World champions South Africa suffered a major setback ahead of the first of two Tests against Wales on Saturday when experienced scrumhalf Ricky Januarie was dropped from the team for alleged disciplinary reasons.
Januarie, who trained at scrumhalf in the days leading up to Thursday’s Springbok team announcement, was back-up to Fourie du Preez during last year’s World Cup campaign in France.
But with Du Preez out injured, new coach Peter de Villiers was banking on Januarie to lead the backs against Wales over the next two Saturdays.
With Du Preez and Januarie out, De Villiers has handed the number nine jersey to Stormers second-choice scrumhalf Bolla Conradie.
The Stormers man has played 15 Tests since debuting in 2002 but hardly featured during Jake White’s time in charge of the team. It will be his first start since 2005.
De Villiers, who took over from White at the beginning of the year, has handed debuts to Stormers lock Andries Bekker and tighthead prop Brian Mujati.
Sharks centre Adrian Jacobs has been recalled to the team and will make his first appearance in a green and gold jersey since 2002, when he played against England.
De Villiers has also put faith in overseas-based Boks Butch James, who’ll start at flyhalf and handle the goal-kicking duties, and John Smit, who will lead the side from hooker.
James has been playing for Bath in the English Premiership, while Smit has recently ended his contract with French club Clermont.
Two other overseas-based players, lock Victor Matfield, who’ll be returning to the Bulls from Toulon this southern hemisphere winter, and veteran fullback Percy Montgomery (Perpignan) have to be satisfied with places on the bench.
Montgomery is also returning to South Africa later this year to play for Western Province. Only seven players in the starting XV featured for the Boks at last year’s World Cup, with a further six on the bench.
There is no place in the match-22 for the talented Francois Steyn and Sharks Super 14 star Ryan Kankowski.
Team: Conrad Jantjes; Tonderai Chavangha, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Bolla Conradie; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Luke Watson; Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha; Brian Mujati, John Smit (captain), Gurthro Steenkamp. Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, CJ van der Linde, Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Peter Grant, Percy Montgomery — AFP
