Rugby: Boks name du Plessis at prop

Jannie du Plessis. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Springbok Jannie du Plessis has been named at tighthead prop in the team to play the All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday despite struggling with a hamstring injury.

Coach Heyneke Meyer said today that du Plessis would be given until Friday to recover.
He said Pat Cilliers, who has been struggling with an elbow injury, was a potential replacement for du Plessis.

The Boks have made two changes to the team which lost to Australia in Perth on Saturday.

Both changes are in the forwards, where lock Flip van der Merwe replaces the suspended Eben Etzebeth, with Francois Louw in for Marcell Coetzee on the openside flank.

There are four more changes on the bench, where Marcell Coetzee joins Dean Greyling, Andries Bekker and Juan de Jongh among the replacements.

"The New Zealanders are good on the ground which is why we decided to go for a specialist openside flank in Francois,'' said Meyer.

"Marcell has been very good this season and has played a lot of rugby, but in this match we feel he will be more useful as an impact option.''

The All Blacks name their team tomorrow morning.

South Africa team to play the All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday, kick-off 7.35pm: Zane Kirchner, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers (c), Frans Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Juandre Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Tiaan Liebenberg, Dean Greyling, Andries Bekker, Marcell Coetzee, Johan Goosen, Juan de Jongh, Patrick Lambie.