Springboks announce four changes for upcoming World Cup encounter against Fiji – Rugby News
Springboks head coach, Peter de Villiers, has announced his squad for the weekend encounter against the Fiji as part of their 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) campaign. The defending champions will take on the Flying Fijians in their second 2011 RWC pool match encounter at Westpac Stadium, Wellington on Saturday, September 17.
South African Rugby Union (SARU) has confirmed the announcement of the squad in a statement released on their official website on Wednesday, September 11.
De Villiers has listed four changes to the Springboks squad from the one which took the field against Wales on Sunday, September 11. The changes were made after it was confirmed that key players will miss out from Saturday’s encounter due to injuries.
Injured player that will not participate in the Saturday’s game include: Victor Matfield, Butch James, Jean de Villiers. Bakkies Botha replaces Matfield, while Odwa Ndungane will start the match at the left-winger position in place of Habana. Pat Lambie will start the match at the fullback position, while Francois Steyn, who played as fullback has been moved to the inside centre position, to fill the spot left vacant by Jean de Villiers. Ruan Pienaar has replaced injured Butch James on the bench.
Matfield is struggling with his hamstring; James with a hip flexor; Jean de Villiers with a rib cartilage and Habana with his patella tendon.
Prop Tendai Mtawarira has also been dropped to the bench making way for Gurthrö Steenkamp in the starting lineup.
The Springboks squad for Saturday’s encounter against Fiji consists of the following:
Starting XV: 15 Pat Lambie (KwaZulu-Natal) - 7 caps, 14 JP Pietersen (KwaZulu-Natal) – 39, 13 Jaque Fourie (Western Province) – 65, 12 Frans Steyn (Racing Metro, France) – 44, 11 Odwa Ndungane (KwaZulu-Natal) – 8, 10 Morné Steyn (Blue Bulls) – 30, 9 Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls) – 58, 8 Pierre Spies (Blue Bulls) – 43, 7 Schalk Burger (Western Province) – 64, 6 Heinrich Brüssow (Free State Cheetahs) – 16, 5 Danie Rossouw (Blue Bulls) – 59, 4 Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls) – 74, 3 Jannie du Plessis (KwaZulu-Natal) – 27, 2 John Smit (captain, KwaZulu-Natal) – 107, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (Blue Bulls) – 34.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis (KwaZulu-Natal) – 39, 17 Tendai Mtawarira (KwaZulu-Natal) – 29, 18 Johann Muller (Ulster, N Ireland) – 24, 19 Willem Alberts (KwaZulu-Natal) – 5, 20 Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls) – 11, 21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland) – 49, 22 Juan de Jongh (Western Province) – 8.
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