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SYDNEY - The New Zealand and Australian rugby unions are outraged at the decision by South Africa to send an under-strength side for their remaining Tri-Nations tests.
Springboks coach Jake White has named a 28-man squad devoid of most big names for the matches against Australia in Sydney on July 7 and New Zealand in Christchurch on July 14.
Only four starters from the opening two Tri-Nations tests in South Africa and three replacements have been included.
The NZRU is disappointed and surprised the South Africa Rugby Union has backtracked on assurances it would send a full strength Springbok side.
Chairman Jock Hobbs says South Africa has some explaining to do. He said they would like to know why verbal and written assurances were given that this would not happen and now it has.
Hobbs adds he also expected financial backers News Limited to be unhappy with the latest development and anticipated it would express its concern, just as it did when a number of top All Blacks did not play in the early rounds of the Super 14 due to reconditioning.
Both New Zealand and Australian officials plan to meet urgently with members of SARU to discuss the issues, but with the Springboks team due to leave for Sydney tomorrow that looks likely to be in vain.
Hobbs said South Africa expressed concern over New Zealand resting top players in the Super 14 which makes this decision all the more surprising.
ARU chairman Peter McGrath said Australian officials had not been given any indication by South Africa that they were considering this option.
"We had previously sought, and received, an assurance that they would be sending their best available test team," McGrath said.
"We recognise that the rugby public has purchased tickets for this match in good faith and would feel betrayed by this decision by the South Africans.
"The ARU understands their outrage. We are seeking an urgent meeting of Sanzar [the partnership body governing South African, New Zealand and Australian rugby] to overturn this decision.
"The agreement between us clearly calls for each nation to field its best team and with SAR's [South African Rugby] decision this is clearly not the case.
"On behalf of the fans, those people who in good faith bought tickets to the Wallabies test against South Africa in Sydney on July 7, we will pursue this issue and seek to get the decision reversed.
"It may be a rugby World Cup year and the Springboks may have played five tests in a row but we face the same situation.
"We all knew the test schedule well in advance, we all knew about the rugby World Cup. South Africa needs to look to a future beyond the World Cup and address these concerns urgently."
Springboks coach White had no qualms about his decision.
"I've made it quite clear, there's a World Cup coming up, the All Blacks pulled 22 guys from the Super 14 which I wasn't able to do because our franchises didn't feel it was necessary," he told South African media.
"New Zealand, Ireland, England and France have done it, so we've got to make sure we do whatever's best to give ourselves a chance to win the World Cup."
The All Blacks arrived in chilly Melbourne last night with the Wallabies making confident noises about an upset on Saturday night.
"There's belief in this team that we can win," Wallabies coach John Connolly told the Daily Telegraph.
"I've said all along that when we get our best team on the field we are competitive with anyone."
Connolly also accused the All Blacks back row of being offside regularly.
South Africa squad
Backs: Tonderai Chavhanga, Michael Claassens, Bolla Conradie, Bevin Fortuin, Peter Grant, Derick Hougaard, Wayne Julies, Waylon Murray, Wynand Olivier, Breyton Paulse, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jaco Pretorius
Forwards: Johan Ackermann, Eddie Andrews, Gary Botha, Deon Carstens, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Hilton Lobberts, Johann Muller, Bob Skinstad, Albert van den Berg, Wikus van Heerden, AJ Venter, Cobus Visagie, Pedrie Wannenburg, Luke Watson.
- REUTERS, NZPA
