Beast dropped

quarter-final showdown against Australia on Sunday.
Coach Peter de Villiers has called up Gurthro Steenkamp for Mtawarira but denied there was any problem with his giant prop.
“There’s nothing wrong with Tendai,” De Villiers said. “There’s only space for 22 players” in the squad.

The line-up is South Africa’s oldest at a World Cup with an average of 28 years and 272 days.
Captain John Smit’s return will break Os du Randt’s South African record of 16 RWC matches, but he said the team’s unmatched level of experience will mean nothing if they don’t beat Australia in the knockout match.
“Certainly it’s quite an experienced team but it only really counts if we can get the business done on Sunday,” Smit said.

South Africa lost “enforcer” Bakkies Botha as the reigning champions, England and Wales all announced their teams for this weekend’s quarter-finals.
Botha may be out of the Rugby World Cup after failing to make the squad for Sunday’s quarter-final against Australia.
“It might mean that his tournament will be over,” De Villiers said.

“We nursed his hamstring but he came down badly and his Achilles went up again. It’s just one of those accidents you get. He had not very good support when he came down and it was about 7 tons of weight on it.” De Villiers said Botha may not be fit to play again even if the defending champion Springboks progress.
The veteran Botha missed South Africa’s opener against Wales and the Samoa match, appearing only against Namibia and Fiji at this World Cup.

“I am a person who normally keeps my emotions out of sight but it was emotional to talk to the team this morning and tell them I would be going home,” said Botha.
But in Danie Rossouw the Springboks have a fine replacement, in the opinion of Australia prop Ben Alexander.
“Danie’s a great player, an excellent ball carrier, he’s just as big and just as physical (as Botha) and he’s almost got as many Tests (62 to Botha’s 76), so they won’t miss him too much.”

Victor Matfield will again play alongside Danie Rossouw in Wellington.
Smit returns at hooker to push Bismark du Plessis to the bench, and Jean de Villiers takes his favoured inside center role in place of the injured Frans Steyn, who has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament.
England manager Martin Johnson selected fly-halves Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood in the same team, with Flood outside his former Newcastle teammate at inside-centre in the absence of the injured Mike Tindall.

With France and Ireland having shown their hand earlier in the week, it left just hosts New Zealand, Argentina and Australia to reveal their line-ups, which are due to be made public today.
In an all northern hemisphere view tomorrow, Ireland face Wales in Wellington before England play France in Auckland.

But in the other half of the draw, Sunday’s matches are all an southern affair, with South Africa up against Australia in Wellington and New Zealand taking on Argentina in Auckland.
New Zealand were already without star fly-half Dan Carter (groin) and they are trying to nurse inspirational captain Richie McCaw through the knockout phase as he deals with a longstanding foot problem.
It all led New Zealand assistant coach Steve Hansen to revive the debate about the need for a single “global” season.

“People have got to be prepared to say their players are worth looking after and this is what we need to do in the next step in the game,” Hansen said.
“We need a global season and the only people who can do that are the IRB (International Rugby Board),” the former Wales boss added.
Whether Johnson would have paired Wilkinson, whose extra-time drop-goal won England the 2003 final, with Flood if Tindall was fit, remains an open question.

But with ace goalkicker Wilkinson struggling with the boot, Johnson was enthused by his 10-12 duo.
“It’s an exciting combination for us, it gives us Toby’s kicking and passing game and he’s a pretty experienced player now with 40-odd Test caps, so he’s been playing well,” Johnson said.
Wales record try-scorer Shane Williams said Saturday’s match could mark the end of his international career if Ireland won the all Celtic clash.

“If we don’t do well on Saturday, it could be my last game,” said the 34-year-old wing as Ireland confirmed first-choice hooker Rory Best was fit to start despite a shoulder problem. – AFP/New Zealand Herald.