Springboks expect four players back for Tri-Nations

JOHANNESBURG - The Springboks are confident they will have four members of their team back from injury for their opening leg of the Tri-Nations, against Australia in Brisbane on July 15.

Assistant coaches Allister Coetzee and Gert Smal told a news conference wing Bryan Habana, centres Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers, and lock Bakkies Botha should be fit for the Brisbane game.

"The injuries look positive, the overall picture looks good, it is encouraging," Smal said.

Botha, a member of South Africa's Tri-nations triumph in 2004, is expected to have completed his rehabilitation from an achilles tendon injury that ruled him out of the two tests against Scotland and one against France.

"I can't wait to see Bakkies back," Smal said. "We all now realise Bakkies' value. He brings an aggressive approach to the tight five and inspires an immense amount of confidence in the players around him."

Coetzee, the backline mentor, said the problems South Africa experienced in midfield a fortnight ago when they lost 36-26 to France should be rectified by the return of Fourie and De Villiers.

"I'm very positive that we will start with that pairing against Australia. Jaque is now 100 per cent and the way Jean has responded to treatment from last week to this is very encouraging," Coetzee said.

Fourie and De Villiers dropped out of the France match - the first time the Springboks have lost at home in nearly three years - due to rib injuries and Habana left the field in the second half, also with a rib injury.

- REUTERS