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South Africa's leading rugby players have been dealt a blow after the country's rugby bosses decided that players basing themselves abroad would no longer be eligible for the national team.
The decision by the South African Rugby Union's (SARU) President's Council means some of the Springboks' stars will play their last matches for their country at next month's World Cup in France.
Springbok captain John Smit, lock forward Victor Matfield, hooker Gary Botha and wing Ashwin Willemse are the big-name stars who have signed up with clubs in France and England for the forthcoming European season.
Other players heading north include Brent Russell, Gerrie Britz, Bob Skinstad, Percy Montgomery and some promising youngsters, including Cheetahs players Philip Burger and Ronnie Cooke.
South Africa's rugby bosses have decided the only way to halt the exodus is to ban the overseas-based players from coming into contention for the Springbok side.
"It's a really tricky situation, but we had to draw the line somewhere," SARU president Oregan Hoskins said. "We want to reward the guys who stay in South Africa and encourage them to remain."
Up to 100 South African-born players, including a number of former test players, are in action in France, Wales, England and Italy.
In recent times Springbok coach Jake White has selected overseas-based players for the national team, most notably fullback Percy Montgomery and first five-eighth Jaco van der Westhuyzen. Saracens prop Cobus Visagie was also called up when the Boks were on tour in Australia during the Tri-Nations series.
Hoskins said those call-ups were an exception after the rules in the country had been relaxed because White really wanted those specific players for his team.
"We're now simply reverting back to what the rule was and that means if a guy doesn't play locally he won't be allowed to play for South Africa," Hoskins said.
