World champions South Africa lifted a ban on selecting foreign-based players for the Springboks on Friday.

"We want to give the Springbok coach the best tools to do the job to the best of his ability," South African Rugby Union (SARU) president Oregan Hoskins told a news conference.

Coach Peter De Villiers has named four European-based World Cup winners - captain John Smit, lock Victor Matfield and backs Percy Montgomery and Butch James - in his Springbok training squad ahead of two Tests against Wales next month.

"We do not expect the floodgates to open and it is our expectation that only a small number of overseas-based players will be called up," Hoskins said.

The ban was brought in last year after a limit of three foreign-based players since 2004.

"But these returning players must understand that there will be no guarantees they will be handed contracts beyond their match-by-match remuneration," he said.

South Africa play Wales in Bloemfontein on June 7 and Pretoria a week later.

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