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The Springboks' doctor Craig Roberts is optimistic they will have a clean bill of health for their Rugby World Cup opener against Japan on September 19.

The Boks have struggled with injuries in recent times with Fourie du Preez, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Jean de Villiers and Francois Louw all spending lengthy spells on the sidelines. But as the players get back to near full fitness, Roberts is hopeful South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer will have a full roster to pick from come their opening pool match in Brighton.

"At this stage everyone will be fit and ready for that first game," Roberts said on SuperSport. "Obviously we're taking it day by day but that is our plan, to have 31 players fit and ready for the coach to select the 23 he wants for his first game.

"The guys trained incredibly hard for the last three months in Durban and in the last few weeks in Durban really put in the hard yards so if I look at the guys and their body fat, how fit and lean they're looking then I'm happy with them."

And there is good news regarding scrum-half Du Preez. He did not play any part in their Rugby Championship campaign but he is nearing a full recovery from his knee injury.

"Fourie has done really well, obviously he hasn't played a lot of rugby but for him we are trying to get him playing more and more simulated game time in training," Roberts said. "He did the full training today including the contact session and took some nice hits. We're building his confidence and he came through the training nicely. I'm happy with his progress, we're still two weeks away and he is doing really well."

The Springboks' biggest concern at the moment is a bug going around the camp with De Villiers and Bryan Habana both sidelined with flu. Eben Etzebeth is nursing a calf strain but should make a full recovery in time for their Japan Test.