Former Springbok backline coach Tim Lane has been having fun recently rummaging around the trash can of World Cup rejects to select a side he believes would have given Rudolf Straeuli's team a tough warm-up before they leave for Australia later this month.
Unlike England, who have sharpened their claws for the World Cup with warm-ups against France and Wales, the refusal of Currie Cup coaches to release players meant that South Africa would not be properly tested ahead of the World Cup.
So instead of facing a shadow World Cup squad who would have been motivated to prove a point, they will have to make do with matches against the Cheetahs and the Falcons.
Lane, nevertheless, says he would love to have coached a "Reject XV" against the Boks and believes they would have provided quality opposition to prepare the team for their huge clash with World Cup favourites England in Perth on October 18.
"I am sure blokes like Cobus Visagie, Lukas van Biljon, AJ Venter and Pedrie Wannenburg, Bolla Conradie, André Pretorius and Brent Russell, Robbie Fleck, Pieter Rossouw, Jean de Villiers and Jaco van der Westhuyzen, all with axes to grind so to speak, would have been up for a game of this nature.
"Unfortunately it won't happen, but it would have been a fantastic game," he said.
The Tim Lane Rejects XV is brimming with flair in the backs with players such as Russell, Van der Westhuyzen, Fleck, Pretorius and Conradie in the mix. But the Australian, an assistant coach to the Wallabies when they won the 1999 World Cup, also believes the team has players who would have been able to do a good job simulating England's style of play.
"A guy like Quinton Davids could be asked to play like Martin Johnson and Jaco and Russell are similar players to Jason Robinson.
"AJ Venter is like a Lawrence Dallaglio, Luke Watson could be asked to play like a Neil Back and Jean and Fleckie are much like Will Greenwood and Mike Tindall.
Lane chose his team, but left out two of his star "players", Bob Skinstad and Jannes Labuschagne, both of whom he said would be first choice selections if fit.
The Tim Lane Bok Reject side:
Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Deon Kayser, Robbie Fleck, Jean de Villiers, Pieter Rossouw, Andre Pretorius, Bolla Conradie, Pedrie Wannenburg, AJ Venter, Luke Watson, Geo Cronje, Quinton Davids, CJ van der Linde, Lukas van Biljon, Daan Human. Bench: Hanyani Shimange, Cobus Visagie, Wickus van Heerden, Jannes Labuschagne, Craig Davidson, Brent Russell, Anton Pitout.
Likely South Africa starting line-up for England:
Werner Greeff, Breyton Paulse, Jorrie Muller, De Wet Barry, Ashwin Willemse, Louis Koen, Joost van der Westhuizen, Juan Smith, Joe van Niekerk, Corné Krige, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Richard Bands, John Smit, Lawrence Sephaka