Bok team announcement delayed
June 30 2009
The Springbok management was forced to delay their team announcement for Saturday's third Test due to the uncertainty over key players.
Whilst suspended Schalk Burger had already left the team environment, the Boks are awaiting news on the appeal of lock Bakkies Botha's two-week suspension.
Assistant Coach Dick Muir said they were "concerned that we are not allowed to clean up the rucks", referring to the Botha incident where the lock was cited for what appeared to be a legal clean out of the ruck.
Meanwhile, coach Peter De Villiers has had enough of the eye-gouging Burger episode and refused to comment further. When prompted why the Bok management did not refer some of the Lions' infringements to the citing commission the coach retorted.
"The IRB pays a lot of money to guys who do the citing. We leave it to them, citing will take our mind off the next test."
In reference to the appointment of Australian referee Stuart Dickinson for Saturday's match forwards coach Gary Gold commented, "both teams will probably be relieved with the ref whose interpretations we both understand better, with respect".