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Cape Town - National Sevens rugby coach Paul Treu on Wednesday squashed rumours that two former stars, Stefan Basson and Schalk van der Merwe, would be included in his final line-up for next month's World Cup in Dubai.
Media reports indicated that both players made themselves available for the showpiece and that South Africa could hardly afford to go to Dubai without them.
"Not true at all," Treu said bluntly.
"I also heard the rumours, but Basson and Van Schalkwyk are not part of my plans. I have committed myself to my current players and they did the same to me.
"I would be foolish to make such changes at this late stage," Treu said.
Treu's comment comes as a bit of a surprise as many would have thought he would pick Basson without thinking twice.
Basson was one of world Sevens' leading point scorers before he left to play club rugby in Italy and a match winner on many occasions for South Africa.
Treu also confirmed that captain Mzwandile Stick, Neil Powell and veteran Marius Schoeman will undergo fitness tests at Stellenbosch on Monday.
Stick, who missed last weekend's event in San Diego because of a hamstring injury, is confident of making the trip.
"The feedback that I got from Stick's progress is positive," Treu said.
His availability would come as a huge boost for South Africa's chances of winning the cup.
