Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has explained why he named three right-backs and as many as nine defenders in his squad to face France and Guinea.
The Belgian announced his final 23-man squad for the two friendlies, which will take place later this month.
Broos was asked about selecting Nyoko Mobbie, Khuliso Mudau as well as Bandile Shandu and insisted he wanted to include in-form Shandu, with the two friendlies giving him an option to experiment.
“Again those are friendly games and I can afford to look for some players and I wanted to see Shandu because he made a very good period at Pirates he played very good,” he told the media on Monday.
“I had Mobbie and Mudau you mentioned it he played very good and I think he deserves to be with us.
“I had to choose I have to leave Shandu and I didn’t want to do that I want to see him with us how good he is, I can do it because it is friendly game.
“If it was qualifiers I will not do that, certainly not but now I can afford to do it. I could take nine defenders and we will put Shandu and see how good he is and therefore he is there and we have nine defenders.”
South Africa will face Guinea on 25 March before meeting world champions France on 29 March 2022.
