Springboks confirm player contracts

John Smit and Victor Matfield are among a group of 10 players to be awarded national contracts by the South African Rugby Union that will run until next year’s World Cup.

The Springbok captain along with his deputy are joined by Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen, Juan Smith and Pierre Spies in a move which seems to all but guarantee their places at the finals in New Zealand.