Three of the form South African players of the Vodacom Super Rugby season will make their international debuts against Australia on Saturday, following the announcement of the Springbok team in Sydney on Tuesday.
Props Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger and loose forward Ashley Johnson were named by coach Peter de Villiers in the Springbok team to meet the Wallabies at the ANZ Stadium in the opening Castle Tri-Nations test.
The team is led by John Smit, in his 103rd Test, and contains four other Rugby World Cup winners in Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, Danie Rossouw and Johan Muller. A sixth, CJ van der Linde, is on the bench as the replacement prop.
Heinrich Brüssow was not considered as he continues his rehabilitation from a knee injury.
Uncapped scrumhalf Charl McLeod was named on the bench. Three of the four potential new caps have appeared in non-Test Springbok matches; the exception is Dean Greyling.
“The new caps had outstanding Super Rugby seasons and this is an exciting opportunity for them,” said De Villiers. “They have been rewarded for their form and now it’s up to them.
“We have got some new combinations, but there is a lot of potential in this side and the players are hungry for this chance.”
Joint Super Rugby top try-scorer, Bjorn Basson (nine tries), was named on one wing with Lwazi Mvovo – who was tied for second on the SA scoring log with six – was named on the other in a backline also featuring the pace and elusiveness of Gio Aplon and Juan de Jongh.
The experienced trio of halfbacks Ruan Pienaar and Morne Steyn and inside centre Wynand Oliver complete the backline.
Lock Flip van der Merwe gets the chance to step out of his understudy role to the injured Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield while Vodacom Bulls pairing, Deon Stegmann and Danie Rossouw partner Johnson in the back row.
Springboks: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Juan De Jongh, 12 Wynand Oliver, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Johann Muller, 4 Flip Van Der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Dean Greyling.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ Van Der Linde, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 Patrick Lambie.
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