Landmark appearance for fit-again Burger

SOUTH Africa assistant coach Gary Gold has revealed Schalk Burger was always going to be in the starting line-up for the series against the British and Irish Lions as long as he was fit.

The Stormers flanker, who missed the first game due to a calf injury, was yesterday named at blindside ahead of Heinrich Brussow for the second Test in Pretoria on Saturday and will mark the occasion by winning his 50th international cap.

The rest of the first XV that beat the tourists 26-21 in the opener last weekend in Durban remains the same.