LONDON – Springbok veteran Victor Matfield will miss South Africa’s crucial quarter final clash against Wales after missing the squad due to a hamstring injury.
Matfield is the only change to the starting lineup that defeated the USA 64-0 in their final pool clash after feeling soreness in his hamstring at training during the week.
In the backline, JP Pietersen returns to the side in place of Lwazi Mvovo while Bryan Habana will shuffle back to his favoured left wing position.
There are four changes on South Africa’s bench with Adriaan Strauss, Jannie du Plessis, Ruan Pienaar and Pat Lambie all returning.
Times have been better since their loss to Japan in their opening World Cup clash in Brighton and will hope to use their rebounded confidence to stifle Wales who lost in their final World Cup pool match to Australia.
However, there is likely to be any complacency from the two time World Champions who were wholly awaken from their slumber in their first up loss to the Japanese.
Springboks team to play Wales
1 Tendai Mtawarira
2 Bismarck du Plessis
3 Frans Malherbe
4 Eben Etzebeth
5 Lood de Jager
6 Francois Louw
7 Schalk Burger
8 Duane Vermeulen
9 Fourie du Preez (c)
10 Handré Pollard
11 Bryan Habana
12 Damian De Allende
13 Jesse Kriel
14 JP Pietersen
15 Willie le Roux
Reserves
16 Adriaan Strauss 17 Trevor Nyakane 18 Jannie du Plessis 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit 20 Willem Alberts 21 Ruan Pienaar 22 Pat Lambie 23 Jan Serfontein
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