FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

South Africa midfielder Brendan Augustine is a doubtful starter for the World Cup in France this month because of a groin injury.

Augustine plays for Austrian club LASK and was considered a likely starter when Bafana Bafana (The Boys) open their Group C campaign against France in Marseille on Friday.

“I cannot risk a player who is only 50 percent fit. If Brendan is not 100 percent fit by Monday I will call for a replacement,” French-born coach Philippe Troussier said Sunday.

Troussier said a specialist would examine Augustine when the squad arrive in the central French town of Vichy on Sunday evening following a 10-day training camp in Germany.

The coach said there were three players standing by in South Africa to replace Augustine, who made his debut against Mauritius five years ago in an African Nations Cup qualifier.

A Johannesburg Sunday Independent report named the players as Brendon Silent and Dumisa Ngobe of Orlando Pirates and Jethro ‘Lovers’ Mohlala from champions Sundowns.

Ngobe, the son of a former national star, was a surprise omission from the 22-man World Cup squad with Troussier claiming the utility player was off form.

The coach dismissed criticism of a lacklustre 1-1 draw with Iceland near Stuttgart on Saturday in the final South African warm-up match before their World Cup debut.

“I wanted to test my options and the result was not important. France are a much better team than South Africa on paper, but anything can happen in Marseille,” Troussier warned.

After the match against group favourites France, Bafana Bafana tackle former European champions Denmark in Toulouse on June 18 and reigning Asian champions Saudi Arabia in Bordeaux on June 24.