De Villiers, Du Preez crucial for Boks
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer slotted captain Jean de Villiers back in at 12 for the Rugby World Cup opener against Japan this weekend.
The Bok skipper has made a quick return after suffering a fractured jaw in their loss to Argentina in Durban during the Rugby Championship last month.
He returns to the starting XV this weekend and partners up with the exciting Jesse Kriel. Damian de Allende may feel slightly hard-done by after some strong showings in the number 12 jersey, but Meyer said De Villiers was the first choice inside centre going into the tournament.
"Jean's best position has always been 12. He can play 13 and has played wing for South Africa. It's closer to the action and it's his first game so I want to put him in his preferred position," Meyer said.
""He hasn't played with Jesse as a combination yet, but Jesse has done well there and is a specialist 13. So I just felt for the first game I didn't want to make too many changes, especially in the backs, because we are facing a team that moves the ball around, that builds phases and puts you under pressure on defence."
"It's great to have Jean back. It's great to have great leaders around and we want to get Jean going as soon as possible. He hasn't played for quite some time, he's gone through a lot of things so it's important that he puts his marker down as captain and that's why he's in his preferred position at 12."
Another player making a return from injury is Fourie du Preez (pictured below). He will play off the bench and Meyer said he was excited to see the experienced scrumhalf in action.
"He is a world class player and slowly but surely he is getting there. He's been superb in training this week, his confidence is there and he just needs game-time now," Meyer said of the 33-year-old.
"Again it's better bringing him from the bench, Ruan has done well and we want continuity in the backline but I've always believed Fourie is probably the best scrumhalf in the world."
"He's showed some great touches these past few weeks. He's a main guy in our campaign and we need him going - I think he's going to have a great tournament. Hopefully he'll get ten or twenty minutes from the bench."
The Boks face Japan on Saturday. Kickoff is at 17h45.