Autumn international – England v South Africa
South Africa have named World Cup winners JP Pietersen and Schalk Burger in the starting XV for Saturday’s Test against England at Twickenham.
Five changes have been made to the team that began in the 29-15 defeat in Ireland last weekend.
Along with Pietersen and Burger, hooker Adriaan Strauss and the half-back pair of Cobus Reinach and Pat Lambie, move from the bench.
Coach Heyneke Meyer said the changes were not a reaction to the Dublin loss.
Strauss, Lambie and Pietersen all started in the Springboks’ last Test at Twickenham, two years ago.
“Adriaan, Schalk and JP have all started a number of Tests this year and they will slot in easily,” said Meyer.
“We decided beforehand that we wanted to start all of these players in one of the first two Tests on tour.”
Cornal Hendricks, Handre Pollard, Francois Hougaard, Teboho Mohoje and Bismarck du Plessis will start on the bench.
South Africa XV to face England on Saturday 15 November:
Willie Le Roux, JP Pietersen, Jan Serfontein, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Pat Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Tendai Mtawarira, Adriaan Strauss, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Marcell Coetzee, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Bakkies Botha, Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje, Francois Hougaard, Handre Pollard, Cornal Hendricks.
