THE Springboks will have a potential lock crisis on their hands if Johann Muller does not recover in time from his hamstring injury ahead of Saturday's World Cup Pool D match against Fiji.
Muller, who missed the away leg of the Tri-Nations with a hamstring injury, yesterday sat out of training as a precautionary measure after the offending muscle tightened up again. The Bok management are hopeful they will restore him to peak fitness by Saturday but they face a bleak prognosis against Fiji if he fails to do so.
He is supposed to take the place of Victor Matfield, who also has hamstring trouble, while Bakkies Botha's participation in the competition is still in doubt because of an Achilles injury. Danie Rossouw is filling his boots.
Though Muller will in all likelihood be declared fit, Bok coach Peter de Villiers may have to consider shifting Willem Alberts from his backrow back-up role to a starting one in the second row if the Ulster lock fails to recover.
While Muller still has a chance of playing, wing Bryan Habana has already been ruled out after he received a blow to the knee against Wales. He was replaced by Francois Hougaard during the match and the Bulls man is likely to get the chance to start on Saturday.
"Bryan could play if needed but we don't want to take chances," De Villiers said. "We have a few weeks to go in the tournament and we don't want to take risks. We have some other great wings in the squad - this is their opportunity, I hope they take it."
Another sterling performance from Hougaard will heap more pressure on Habana to retain his place once he regains fitness. Since matching Joost van der Westhuizen's record 38 test tries, Habana has failed to score in the past 11 tests he was involved in.
But the Bok style of play has done little to advance his cause.
Bokke in lock scare
THE Springboks will have a potential lock crisis on their hands if Johann Muller does not recover in time from his hamstring injury ahead of Saturday's World Cup Pool D match against Fiji.
Muller, who missed the away leg of the Tri-Nations with a hamstring injury, yesterday sat out of training as a precautionary measure after the offending muscle tightened up again. The Bok management are hopeful they will restore him to peak fitness by Saturday but they face a bleak prognosis against Fiji if he fails to do so.
He is supposed to take the place of Victor Matfield, who also has hamstring trouble, while Bakkies Botha's participation in the competition is still in doubt because of an Achilles injury. Danie Rossouw is filling his boots.
Though Muller will in all likelihood be declared fit, Bok coach Peter de Villiers may have to consider shifting Willem Alberts from his backrow back-up role to a starting one in the second row if the Ulster lock fails to recover.
While Muller still has a chance of playing, wing Bryan Habana has already been ruled out after he received a blow to the knee against Wales. He was replaced by Francois Hougaard during the match and the Bulls man is likely to get the chance to start on Saturday.
"Bryan could play if needed but we don't want to take chances," De Villiers said. "We have a few weeks to go in the tournament and we don't want to take risks. We have some other great wings in the squad - this is their opportunity, I hope they take it."
Another sterling performance from Hougaard will heap more pressure on Habana to retain his place once he regains fitness. Since matching Joost van der Westhuizen's record 38 test tries, Habana has failed to score in the past 11 tests he was involved in.
But the Bok style of play has done little to advance his cause.
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