De Kock surprise selection for Springboks

Western Province scrumhalf Neil de Kock was the surprise inclusion in the Springbok side to play against New Zealand in the Vodacom Tri-Nations at Durban tomorrow.

De Kock replaces his provincial teammate Johannes Conradie from the team that lost to Australia in Brisbane two weeks ago.

In the other change to the backline Dean Hall is back at wing at the expense of Stefan Terblanche, who earlier this week was dropped from the match 22.

Hall will play at left wing, with Breyton Paulse slotting in at the right.

Coach Rudolf Straeuli also made two changes to his forwards, opting to start with Willie Meyer at tighthead prop and AJ Venter at lock.

Meyer missed the Australia Test through injury, while Victor Matfield drops to the substitutes’ bench in an effort to add more physical firepower to the tight five.

Springboks (v New Zealand): Werner Greeff; Breyton Paulse, Marius Joubert, De Wet Barry, Dean Hall; Andre Pretorius, Neil de Kock; Lawrencre Sephaka, James Dalton, WillieMeyer, Jannes Labuschagne, AJ Venter, Corne Krige, Joe van Niekerk, Bob Skinstad.

Replacements: Ollie Le Roux, Faan Rautenbach, Victor Matfield, Hendro Scholtz, Johannes Conradie, Adrian Jacobs, Brent Russell.