Rugby-Stransky expects touring Springboks to 'suffer defeats'

Nov 3 ( Reuters) - World Cup-winning fly-half Joel Stransky was less than optimistic about South Africa's chances for their upcoming November internationals against England, Italy and Wales, saying the national side is a "very average" team.

"We are going to suffer defeats -- that's the reality. I don't think this is a team that can beat England," the 49-year-old Stransky told the BBC.

"It's a team that will struggle against Wales. It's a team that might even struggle against Italy. The likelihood is we are going to experience defeat."

The Springboks begin their tour against the Barbarians at Wembley on Saturday, before playing England, Italy and Wales.

Influential senior players Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers have retired or been unavailable for international duty since South Africa lost in the World Cup semi-finals last year.

Allister Coetzee has since replaced Heyneke Meyer as head coach and Stransky feels the national side is not "well coached".

"Three years ago we had a really good side. Five years ago we had a great side. Now we have a very average side," he added.

"They're not particularly well coached, but if you look at the 15 players who are going to take to the field, it's not a team that can win a World Cup.

"It's not a group of players who are going to put fear into the opposition and that for us is a great concern."

Stransky, whose drop-goal sealed the 1995 World Cup for South Africa, also urged the young team to "embrace the Springbok culture a little bit better and put their bodies and hearts on the line". (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)