Schalk Burger will make his 50th Test appearance for the Springboks on Saturday when he takes to the field in the second Test against the British and Irish Lions at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Burger returns from injury and has been selected in the place of Heinrich Brüssow on the side of the Bok scrum. Brüssow moves to the bench, with scrumhalf Ricky Januarie dropping out of the match 22.
With the selectors opting for a 5/2 split on the bench no reserve scrumhalf has been selected. Ruan Pienaar will provide scrumhalf-cover.
The only other change is on the bench, where hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle replaces prop Gurthrö Steenkamp.
”We believe in the abilities of our players and we are confident that they will take things up a few notches on Saturday,” said
Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers.
”We are a squad of 22 focused on a common objective, which is to go out and win a Test Series against a very good Lions team.
”We know that we will be faced by a Lions team that will be playing to level the Test Series and will provide us with a stern test. We must make sure that we are more than equal to the task.”
The combined number of caps in the starting line-up is 617. The squad of 22 has a combined total of 725 caps.
Interestingly, Bryan Habana and Jean de Villiers will both be playing in their 48th Test match for the Springboks.
Team: Frans Steyn; JP Pietersen, Adi Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger; Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha; John Smit, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Deon Carstens, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Heinrich Brüssow, Jaque Fourie, Morné Steyn