Cape Town - Loose forward Uzair Cassiem, who boasts eight Tests for the Springboks, says he still harbours hope of earning a recall to the national fold.

The 28-year-old played all his Tests during the tumultuous reign of Allister Coetzee and has been out of the Bok fold since Rassie Erasmus took over.

Cassiem has since moved to Welsh outfit Scarlets but told Netwerk24 that the desire to play for the Boks remains high.

Erasmus recently indicated that, for the moment, he has enough overseas-based players in his squad.

"I understand that and I can see you have to make yourself indispensable for a coach like Rassie," Cassiem said.

He added that it was a dream to play in the World Cup and backed the Boks to do well in next year’s tournament in Japan.

"The current group is very strong and appears a happy group of players who all know what is expected of them. They’re playing for each other. The Springboks will no doubt be very well prepared to go a step further than in 2015 when the tournament was hosted in England and they were beaten in the semi-finals by New Zealand."

For the moment, Cassiem is focusing all his attention tom the Scarlets, who he joined from the Cheetahs earlier this year.

The Scarlets are currently third in Conference B of the PRO14, having won six of 10 games.