Tuesday 5 May 2015 11:03, UK
South Africa would be "in trouble" if they had to pick a team right now to play in the World Cup, coach Heyneke Meyer has admitted.
Meyer has a growing worry over the Springboks' lock position and with the World Cup in England a little over four months away, they suddenly have problems in a position where they have enjoyed so much depth down the years.
The latest setback was confirmed on Monday when Meyer told reporters that lock Flip van der Merwe, a certainty for his World Cup squad if fit, had made himself unavailable for international rugby this year for undisclosed reasons.
"Flip is not available for international rugby at the moment," Meyer told reporters.
"It is a big setback as I've always rated him and he is an enforcer. You need an enforcer for international rugby and he can play at (number) five as well.
"He would be in this squad but unfortunately he isn't available."
The retirement of veteran Bakkies Botha, Andries Bekker's move to Japan two years ago and injuries to current campaigners has left Meyer sweating over his options in the second row.
"Eben (Etzebeth) is recovering from injury, Pieter-Steph (du Toit) is injured and Victor (Matfield) has been out with a knee (injury), so if there is one position I'm worried about, that is it," he said.
"There are one or two loose forwards that can play lock but you need specialists there. Lood (de Jager) is also injured, so if I had to pick a side today we'd be in trouble with locks."
Meyer will have been boosted, however, by the sight of Jean de Villiers running hard at a national training camp in Johannesburg as the Springbok captain fights to get fit for the World Cup.
A massive influence to the team on and off the field, De Villiers injured his knee in November's 12-6 loss to Wales.
While it is too soon to say whether the inside centre will be in England for the World Cup in September, the signs are positive for the 34-year-old.
"He is way ahead of where he is supposed to be and we are really happy with his progress at this stage," Meyer told reporters on Tuesday.
"I am very happy with Jean, he is in a good space, he is really training well and the medical team has really done a great job."
Team doctor Craig Roberts said De Villiers was close to stepping up his training but was still some way off being able to play.
"He's running pretty hard, he's running really hard. He is doing a lot of field training and doing a lot of conditioning," Roberts said, "but it's still early days."
The temptation may be to rush De Villiers back with Meyer unsure over his centre options.
"It is also important he gets some game time, even with 100 caps and experience like his, he needs to get back to form," Roberts said. "It's one thing getting back to playing, to get back to form is another... and to get confidence."
South Africa have been drawn in Pool B at the 20-team World Cup, alongside Japan, Samoa, Scotland and the United States.
