Rugby Union: Black players in Boks call-up

THE SPRINGBOKS have widened black participation in a party announced at the weekend to tour Britain and Ireland in November and December.

The Soweto-based Golden Lions hooker Owen Nkumane is joined by wings Breyton Paulse and Deon Keyser among 13 uncapped players chosen by the coach, Nick Mallett, in an otherwise predictable squad of 36 for the four- Test tour.

Mallett has largely stuck by the players who have helped him produce a run of 13 successive victories since he took charge a year ago. But he also widened his net with a view to next year's World Cup.

Chester Williams, who had forced his way back onto the Springboks' replacements bench in the Tri-Nations competition, has fallen out of favour at provincial and now national level. He is one of only three of the 23 players used by Mallett this season not be included on the tour. The others are the loose forward Andrew Aitken and the wing McNeil Hendricks who are both injured.

The loose head prop Toks van der Linde is back in the squad despite a chequered 12 months. The near 20st Western Province player was sent off and sent home for stamping on last year's European tour. He also returned in disgrace from his Super 12 team's trip to New Zealand this year after directing a racist slur against a black supporter. The No 8 Gary Teichmann retains the captaincy, with the scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen as his deputy. South Africa play their first Test against Wales at Wembley on 14 November.

n Llanelli could be gazumped by rich English clubs as they try to repatriate Scott Quinnell. Though the Scarlets had been the favourites to sign the Wales No 8, Quinnell's present club, Richmond, say they will not stop rival English clubs from trying to buy him. Remarks by the Richmond chief executive, Tony Hallett, may alert the European Cup champions Bath and their rivals, Gloucester.

South Africa Squad, Digest, page 23