Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says he will be looking at overseas players ahead of the World Cup later this year.
With the global event coming up in Japan from September, there will be just five matches when Rassie will be able to handle his team.
They will play three Rugby Championship Tests - Australia (July 20), New Zealand (July 27) and Argentina (August 10).
Then there will be two other matches against the Pumas and Japan before they take on champions New Zealand in their first group clash at the World Cup.
Rassie, though, assures fans that he will work mostly with what he has, telling reporters in Bloemfontein that he has been talking to “about 12 players”.
CONSIDERING OPTIONS: Coach Rassie Erasmus. Photo: KIM LUDBROOK/EPA
Netwerk24 reports: “Cheslin Kolbe is a classic example of a player whose name was mentioned nowhere and suddenly formed a part of the team.
“We’re not going to announce who we’ve been in contact with, because if we do that them people will automatically think we’re going to pick those players.
“We’ve contacted those players just to make sure we have enough depth in every position. That’s where Cheslin came into the picture - when [Makazole] Mapimpi and S’bu [Nkosi] got injured. Cheslin had enough experience.
“There are about 12 [overseas-based] guys I’ve had contact with. Let’s say seven of them will not be part of the Bok group at all, but if we pick up injuries along the way then they can be called up.”