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SARU happy with Bok squad

Cape Town - SARU Deputy-President Mark Alexander says that SARU are satisfied that the Springbok squad had met their transformation requirements.

Read: Paige the Bok bolter

Uncapped scrumhalf Rudy Paige was a shock inclusion on Friday in the Springbok Rugby World Cup squad after being ignored during four warm-up matches.

The 26-year-old Bulls No 9 and 30 other players were named by coach Heyneke Meyer for the global rugby showpiece from September 18 to October 31 in England and Wales.

Paige is one of a record nine black players selected after the racial composition of the predominantly white Springboks recently became an emotive public and media issue.

“We’re happy where we are with our transformation initiative. We signed an agreement with the government and Sascoc." said Alexander in Durban at the team announcement on Friday.

"There are six dimensions, and performance is one.

"Currently, if you check our barometer, we are at 92%. We’re on track. We’re happy with where we are. We can do better, but we are happy,” he added.

Springbok squad:

Forwards: Willem Alberts, Schalk Brits, Schalk Burger, Lood de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Frans Malherbe, Victor Matfield (vice-captain), Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Adriaan Strauss, Duane Vermeulen

Backs: Jean de Villiers (captain), Damian de Allende, Fourie du Preez, Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner, Jesse Kriel, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Rudy Paige, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Handre Pollard, Morne Steyn

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