Springboks must overcome loss of Burger

CAPE TOWN - The Springboks must overcome the loss of bustling flanker Schalk Burger and their patchy form when they meet France in Cape Town.

Burger, 23, injured his neck during the Springboks' 29-15 victory over Scotland in the second test last week. He will have surgery at almost the same time as the match against France, and is likely to be out of the game for at least six months. His absence is a major blow to South Africa.

The Springboks come into the match off the back of a 2-0 series win over the Scots, including an unconvincing display in the second test in Port Elizabeth, but they stretched their unbeaten home streak under coach Jake White to 13 matches.

France arrived in South Africa as Six Nations champions and with a 62-14 win over Romania in Bucharest last week under their belts.

They are also without a key player in first five-eighth Frederik Michalak who did not make the tour due to injury. Coach Bernard Laporte has chosen the untried Biarittz centre Damien Traille at first five-eighths ahead of Thomas Castaignede, who played against the Romanians.

South Africa have opted to use No 8 Joe van Niekerk at flanker to replace Burger.

SOUTH AFRICA v FRANCE

* Cape Town, 1am tomorrow

SOUTH AFRICA

Percy Montgomery
Brent Russell
Wynand Olivier
De Wet Barry
Bryan Habana
J.Westhuyzen
Fourie du Preez
P. Wannenburg
Juan Smith
Joe van Niekerk
Victor Matfield
Danie Rossouw
Eddie Andrews
John Smit (c)
Os du Randt

FRANCE

Julien Laharrague
Vincent Clerc
Florian Fritz
Yannick Jauzion
Cedric Heymans
Damien Traille
Dimitri Yachvili
I. Harinordoquy
Thierry Dusautoir
Serge Betsen
Jerome Thion
Fabien Pelous (c)
Pieter de Villiers
Dimitri Szarzewski
S. Marconnet

South Africa: Gary Botha, CJ van der Linde, Albert van den Berg, Jacques Cronje, Ricky Januarie, Wayne Julies, Gaffie du Toit.

France: Raphael Ibanez, Vincent Debaty, Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, Remy Martin, Pierre Mignoni, Thomas Castaignede.

- REUTERS