Pictured above: South African coach Jake White poses with the three debutants - Francois Steyn, Bevin Fortuin and Jaco Pretorius - that will form the Sprinboks' back three for Saturday's clash with Ireland.

Fortuin and White are holding the centenary jersey which the 'Boks will don this weekend to commemorate the 1906 team which travelled north for South Africa's maiden overseas tour.



White, who has been at South Africa's helm since replacing Rudolf Straeuli in February 2004, has been heartened by how the new trio have adapted to the senior squad.

The former Under-21 coach said: "Already the three guys have brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the squad. They're very keen and excited about being in this Springboks team, and that enthusiasm tends to rub off on the other more experienced players.

"All three have been involved in the Sevens game - they're players who like to try and create a bit, and that's an area we've been trying to work on, especially on our ability to counter attack."



The special jersey - a replica of the 1906 shirt - which the 'Boks will wear on Saturday together with blue shorts and blue socks. In another nod to the bygone era, there will also be no sponsor's branding on the jersey, which South Africa's main sponsors Sasol have agreed to.



An overview of the South Africans' team announcement press conference at the Dunboyne Castle Hotel. Saturday's game will be White's 35th in charge of the 'Boks - they have won 21, lost 12 and drawn one game since the Johannesburg man's first Test against Ireland in Bloemfontein in June 2004.

Interestingly five of their defeats have occurred in South Africa's last seven Test matches. However they managed to win their last two outings in the 2006 Tri-Nations Series, beating both New Zealand (21-20) and Australia (24-16) at home in September.



The words on every World Cup coach's lips at present - 'squad depth' - have made White leave some of his best players at home for his side's tour of Ireland and the UK. It is a calculated risk, but one worth taking according to the coach.

He admitted: "It is a risk not having Os du Randt, Victor Matfield, Joe van Niekerk and Fourie du Preez on tour. But I have learnt a lesson from all the coaches who prepared teams that became world champions. It is that your team must have depth.

"Clive Woodward, whom I regard as my mentor, did not play his best team against France before the 2003 World Cup. They were beaten by two points and lost their chance of setting a Test record for remaining unbeaten - but they won the World Cup a few months later."



Jaco Pretorius is a former Sevens specialist and captain of the South African Sevens team. The 26-year-old is more noted as a centre for the Ellis Park-based Lions, but he will line out on the right wing on Saturday.

He said: "Everybody knows the Irish are very difficult to beat in Dublin and especially with the form they have shown recently. They have a very dangerous back line and a settled team. Obviously our analysts have done a lot of hard work, behind the scenes, to ensure we know exactly what to expect."

Pretorius, who scored 11 Currie Cup tries this season, added that much of the 'Boks' focus, in the lead-up to this Test, has been on their defensive alignments and playing in the wet weather. He added: "We've focussed a lot on defence this week. The defensive lines that we use require some adjustment - depending if you play wing, centre or full-back - and having a sound defence will be the biggest factor on Saturday."



Francois Steyn, 19, has had a rapid rise into the senior ranks of South African rugby. Only last year he was playing for the South Africa Under-19s and Free State's U-21 side. After some outstanding performances for the Natal Sharks in this season's Currie Cup, Steyn, who usually plays at out-half, certainly caught White's eye. He is a graduate of the Murray Mexted Academy in New Zealand.



The 26-year-old Bevin Fortuin comes to Ireland with a growing reputation. Fortuin is known in the South African game for his powerful running, strong tackling and lengthy kicking from full-back. He was a member of the Free State Cheetahs team that drew the Currie Cup final with the Blue Bulls last month.

White added: "It is easy to field newcomers in matches at home, in front of their own supporters. Here, conditions are totally different. I want to see which players put their hands up in the European conditions. If they do that, I'll have a delightful, positive problem."

**All photos by Donall Farmer of Inpho Photography**