Straeuli rings the changes

South Africa coach Rudolf Straeuli has named his seventh new midfield combination in as many Tests as the Springboks enter their final Test match before the World Cup with anything but a settled side.

Gcobani Bobo will partner Jorrie Muller in the centre, with hard-tackling De Wet Barry, who has been such a thorn in the side of Australia during this Tri-Nations, rested for the New Zealand game.

Joost van der Westhuizen has reclaimed the starting scrum-half berth from Craig Davidson, who drops out of the squad entirely, a decision Straeuli put down to the influence the World Cup winner will bring to a relatively inexperienced back-line.

Thinus Delport will replace Andre Pretorius as the fourth different fullback named in the starting line-up by the Springboks this Tri-Nations.

In the pack, Geo Cronje will make his Test debut in place of Selbourne Boom while Lawrence Sephaka takes over at loose-head prop after Robbie Kempson was suspended for a high tackle in last week’s defeat to Australia.

Straeuli put a positive spin on the five changes, insisting he has hit upon a perfect balance between testing specific combinations ahead of the World Cup and naming a side which can combat the dangerous All Blacks.

The inclusion of Delport at full-back, for example, was a tactical move, though Barry’s exclusion was to give Bobo top level game-time before the World Cup.

“We wanted more of a physical presence in our back three, Bobo is due game time and Joost’s experience cannot be overstated given the relative inexperience of our backs at this level,” said Straeuli.

“De Wet has been one of our best performers in the Tri-Nations. He has really put his body on the line in the past few weeks.

“Bobo has trained well and waited patiently. He deserves game time.

“Jorrie and Bobo have also played together for most of the Super 12 so the adjustment has not been dramatic.”

Cronje will partner Bulls team-mate Victor Matfield in the second row but will find familiar faces all around him.

“We don’t see it as a gamble playing Geo in his first test against New Zealand,” said Straeuli.

“He is a very good prospect and it should be made slightly easier for him having Victor, Danie Coetzee (Bulls hooker) and Richard Bands (Bulls tighthead) around him. He has played with these guys all season.”

South Africa conceded a half-century of points to a rampant New Zealand in Pretoria, but despite the “body blow” of losing Kempson and Bakkie Botha to suspension, Straueli insisted he was confident of a win in Dunedin.

“This is our last opportunity to view certain combinations in a Test match prior to the start of the World Cup,” he said.

“We have also taken into account our strengths, those of the All Blacks and the anticipated weather conditions.

“In the final analysis, we have selected a team we believe capable of winning on Saturday but we also picked a team based on certain World Cup ideas.”

South Africa team to face New Zealand on Dunedin on Saturday is: T Delport; S Terblanche, J Muller, G Bobo, A Willemse; L Koen, J van der Westhuizen; L Sephaka, D Coetzee, R Bands, G Cronje, V Matfield, C Krige (captain), J van Niekerk, J Smith.

Replacements: L van Biljon, C Bezuidenhout, S Boome, P Wannenburg, N de Kock, D Wet Barry, A Pretorius.