Tri-Nations News: Lock Victor Matfield will captain South Africa in their Tri-Nations match against New Zealand on Saturday after John Smit failed to recover from a hamstring injury.

Hooker Smit was forced out of the match because of the injury he picked up during his team's 22-19 win over Australia last Saturday.

Springbok coach Jake White envisages a seamless transfer of the captaincy to Matfield, who took on the job after Smit left the field in the first half in Cape Town.

"Victor has 57 caps, he has captained the successful Bulls franchise that has just won the Super 14, and he took over the reins at the weekend," White said yesterday. "It was a logical choice for us."

White said Smit's absence would allow him to experiment with the line-up before the World Cup in France in September and October.

"John has been a very successful captain and he's an important part of how we play," White said. "But I'd much rather he sat out of a test match now going into the World Cup. It's also a chance to see how the team reacts without him on the field."

Hooker Gary Botha, who replaced Smit from the bench against Australia, will start a test for the first time after winning six caps as a reserve. At loosehead veteran Os du Randt comes back to earn his 72nd cap in the place of the injured Gurthro Steenkamp.

Steenkamp bruised a knee against Australia and while flank Juan Smith also sustained a bruised thigh in the same match, Smith has been passed fit to play.

SOUTH AFRICA: P Montgomery; A Willemse, J Fourie, J de Villiers, JP Pietersen; B James, R Pienaar; O du Randt, G Botha, B J Botha; B Botha, V Matfield (capt); S Burger, J Smith, P Spies. Replacements: B du Plessis, CJ van der Linde, J Muller, D Rossouw, M Claassens, W Olivier, F Steyn.