Rugby: Backline blues for Boks

Munster-bound Springbok second-five Jean de Villiers is likely to start from the bench against the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images

CENTURION - Injuries in the midfield and a form puzzle at first five-eighth are playing on South African rugby coach Peter de Villiers' mind ahead of Sunday's (NZT) Tri-Nations test against the All Blacks in Bloemfontein.

With only 23 players in his Tri-Nations squad, coach Peter de Villiers doesn't have much room to move but niggles for centres Adrian Jacobs and Jaque Fourie are a cause for contention ahead the team naming tonight.

Jacobs is struggling with a groin injury while Fourie has an undisclosed medical issue.

"They are still working with Adi. He is basically the only player our medical staff are working with," de Villiers told South African journalists today.

"Jaque Fourie also receives provisional treatment. I'll know more when the doctors tell me later."

If both are fit, there is a chance they could both be in the midfield at Vodacom Park, with some media reports here today suggesting established second five-eighth Jean de Villiers will only make the reserve bench.

Jean de Villiers, who announced today he has signed a contract with Irish club Munster starting after the Tri-Nations, may cede his No 12 jersey to the smaller Jacobs, who looked impressive there in limited opportunities during the recent series defeat of the British and Irish Lions.

The Springboks should have a similar appearance to the team who won the second Lions test at Pretoria last month. A host of changes for the third test backfired as the Lions posted a comprehensive win.

A headache for Peter de Villiers is deciding on his first five-eighth, where Ruan Pienaar was first choice going into the Lions series but some mixed efforts saw Bulls superboot Morne Steyn given a crack.

Steyn's goalkicking prowess at altitude may give him the edge although he showed some chinks in his all-round game against the Lions.

The back three and forwards should pick themselves, with aggressive lock Bakkies Botha returning from his two-week suspension and Heinrich Brussouw sure to retain the openside flank berth in the absence of the banned Schalk Burger.

Meanwhile, Peter de Villiers did his best to talk up the All Blacks today, even though his world champion side are favoured to win the tournament.

"We would love to be the underdogs," he said.

"We didn't write off the All Blacks. I don't know who wrote them off. We always knew that they were a good rugby side, as they showed on Saturday against the Wallabies (a game they won 22-16 in Auckland).

"If you think you can pitch up for 60 or 70 minutes against the All Blacks then you're at the wrong place."

De Villiers will have a talk with Irish referee Alain Rolland before the match about his view on the breakdowns - an area where New Zealand largely dominated the Wallabies.

"The breakdown will always be a concern. There are too many grey areas there," he said.

The Springboks coach also refuted reports that SA Rugby had told him to refrain form bringing religious and political views into his comments with the media and was encouraged to speak Afrikaans when he was given a performance revue by the ruling body last week.

"Nobody told me what I may do and what I may not do," he said.

- NZPA