South Africa coach Peter de Villiers did little to dampen the bubbling selection issues surrounding his team when he faced the media for the first time after the Springboks arrived in New Zealand seeking to defend the rugby World Cup.
The Springboks enter the tournament looking to become the first side to win the Webb Ellis trophy for the third time, but did not have a good build-up, choosing to rest more than 20 players from their first two tests in the Tri-Nations.
A second-string side was thrashed by Australia and New Zealand before the strongest combination lost to Australia 14-9 in Durban and beat a second-string All Blacks side 18-5 in Port Elizabeth.
De Villiers' selection dilemma surrounds hooker John Smit, an inspirational leader and arguably the world's best test captain, but whose general play has been overshadowed by his Sharks' team mate Bismarck du Plessis.
To accommodate both players, de Villiers has resorted to selecting Smit at tighthead prop, which has depowered the Springboks' scrum to the extent they were shunted around by an Australian pack that is improving but nowhere nearly world-beating in their recent Tri-nations clash in Durban.
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