LONDON – The Springboks have made seven changes to the side that lost to Argentina for the return leg and their only World Cup warm-up match in Mendoza on Saturday.
In a telling reaction to the shock loss to the Pumas last Saturday, Springbok Coach Heyneke Meyer has named fullback Zane Kirchner, wing Lwazi Mvovo, pivot Pat Lambie, loose forward Willem Alberts to start as well as a completely new front row in Adriaan Strauss, Marcel van der Merwe and Trevor Nyakane in what will be all seven players’ first starts of the year.
Kirchner comes in for an injured Willie le Roux with Mvovo moving to wing to cover Jesse Kriel who moves back in to the centres in place of Jean de Villiers who broke his jaw in the final Rugby Championship match on Saturday. Pat Lambie will also replace young gun Handre Pollard while Willem Alberts will replace Marcell Coetzee in the back-row.
Meyer has also named back Jan Serfontein and hooker Schalk Brits in the 23-man squad for the first time in 2015.
Springbok team to face Argentina
15-Zane Kirchner
14-Lwazi Mvovo
13-Jesse Kriel
12-Damian de Allende
11-Bryan Habana
10-Pat Lambie
9-Ruan Pienaar
8-Schalk Burger
7-Willem Alberts
6-Heinrich Brussow
5-Victor Matfield (captain)
4-Eben Etzebeth
3-Marcel van der Merwe
2-Adriaan Strauss
1-Trevor Nyakane
Substitutions
16-Schalk Brits, 17-Tendai Mtawarira, 18-Frans Malherbe, 19-Flip van der Merwe, 20-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 21-Cobus Reinach, 22-Handre Pollard, 23-Jan Serfontein