The Springbok team to play Argentina in a one-off Test in Port Elizabeth on Saturday shows eight changes from the team that beat Scotland in the second test at Ellis Park on 14 June.
Five of the changes are in the pack.
Props Rob Kempson and Cobus Visagie start the match, whilst Quinton Davids, AJ Venter and Corne Krige return for their first test appearances of the season. At the back, Gcobani Bobo starts at inside centre, Craig Davidson starts at scrumhalf and Pieter Rossouw returns on the wing.
Andre Pretorius and Ashwin Willemse were not considered due to illness and fitness respectively.
”This is not experimentation but a test of the depth we have in our squad,” said coach Rudolf Straeuli. ”Players that are starting a test for the first time have been involved in the squad preparation from the outset. It is important that we have depth in the squad that goes to the Rugby World Cup and this will hopefully provide an indication of where we stand in terms of our preparations for the tournament.
Starting XV:
15 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 14 Stefan Terblanche, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Gcobani Bobo, 11 Pieter Rossouw, 10 Louis Koen, 9 Craig Davidson, 8 Pedrie Wannenburg, 7 AJ Venter, 6 Corne Krige (capt), 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Quinton Davids, 3 Cobus Visagie, 2 Danie Coetzee, 1 Robbie Kempson.
Reserves:
16 Richard Bands, 17 Lawrence Sephaka, 18 Selborne Boome, 19 Bob Skinstad, 20 Joost van der Westhuizen, 21 Trevor Halstead, 22 Brent Russell. – Sapa