Plans to increase black representation in Super 12 by contracting the top 120 players are expected to be announced by the South African Rugby Football Union shortly.

A document called 'Vision 2003' is being prepared that will formalise quotas of five non-white players in each of South Africa's four 30-man Super 12 squads next year. The number will rise to seven in 2002.

The document has grown out an internal "audit" of SARFU's development programme and has received the endorsement of Springbok coach Nick Mallett.

"It's no good us sitting down in 2002 and beginning to look for black players for the 2003 World Cup - we have to do it now," SARFU chief executive Rian Oberholzer said on Wednesday.

"We need to identify players and give them their chance so that the national coach has a spread of talent from which he can choose."

SARFU has twice tried to contract the top 120 players but on both occasions the plan was thrown out by the provinces.

The document still has to be finalised but it is also expected to include a specific commitment to the number of black players who will be in the Springbok XV at the 2003 World Cup.

"We have take into the account the views of all the stakeholders in the game," said Oberholzer. "The plan to contract the players has been agreed to in the past but not gone through. We will have to see what objections are raised this time."

Quotas are in operation at all levels of South African rugby except at Super 12 and Springbok level.

However each Super 12 squad has this year been told to include three black players in their playing squads while the Springboks have not fielded an all-white starting XV in any of their last 10 tests.

No date has yet been sent for the completion of the 'Vision 2003' document.