Heyneke Meyer has recalled Schalk Burger to the starting line-up for the Springboks’ opening Rugby Championship game against Australia in Brisbane this weekend. Burger will fill the number eight shirt in the absence of the injured Duane Vermeulen.
Burger is the only change to the starting XV from the side that beat the World XV last weekend, although there are four further changes on the bench, where props Heinke van der Merwe and Frans Malherbe, along with lock Lood de Jager and wing Lwazi Mvovo have been included.
SOUTH AFRICA TEAM TO PLAY AUSTRALIA
15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Lodewyk de Jager, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
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