All the usual suspects in Bok team

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers named a 49-man squad from which his likely World Cup group of 30 will be drawn.

As part of the protocol for the tournament, the Springboks are obliged to give the International Rugby Board a preliminary squad list so that they can start compiling their marketing and media programmes.

But it's difficult to see anyone outside the latest, and most "official" group boarding the plane to New Zealand later this year despite a caveat stating that players can be pulled in from outside the group.

In all there are 21 players who won the World Cup in 2007, including skipper John Smit and vice-captain Victor Matfield. The return of lock Johann Muller is the most intriguing.

Muller left South Africa for Ulster in 2009, and with the emergence of Flip van der Merwe and Andries Bekker in the past two seasons, as well as the stellar form of Danie Rossouw, it's hard to imagine how Muller will fit into a final World Cup squad. But he might be utilised during the Tri-Nations.

There was also place for uncapped players Ashley Johnson, Duane Vermeulen, Dean Greyling, Werner Kruger, Coenie Oosthuizen and Elton Jantjies.

Flyhalf Jantjies is unlikely to make the final World Cup squad but he might be given a chance to show his worth during the away leg of the Tri-Nations.

No8 Vermeulen will not play Test rugby this year despite being named. He tore a knee ligament in Saturday's Super 15 match against the Cheetahs and will undergo surgery today. He is likely to be out for six to nine weeks, which will rule him out of the international season.

"I'm very happy with the squad," said De Villiers. "We have got a good blend of youth and experience as well as including some uncapped players who have forced their way into contention for selection with their performances in Super rugby.

"Our planning is at an advanced stage for the international season and the vast majority of these players have attended one or both of our planning camps.

"Our Tri-Nations squad will be drawn from this group once we have been able to sort out those players who are carrying injuries at the end of the Super rugby competition."

There was no room for impressive Cheetahs scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius despite his excellent form and nine tries in Super 15 this year. Yet the out-of-form, unfit and now injured Ricky Januarie was named in a selection that will raise some eyebrows.

Januarie has torn ligaments in his hand and will be out for between four and six weeks.

World Cup-winning prop CJ van der Linde also appears to have reached the end of his international career after he was omitted. Northampton-based and Zimbabwe-born tighthead Brian Mujati was also not on the list.

It's unclear whether he was overlooked for rugby reasons or whether he is struggling with the same citizenship issues that saw Tendai Mtawarira withdrawn from the Springbok team last season.

Other notable absentees were among the loose forwards, where Sharks flanks Jean Deysel and Keegan Daniel and Bulls flank Dewald Potgieter were all overlooked.

The final World Cup squad will be named on August 23.

PRELIMINARY BOK SQUAD

Willem Alberts, Gio Aplon, Bjorn Basson, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, Heinrich Brüssow, Schalk Burger Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Dean Greyling, Bryan Habana, Alistair Hargreaves, Francois Hougaard, Adrian Jacobs, Butch James, Elton Jantjies, Enrico Januarie, Ashley Johnson, Ryan Kankowski, Zane Kirchner, Werner Kruger, Patrick Lambie, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Johann Muller, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Coenie Oosthuizen, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Deon Stegmann, Frans Steyn, Morné Steyn, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen