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Fringe players looking to impress against Samoans

With only 30 places available for the World Cup, competition in the South African squad is as fierce as ever as a bunch of fringe players look to impress national coach Jake White this weekend when the Springboks face Samoa in a one-off Test at Ellis Park.

White has had up to 46 players at his disposal so far this year as he looks to find the "extras" for the showpiece in France in September and October.

Today's outing gives him his first chance to see if the hopefuls looking for a ticket to France are up to international standard.

No less than 13 changes have been made by White to the team that beat England 55-22 at Loftus Versfeld last week to wrap up a 2-0 series win, with only captain John Smit and scrumhalf Ricky Januarie remaining in the starting XV.

White has opted to rest veterans and World Cup certainties like Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Butch James, Jean de Villiers and Bryan Habana.

It is largely a second-string Bok outfit, but White has some insurance in the likes of Smit, Os du Randt, Albert van den Berg and Bob Skinstad in the starting XV and Percy Montgomery on the bench.

With only 50 Test caps between the backs, which includes Waylon Murray who'll be on debut, it is the most inexperienced back division since the second Test against Argentina in 2004.

"I think we've got a nice mix at the back," White said. "I'm keen to see how they go against a team like Samoa, who've got a really exciting backline."

"They've all got a great opportunity to put their hands up for a place in the World Cup squad," he said.

The other new cap in the team is openside flanker from the Western Stormers Luke Watson.

The selection of the 23-year-old, the son of anti-apartheid activist, Cheeky Watson, hit the headlines a few weeks ago after he was put in the side only after the intervention of the South African Rugby Union hierarchy.

Watson Jnr though has proved himself at all levels of the game, having captained the SA Schools team as well as the SA U-21 team.

"I'm very glad I'm in the team and have been given this opportunity," Watson said. "I"m looking forward to the challenge and am honored to be running out in the green and gold No 6 jersey."

Also back in the Bok team are Northern Bulls flyhalf Derick Hougaard, his first appearance since the World Cup in 2003, and the Super 14's leading try-scorer JP Pietersen, who'll win his second cap.
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