Straeuli continues to tinker with midfield

South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli has named his seventh new midfield combination in as many Tests as the Springboks enter their…

South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli has named his seventh new midfield combination in as many Tests as the Springboks enter their final Test match before the World Cup against New Zealand in the Tri-Nations.

Gcobani Bobo will partner Jorrie Muller in the centre, with hard-tackling De Wet Barry, who has been such a thorn in the side of Australia during this Tri-Nations, rested.

Joost van der Westhuizen has reclaimed the starting scrum-half berth from Craig Davidson, who drops out of the squad entirely, a decision Straeuli put down to the influence the World Cup winner will bring to a relatively inexperienced back-line.

Thinus Delport will replace Andre Pretorius as the fourth different full-back named in the starting line-up by the Springboks this Tri-Nations.

READ MORE

In the pack, Geo Cronje will make his Test debut in place of Selbourne Boome while Lawrence Sephaka takes over at loose-head prop after Robbie Kempson was suspended for a high tackle in last week's defeat to Australia.

South Africa: T Delport; S Terblanche, J Muller, G Bobo, A Willemse; L Koen, J van der Westhuizen; L Sephaka, D Coetzee, R Bands, G Cronje, V Matfield, C Krige (captain), J van Niekerk, J Smith. Subs: L van Biljon, C Bezuidenhout, S Boome, P Wannenburg, N de Kock, D Wet Barry, A Pretorius.