South Africans pull out of challenge

Now here's a funny thing. Four of South Africa's leading provincial teams – Western Province, Eastern Province, Free State and the Blue Bulls – have pulled out of next month's inaugural round-robin challenge competition in Wales on the grounds that they would not have been able to compete with their hosts. Given the state of the club game in the Principality, where victories over anyone are about as common as pacifists' conventions in Pontypool, their excuse stretches credulity to the limit and beyond.

The tournament had been scheduled for 8-15 November and would have given the supporters of Llanelli, Cardiff, Bridgend and Pontypridd some live action to enjoy, or endure, during the autumn international programme. However, one of the organisers, William Strauss, claimed that expanded Super 12 training squads, World Sevens Series preparation, injuries, academic concerns, and Test call-ups had all depleted the provincial squads to such a degree that they had been rendered uncompetitive. Even more uncompetitive, if that is possible, than their opponents.

"I feel it would be unfair on the paying public in Wales to continue with this," Strauss explained. "The tournament would also have damaged the provincial brands, in that it would not have provided a true reflection of the strength of South African rugby." Strauss went on to reject claims by Stuart Gallacher, the Llanelli chief executive, that financial problems stemming from the loss of a South African sponsor had led to the cancellation.

One South African who still intends to surface in Wales is Percy Montgomery, the versatile Western Province back who signed for Newport in May. The management of the Gwent club wanted Montgomery at Rodney Parade in time to register for the Heineken Cup, but contractual commitments in Cape Town prevented it. The question now is whether he will make the trip at all.

Newport, who thought they had signed the great Springbok scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen until the player's agent informed them otherwise, are now waiting for the Western Province coach, Gert Smal, to give his blessing to Montgomery's departure. "The decision will be made on 31 October," the player said yesterday. "I definitely want to go. I just hope the decision is made in my favour."

In the English Premiership, a second Shelford has surfaced at Saracens, thereby doubling the trepidation felt by Richard Hill, Kyran Bracken and company before each training session.

Wayne Shelford, the former All Black captain who took over as head coach during the summer, has appointed his younger brother, Darrel, to the staff – "not because we are related, but because of his track record," he insisted. Shelford Jnr's work in rugby league with Bradford Bulls gives some credence to that explanation. While at Bradford, the Bulls won the Challenge Cup and two Super League Grand Finals.

Jon Callard, the former Bath coach whose career has been on an upward curve since he materialised at Leeds, will work with the England Under-21 team this season, in preparation for next summer's World Cup. An old Bath team-mate, Nigel Redman, will assist him, as will Paul Grayson, the former England outside-half who is still playing Premiership rugby with Northampton. Peter Drewett will manage the squad.

Callard returns to the Recreation Ground tomorrow for the Bath-Leeds fixture – his first appearance at his old workplace since being muscled out of his post last March.