 2007 World Cup campaign," Berbizier said. "It's a list that unites many players of experience with several interesting youngsters, like Derbyshire and Sgarbi. This call-up, for them, is a great opportunity to prepare for the future."
ITALIAN SQUAD (for World Cup): Forwards: Matias Aguero, Roberto Barbieri, Mauro Bergamasco, Valerio Bernabo, Marco Bortolami, Martin Castrogiovanni, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Santiago Dellape, Paul Derbyshire, Carlo Festuccia, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lo Cicero, Carlos Nieto, Fabio Ongaro, Silvio Orlando, Sergio Parisse, Salvatore Perugini, Josh Sole, Fabio Staibano, Maurizio Zaffiri, Alessandro Zanni. Backs: Mirco Bergamasco, David Bortolussi, Christopher Burton, Gonzalo Canale, Pablo Canavosio, Roland De Marigny, Alessio Galante, Ezio Galon, Paul Griffen, Andrea Masi, Ludovico Nitoglia, Luciano Orquera, Enrico Patrizio, Ramiro Pez, Matteo Pratichetti, Kaine Robertson, Alberto Sgarbi, Marko Stanojevic, Alessandro Troncon.
