Mvovo picked for Cardiff clash
Heyneke Meyer has named his latest Springbok team.
Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks and Lwazi Mvovo are back in the Springbok starting line-up for Saturday’s Test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The changes in the back three were required because Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen, who started in last weekend’s victory over Italy in Padova, are not available this week. The two changes to the front row are rotational.
Adriaan Strauss, who started at hooker in the victories over England and Italy, moves to the bench, where he will be joined by Trevor Nyakane and Damian de Allende in the only other changes to the match-23.
“This tour has been a good test of our depth and we’re looking forward to see what the team can do on Saturday,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer. “We will face a fired-up Welsh side this weekend. They played very well against New Zealand and it will be a tough end to our season, but we want to finish on a high and the focus this week has been on ensuring we keep on building on what we’ve done thus far this year. All the players coming into the team have been part of our squad for most of the season. They know our plans and structures and now it’s about execution on Saturday.”
Injuries and the non-availability of overseas-based players for matches outside the Test window have meant that only three players, Le Roux, Du Plessis and Duane Vermeulen, have played in all 12 Tests for the Springboks in 2014.
In 2013, a total of 10 players featured in each of the 12 Tests. Le Roux is the only player who has played in every Springbok encounter over the last two seasons, while Du Plessis has missed only one match.
It has also been confirmed today that scrumhalf, Rudy Paige, has picked up a medial knee ligament injury during training on Tuesday which will rule him out of action for approximately three to four weeks.
A replacement for Paige in the Springboks' touring squad will be named at a later stage.
South Africa and Wales have played each other 29 times since 1906, with the Springboks winning 27, losing one (1999) and one was drawn (1970).
Springbok team: 15-Willie le Roux, 14-Cornal Hendricks, 13-Jan Serfontein, 12-Jean de Villiers (captain), 11-Lwazi Mvovo, 10-Pat Lambie, 9-Cobus Reinach; 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Teboho Mohoje, 6-Marcell Coetzee, 5-Victor Matfield, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Coenie Oosthuizen, 2-Bismark du Plessis and 1-Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16-Adriaan Strauss, 17-Trevor Nyakane, 18-Julian Redelinghuys, 19-Lood de Jager, 20-Nizaam Carr, 21-Francois Hougaard, 22-Handre Pollard and 23-Damian de Allende.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
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