Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has axed Ruan Pienaar, Odwa Ndungane, Francois Steyn and Gürthro Steenkamp from the South African team ahead of the one-off Test against Argentina in Johannesburg this coming Saturday.

Another two Boks will be culled ahead of the start of South Africa's home leg of the Tri-Nations, when De Villiers reduces the team to a match-day 22 next week.

The initial 30-man national squad was reduced to 28 last week when flyhalf Peter Grant and number eight Ryan Kankowski were forced to withdraw due to shoulder injuries.

The quartet released on Sunday will return to their respective provinces — the Sharks for Pienaar, Ndungane and Steyn, the Blue Bulls for Steenkamp — to play Currie Cup rugby.

The axing of mercurial and multi-talented Steyn is the biggest surprise in a squad that was reduced from 28 to 24 on Sunday — as there is no back-up flyhalf to Butch James in the team.

Steyn, who has requested that he be considered as a Bok flyhalf instead of being shunted up and down the Bok backline, has not been as influential this year as during his World Cup-winning exploits in France last year.

However, the wisdom of the decision to axe him from a squad with no specialist back-up at flyhalf will be questioned.

The decision to send Pienaar home will also raise some eyebrows, as he was tipped to start against the Pumas to give the over-worked James another week off. And it comes on the back of Grant's injury-enforced withdrawal.

However, it seems James's tired body will be thrust back into action — with either Adrian Jacobs or Percy Montgomery providing cover in the number 10 channel, as both have played at flyhalf before.

Montgomery has played Test rugby in the number 10 jersey, but Jacobs' experience as a pivot is limited to provincial rugby.

Ndungane's demise follows the call-up of Free State Cheetahs flyer Jongi Nokwe to the squad. Although Ndungane was steady, without being spectacular, in his appearances for South Africa this year, it is Nokwe's blistering pace that is expected to give the Bok a more balanced look on the wings.

Nokwe is one of the few players who could match Bryan Habana, the International Rugby Board (IRB) Player of the Year, for pure pace. He may be raw in terms of his tactical awareness and his defence remains suspect, but De Villiers clearly feels he is a rough diamond that can be polished.

Steenkamp, like Steyn a World Cup winner, has lost his place after a number of disappointing performances this year.

De Villiers is obviously comfortable that in Brian Mujati, CJ van der Linde and Tendai Mtawarira he has enough front row cover. Mtawarira is the specialist loosehead prop, Mujati the specialist tighthead and Van der Linde can play both sides of the front row.

South African squad:

Forwards: Adriaan Strauss, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Bismarck du Plessis, Brian Mujati, CJ van der Linde, Joe van Niekerk, Juan Smith, Luke Watson, Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger, Tendai Mtawarira, Victor Matfield (captain).

Backs: Adrian Jacobs, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Conrad Jantjes, Enrico Januarie, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Jongi Nokwe, JP Pietersen, Percy Montgomery.

365