FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template
South Africa captain Lucas Radebe missed his squad’s first training session at their World Cup camp here on Monday because of a bruised heel, but team officials said they were confident the imposing Leeds defender would be fit in time for Friday’s World Cup opener against hosts France.
Radebe was kicked three minutes from the end of Saturday’s 1-1 warm-up draw against Iceland in Germany and immediately came off as a precaution.
He was still limping when he arrived here with the rest of the squad by coach on Sunday and failed to appear at Monday’s light two-hour work-out in front of an appreciative Vichy public. However, coach Philippe Troussier dismissed suggestions that Radebe might be out of the vital game against France in Marseille. “He just took a little kick and it needs 48 hours,” said the Frenchman.
“There’s no worry that he’ll miss the France game. He’s been playing in all the warm-up games and been exemplary in training so we’re giving him 48 hours rest.”
Team doctor Victor Ramathesele added: “He’s bruised the bone and the tendon on his heel. It’s a fresh injury and he had eight hours on a bus yesterday. It’s give or take whether he trains on Wednesday but I’m confident he’ll be ready.”
The absence of Radebe would be a serious blow to the South Africans, who have been considering pushing the 29-year-old into a defensive midfield role in the absence of John Moeti and Eric Tinkler, who have both been left out of the squad because of injury. LASK Linz forward Brendan Augustine, meanwhile, trained with the rest of the players on Monday and looks to have shrugged off the groin problem that caused him to miss Sunday’s eight-hour trip from Germany and head off with Troussier to see a specialist in Paris. The nagging injury had caused the 26-year-old to miss 10 days training but Ramathesele confirmed on Monday: “Brendan is coming on quite nicely.”
Less fortunate was third-choice goalkeeper Andre Arendse, who appeared to twist his left knee saving a shot towards the end of Monday’s session. The 30-year-old Fulham player immediately stopped training and looked in some pain. Ramathesele described the injury as “a slight knock”.
Monday’s session on a lush training pitch was a gentle workout as the Bafana Bafana (The Boys) prepare for the vital Group C match against the French at the Stade Velodrome.
In front of around 1,000 local residents the squad indulged in some one-touch interplay and light jogging before working on their finishing. During a break midway through the session defender Mark Fish, standing in for the absent Radebe, introduced his team-mates to the South African ambassador in France, Barbara Masekela.