Nostalgia a big draw in South Africa
July 14, 2000

A crowd of 45,000 are expected at Ellis Park on Saturday night to watch the South African World Cup winning side take on a Lions Invitation XV.

Though most of the players are retired and many unfit, the draw of a winning Bok side has proved irresistable after the current national team's poor results, and the expected crowd is some 20,000 more than any Super 12 gate this year.

Skipper Francois Pienaar will play in spite of an injury that may eventually require surgery; lock-turned-television presenter Kobus Wiese and scrumhalf Johan Roux will also take to the field.

CDanie Gerber and Helgard Muller, as well as diminutive scrumhalf Divan Serfontein will also be on show.

Hennie le Roux, who has organised the match as part of his benefit year, admits that fitness levels may not allow for quite as much running as he may like.

"We're sitting with some players who are well into retirement," said Le Roux, who has opted for lenient substitution rules, which will allow players to rotate.

Joel Stransky who will be prevented from playing due to injury will however be on hand before the game trying to split the posts from the spot where he booted the match-winning drop goal in extra time to oust New Zealand 15-12.

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