World Cup-winning Springbok Chester Williams has been named as the new coach of the Emerging South Africa team, which is set to defend its IRB Nations Cup title in Romania next month.

The international representative tournament, which features a blend of A teams from top unions and full test teams from developing unions, will again be played in Bucharest from 11 to 20 June.

Williams succeeds Peter de Villiers in the role, who was named as the new Springbok coach after leading the team to the title in 2007.

The South Africans will face 2007 Rugby World Cup finalists Georgia as well as Romania and Italy A and Williams is perfectly placed to understand the challenges the side will face as he is currently coaching in Romania as Director of Rugby for Dinamo Bucharest.

"The national team has been together here for two years and they always qualify for the World Cup," said Williams. "It will be quite tough to come here and expect to beat them - we will have to work hard to achieve a result."

Williams has spent three months with Dinamo, leading them to the league title and into Sunday's National Cup final, after which he will return to South Africa.

"It's great to know that I can get back into the system with SA Rugby," he said. "I have been following the Vodacom Super 14 very closely through television and I'm sure we can put out a very strong team."

Russia also return for the round robin tournament, with Argentina A set to compete in the Churchill Cup in June, their place is taken by Uruguay.

"Uruguay is a good example of a Performance Union which will benefit enormously from competing in this Tournament," said IRB Head of Rugby Services Mark Egan.

"Combined with the CONSUR A competition in May, Uruguay will play in five Test matches in 2008, which is unprecedented for them and provides a crucial preparation pathway ahead of Rugby World Cup 2011 qualifying."

The IRB Nations Cup Tournament format gives each of the six participants three matches. Teams are awarded four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for scoring four or more tries and one bonus point for a defeat by seven points or less.

IRB Nations Cup competition schedule

Match Day 1 - Wednesday, June 11
Italy A v Russia (16:00)
Emerging South Africa v Georgia (18:00)
Uruguay v Romania (20:00)

Match Day 2 - Sunday, June 15
Georgia v Uruguay (16:00)
Italy A v Emerging South Africa (18:00)
Russia v Romania (20:00)

Match Day 3 - Friday, June 20
Russia v Uruguay (16:00)
Italy A v Georgia (18:00)
Emerging South Africa v Romania (20:00)