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BLOEMFONTEIN - New coach Peter de Villiers chose just five members of the team that won the World Cup in his first Springbok starting XV, announced on Thursday, to take on Wales in Bloemfontein on Sunday (NZT).
Fullback Percy Montgomery, the leading points scorer at the World Cup,
and lock Victor Matfield, named the most valuable player of the tournament, were both relegated to the bench, alongside forwards Bismarck du Plessis, CJ van der Linde and Danie Rossouw.
Captain John Smit, lock Bakkies Botha, flank Juan Smith, first five-eighths Butch James and wing Bryan Habana will be the only World Cup winners to run out on to the park from the start against the Six Nations champions.
De Villiers handed a first test cap to Stormers lock Andries Bekker in place of Matfield, who handled his demotion well.
"It's just great to be back and part of the Bok squad and I'm glad the new coach has given me a chance. Hopefully I'll be able to add something to the team when I come on later. But Andries Bekker had a brilliant Super 14 and was the number one number five lock in the competition," Matfield said.
Stormers tighthead prop Brian Mujati will also get his first cap, but his team-mate, halfback Ricky Januarie, has been axed after a disciplinary breach.
"He was not considered because he broke team protocol and, after handling the matter internally, he has been suspended for one week," De Villiers told a press conference.
World Cup halfback Fourie du Preez is out with a broken hand and Bolla Conradie, who will start on Sunday, was a late addition to the squad. But De Villiers said he was not concerned about the halfback position.
"It is not a concern, Bolla understands his role and we know his abilities and trust in him," De Villers said.
The Springboks' first black coach said selection had been reached by consensus between himself, the assistant coaches, the selectors and captain Smit.
"We had good discussions about the team. If I just do what I want then we won't have a successful Springbok team, so I do what we want.
"But, as they say, there is a time to come and a time to go, and maybe the time to go is closer than expected for some people."
De Villiers called Wales coach Warren Gatland "the best in the world", but said he was sure the Springboks would go into the match with confidence at a high.
South Africa
Conrad Jantjes, Tonderai Chavhanga, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Bolla Conradie; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Luke Watson, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Brian Mujati, John Smit (captain), Gurthro Steenkamp.
Reserves: Bismarck du Plessis, C.J van der Linde, Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Peter Grant, Percy Montgomery.
- REUTERS