Australia centre Tim Horan retired from international rugby union yesterday because of a foot injury which will prevent him making a parting appearance against South Africa in Durban on August 26th.

"I'm a definite no-go," Horan said. "I really thought that a while ago, but I still held out just hoping something might happen. I'm probably at least another four or five weeks away from playing and I just have to give it time."

Horan (30), a veteran of 80 Tests, had already announced he would be retiring at the end of the Tri-Nations series contested by New Zealand, South Africa and World Cup champions Australia. He will join London club Saracens in September.

Horan was Player-of-the-Tournament as the Wallabies won the World Cup final in Wales last year and was also a member of Australia's triumphant World Cup team of 1991.

"I'm not feeling emotional at all," he said. Horan played in the last Australia team to win a Test against the South Africans on their home soil. The Wallabies won 26-3 in Cape Town in 1992.

"I think they will do it, but it will be a lot harder to win in South Africa than Australia," Horan said. "One of the toughest things to deal with there are the crowds. They really get behind the team and they pack them in and they're probably the hardest crowd to play in front of."

Meanwhile, centre Robbie Fleck has been drafted back into the Springboks squad as cover for the injured De Wet Barry. Alex Broun, the team's media officer, confirmed yesterday that Fleck's inclusion was purely a precautionary measure as Barry has not yet been ruled out of Saturday's test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.

Japie Mulder will also undergo a fitness test following a shoulder injury. "Both De Wet and Japie have not yet been ruled out, and Robbie was called up purely to give the team management more options," said Broun. Fleck was dropped from coach Nick Mallett's revised squad following several disappointing performances on the overseas leg of their Tri-Nations campaign.