Jean de Villiers is the only change to the South Africa side announced on Wednesday for the Twickenham Test against world champions England in London on Saturday.
De Villiers comes in at left wing in the place of Ashwin Willemse, who has returned home with a broken toe.
His is the only change to the starting side that lost 17-12 against Ireland last Saturday, a match that ended the Springboks’ hopes of a Grand Slam.
However, coach Jake White indicated he had wanted to pick Jaque Fourie on the wing to counter England’s tactic of crossfield kicking, but had stood by experienced black back Breyton Paulse as part of the ongoing pressure to field a multiracial side in post-apartheid South Africa.
When the original Springbok tour squad was announced, there was controversy over the number of black players included — with some observers questioning their rugby credentials.
But White insisted: ”We live in a completely different environment and I bought into those sort of parameters when I took the job. But we are still talking about a backline which won the Tri-Nations. It’s not as though we’re running around with people who don’t know what they are doing.”
England defence coach Phil Larder branded South Africa ”predictable” on Tuesday, but White — who himself ended up regretting comments that only three Irish players would make his team — told a news conference at the tourists’ hotel: ”I was quite outspoken last week and it came back to bite me in Ireland.
”I don’t mind what Phil Larder has said but I hope it comes back to bite him.”
White said the Springboks, who have lost their five Tests against England, paid the price for trying to take on the world champions at their own game.
”Those physical encounters we’ve had in the past are not the way to play England. I think you may see something less predictable from us this time, although when the pressure is on, it is easy to slip into old habits so you may get what you [the media] want [a physical battle],” he joked.
White again came to the defence of star flanker Schalk Burger, South Africa’s player of the year, who was yellow-carded for technical offences in the first two tour matches, against Wales and Ireland.
But the coach said Burger was a victim of inconsistent refereeing and added: ”I would pick 15 Schalk Burgers if I could and we wouldn’t lose a Test.”
Saturday’s Test sees veteran prop Os du Randt, a World Cup winner back in 1995, win his 50th cap.
Injuries have restricted the 32-year-old forward to just two Tests against England, where he was on the winning side both times, in 1997 and at the 1999 World Cup.
Fullback Percy Montgomery, the Springboks’ record points scorer, wins his 60th cap.
South Africa have not won at Twickenham since 1997 and on their last visit, in 2002, suffered a record 53-3 defeat with forward Jannes Labuschagne sent off for a late tackle on Jonny Wilkinson. — Sapa-AFP
South Africa (15-1)
Joubert (Western Province), De Wet Barry (Western Province), Jean de Villiers (Western Province); Jaco van der Westhuyzen (NEC/JPN), Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls), Joe van Niekerk (Western Province), AJ Venter (Natal), Schalk Burger (Western Province), Victor Matfield (Blue Bulls), Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls), Eddie Andrews (Western Province), John Smit (Natal, captain), Os du Randt (Free State).
Replacements: Hanyani Shimange (Free State), CJ van der Linde (Free State) Dannie Rossouw (Blue Bulls), Gerrie Britz (Free State), Michael Claasens (Free State), Jaque Fourie (Golden Lions), Bryan Habana (Lions).