Willie part of a bigger unit

Flip van der Merwe looks set to return to the Springbok starting line-up for the second Test against Wales on Saturday.

Van der Merwe was granted permission to attend his brother's wedding and sit out last weekend's Test, allowing Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield to add to their record second-row Test partnership. Botha is, however, in doubt after he departed the scene early in last weekend's Test with an Achilles tendon injury, the same ailment that curtailed his involvement in the 2011 World Cup.

Botha sat out training yesterday as did the Springboks' star of the first Test, fullback Willie le Roux and replacement flyhalf Johan Goosen.

Le Roux is expected to be fit but Goosen's prognosis isn't as rosy. While he was consigned to the sidelines, Ruan Pienaar at times took the flyhalf role in training.

Coach Meyer could however make himself the toast of the town should he name local boy Marnitz Boshoff among his reserves.

Although Boshoff has been part of the squad his activity on the training field has been limited and Meyer, given his fastidious nature, is unlikely to include a pivot not entirely versed in his blueprint.

Matfield, who on Saturday will become the most capped Springbok, was also given the opportunity to rest weary bones yesterday.

Interestingly he took up position at times next to the coach on the training field, and not next to the wounded on the bench.

Naturally Le Roux's availability will be pivotal to the Springboks' ambitions of repeating the emphatic, runaway victory they pulled off at Kings Park last weekend.

"Willie is a special player. He's world class," Ricardo Loubscher reminded his audience. However the Bok backline coach was keen to dispel the notion that Le Roux is the undisputed creative fulcrum of the side.

"A lot of credit must also go to the rest of the backs. I like to believe we do it as a unit."

He did, however, deviate from his own script by singling out scrumhalf Fourie du Preez:

"Fourie also makes a massive difference. We don't have to talk about the value he brings to the team."

Asked if he expected Wales to show a big improvement from their effort in the first Test, Loubscher was - perhaps unintentionally - quite direct.

"I'm not so sure about a backlash. We weren't happy with our second-half performance. We have to rectify our mistakes and get the detail right," he said.

If they do, the Welshmen can prepare themselves for a second successive Saturday of suffering.