Jamaica's Reggae Boyz surround goalscorer Devon Hodges (centre), after he scored the team's second goal in a 3-2 win over Panama at the National Stadium earlier this year.

Several members of Jamaica's 20-man senior football team departed the island yesterday for South Africa, where they will face the FIFA 2010 World Cup host in a friendly international at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein next week Tuesday.

The squad will meet up with three overseas-based players - Jermaine Johnson, Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Jason Morrison - in Johannesburg later this evening before boarding a one-hour flight to Bloemfontein where they will continue preparations ahead of the highly anticipated fixture.

Good players

Coach Theodore Whitmore, who participated in a full-field squad match with the players in their final practice session in the island on Wednesday, is looking forward to a good showing from his team and is expecting them to show their worth against the exciting 'Bafana Bafana'.

Whitmore said, "We are all looking forward to this game, this is an opportunity for the players to show that they can compete with anybody. We have a good bunch of players, we have worked hard and well together during the training sessions, and I am confident that they will go there and do their best.

"The guys are determined to show their worth, we know we are up against a strong team, but I am happy with what I have seen from my players," he added.

The 85th-ranked South Africans are using the game to fine-tune their preparations for next year's World Cup as they re-welcome Brazilian tactician Carlos Alberto Parreira to the helm, 18 months after he left the post. The hosts will first play Japan on Sunday, before squaring off with the Jamaicans two days later, and Parreira has gone to great length to emphasise the importance of the fixtures as he looks to instil a winning mentality into his team.

National colours

Meanwhile, returning Reggae Boy, defender Jermaine Taylor, who is back in the team after missing the entire domestic season last year, is excited about once again donning the national colours and is hoping to get a chance to come up against the likes of England-based South African striker Benni McCarthy and the Netherlands-based Bernard Parker.

Said Taylor, who plies his trade in the local Digicel Premier League with St Georges, "For this game I'm just looking to go out there and do my best. At this level only your best is good enough and I have been out of the team for a while so I'm really excited about going out there again and representing my country.

"It's a good feeling to be back, it has been a good season so far for me and I want to carry that over to the national team as well," he added.

Reggae Boyz coach Theodore Whitmore. - File photos