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Rugby Union

ARU angered by weak Boks

26/06/2007

Australian Rugby Union (ARU) bosses have reacted angrily to the decision of South Africa to play a weakened side in the upcoming Tri-Nations fixture between the two.

The Springboks travel to Sydney for the second match of this year's tournament having lost their home opener against the world number one All Blacks 26-21 on Saturday.

However Boks coach Jake White has said he will not take his best players to Australia for the match in a World Cup year, telling the South African Sunday Times that it would be "ludicrous" to do so.

"We have to do whatever we think is best to give ourselves a chance to win the World Cup," said White, who plans to leave captain John Smit, winger Bryan Habana and forwards Victor Matfield and Schalk Burger behind.

Wallabies coach John Connolly has hit out at the policy of their southern hemisphere rivals, claiming they owe it to the fans to play a full-strength side.

"There's been such a focus on the World Cup these days and I think that's the issue that we seem to [have], we can't see through the forest at times, the World Cup is everything," Connolly said.

"People buy tickets under certain circumstances… so you've really got to front up with your best team."

ARU chairman Peter McGrath has also publicly criticised the South Africans and said he would seek an urgent meeting with Sanzar, the Tri-Nations organisers, to either force the Springboks to play their best XV or cancel the fixture altogether.

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