Bafana coach Jomo Sono included six players from the party that plays in a World Cup warm-up in Georgia on Wednesday for their 18-man squad for Saturday's Cosafa Castle Cup tie against Botswana.

Sono and the six will dash back from Tbilisi for Saturday's match in Gaborone and be supplemented by a further 12 players who did not travel to eastern Europe, officials said on Wednesday.

Saturday's match will be the third for South Africa in 10 days after last week's trip to Italy for a friendly against Saudi Arabia and this week's outing in Georgia.

The 18-man squad for the match in Botswana is almost identical to that which featured in the Saudi Arabia warm-up, when South Africa lost 1-0.

The squad for the game against Botswana sees the return of veteran defender Andrew Rabutla. It is the second match in this year's southern African regional championship.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Emile Baron (Lillestrom, Norway), Calvin Marlin (Ajax Cape Town)

Defenders: Matthew Booth (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tony Coyle (Wits University), Hilton Jordaan (Jomo Cosmos), Mbulelo Mabizela (Orlando Pirates), Thabang Molefe (Jomo Cosmos), Cyril Nzama (Kaizer Chiefs), Andrew Rabutla (Jomo Cosmos)

Midfielders: Josta Dladla (Wits University), Thabo Mngomeni (Orlando Pirates), Lovers Mohlala (Mamelodi Sundowns), Jabu Pule (Kaizer Chiefs), McBeth Sibaya (Jomo Cosmos), Benedict Vilakazi (Orlando Pirates)

Forwards: Jimmy Kauleza (Free State Stars), Ishmael Maluleke (Manning Rangers), Lesley Manyathela (Orlando Pirates).