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9 countries battle with Boks

Cape Town - International stars from around the world, Wallabies Matt Giteau, James O’Connor, Drew Mitchell and All Blacks Hosea Gear, Carl Hayman, Andrew Hore and Jimmy Cowan are all included in the Samsung World XV’s 23-man squad to play South Africa at Newlands on Saturday.

Joining them will be France’s French Top 14 highest point’s scorer, Francois Trinh-Duc, and back row forward Alexandre Lapandry.

Five players from Toulon’s double winning Heineken Cup and French Top 14 side will also feature in the squad, including Steffon Armitage from England, who was recently voted European player of the year.

The squad has 621 international caps to its name from 9 different countries - Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, England, Ireland, Samoa, Tonga and Georgia - giving it a truly global feel.

Taking charge of the squad's preparations will be former player, national Springbok and Italy coach Nick Mallett, assisted by Alan Solomons.

“As well as assigning an international flavour to the World XV squad, it was also decided by the coaching and management team, to give both a number of international and on form non-international South African club players, currently excelling overseas and nationally, the opportunity to play in the Test Arena on their beloved home soil against the Springboks," said Mallett.

“These internationals include Alistair Hargreaves (Saracens), Juandré Kruger (Racing Metro), Wynand Olivier (Montpellier). And non-internationals Rory Kockott (Castres), Craig Burden (Toulon), Schalk Ferreira (Toulouse) and the Lions' young prop Julian Redelinghuys.”

World XV squad (South African players in bold):

Backs:

James O’Connor (London Irish, Australia – 44 Test caps), Drew Mitchell (Toulon, Australia – 63), Hosea Gear (Toulouse, New Zealand – 14), Rene Ranger (Montpelier, New Zealand – 6), Matt Giteau (Toulon, Australia – 92), François Trinh-Duc (Montpelier, France – 48), Rory Kockott (Castres, South Africa – uncapped), Jimmy Cowan (Gloucester, New Zealand – 51), Benson Stanley (Clermont, New Zealand - 3), and Wynand Olivier (Montpellier, South Africa - 37)

Forwards:

Steffon Armitage (Toulon, England – 5 Test caps), Alexandre Lapandry (Clermont, France – 6), Roger Wilson (Ulster, Ireland – 1), Mamuka Gorgodze (Montpellier, Georgia – 51), Alistair Hargreaves (Saracens, South Africa – 4), Joe Tekori (Toulouse, Samoa – 26), Juandré Kruger (Racing Metro, South Africa – 17), Andrew Hore (New Zealand – 83), Schalk Ferreira (Toulouse, South Africa – uncapped), Sona Taumololo (Perpignan, Tonga – 5), Craig Burden (Toulon, South Africa - uncapped), Carl Hayman (Toulon, New Zealand – 45), and Julian Redelinghuys (Lions, South Africa - uncapped)
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