SPRINGBOK coach Peter de Villiers has named 11 uncapped players in his preliminary 39-man training squad for their Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland.

South Africa’s big names are back in the starting XV for the Test match against France on Friday.

Ruan Pienaar was today handed a surprise recall to the starting line-up for South Africa’s Tri-Nations encounter against Australia in Perth on Saturday.

VICTOR MATFIELD believes the last two weeks which have produced back-to-back Tri-Nations victories over New Zealand will count for nothing when South Africa run out against Australia in Cape Town.

IRELAND full-back Rob Kearney, who realised a lifetime ambition when coming on for the Lions at Kings Park on Saturday, believes a Test series victory is still possible.

Heinrich Brussow has walked straight into South Africa's starting line-up for the first Test against the British and Irish Lions in Durban on Saturday.

PETER DE VILLIERS yesterday named two uncapped players in the South Africa squad to face the Lions in a three-match Test series to be played in late June and early July.

PETER DE VILLIERS has named three uncapped players in his South African XV to face a Namibian Invitational XV in Windhoek tomorrow.

GORDON D’ARCY’s slim Lions prospects were eliminated yesterday when head coach Ian McGeechan confirmed he would not be calling up a replacement for the injured Tom Shanklin.

ALL BLACKS captain Richie McCaw has delivered an emphatic message to the critics who question his style of play.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has made two changes to the team which beat Scotland last weekend for the season-ending Test against England at Twickenham on Saturday.