Tri-Nations
Habana 'fit for All Blacks'
2009-09-06 15:56
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Gold Coast - There was good news for the Springboks on two fronts on Sunday as they settled into their sparkling Gold Coast hotel in Australia.
Brian Habana is likely to be fit for South Africa's final Tri-Nations game in Hamilton, New Zealand, on Saturday against the All Blacks who have been decimated by multiple injuries to their midfield.
Habana left the field with a strained hamstring on Saturday in Brisbane, where the Springboks were beaten 21-6 by Australia in a result that kept the Tri-Nations alive for another week at least.
Bok coach Peter de Villiers was keeping a low-profile on Sunday, but sources within the team said Habana appeared to be fit and would definitely be available for selection this week.
So while South Africa, with a nine-point lead on the log over second-placed New Zealand, are relatively comfortable with injuries, by contrast the All Blacks are in a real crisis.
Five first choice midfielders - Luke McAlister, Conrad Smith, Tamati Ellison, Richard Kahui and Casey Laulala - are injured and coach Graham Henry is scratching his head and scrambling for a solution.
Henry told the Sunday Times in New Zealand that he may be forced to shift Dan Carter to inside centre, with local Chiefs star Stephen Donald starting at flyhalf and Mils Muliaina moving from fullback to centre.
Henry will have taken note of the Wallaby success in swapping Matt Giteau with Berrick Barnes at pivot, but also has to be cautious because Springbok centres Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers are in the form of their lives as a combination.
And as they could be playing their final Test together in Hamilton, with De Villiers joining Irish club Munster after the Tri-Nations and thus becoming ineligible for Springbok selection, Henry will be taking a huge gamble giving Muliaina the No 13 jersey.
The return of Carter, at flyhalf, coincided with a turnaround in All Black fortune two weeks ago when they beat Australia before 80 000 spectators in Sydney. Carter put through the crucial late kick that forced wing Lachie Turner into an error and then slotted the winning penalty.
Fourie said he wanted to go out with a bang this Saturday and celebrate with De Villiers by sipping champagne from the Tri-Nations trophy.
"We don't want to wait another week to see where the Tri-Nations is going," said Fourie.
"We have the chance to clinch it on Saturday by beating New Zealand and that is what we will be gunning to do."
The Springboks will be arriving in New Zealand only on Thursday after enjoying some sun and sea in between training at the Gold Coast, primarily a holiday destination in Australia that has warm weather all year round, much like Durban.