Stars return for Springboks

South Africa’s big names are back in the starting XV for the Test match against France on Friday.

A second-string Springboks line-up came up short against English Premiership side Leicester last week and not a single player who started the match at Welford Road will kick off the match in Toulouse.

There are four changes from South Africa’s last Test match, the final Tri-Nations clash with New Zealand in September, with Zane Kirchner returning at full-back in place of Frans Steyn, who plays his club rugby in France.

JP Pietersen returns on the wing in place of Odwa Ndungane, who did play against Leicester.

Centre Adi Jacobs and number eight Ryan Kankowski, who were on the bench in the last Test against the All Blacks, have been drafted into the starting line-up in place of Jean de Villiers and the injured Pierre Spies.

Wian du Preez, who has been named on the replacements’ bench, is the only uncapped player in the 22.

Springboks coach Peter de Villiers said: “The core of the squad did duty during the Tri-Nations campaign and will provide us with stability going into this tough opening Test.

“There are a lot of experienced players in the starting XV as well as on the bench which will be important to our continuity as well as to ensuring that we maintain our structures and play the way we want to.”

The Springboks’ northern hemisphere itinerary then takes them to Italy on November 21 and then to Ireland the following week.

South Africa team to face France in Toulouse on Friday, November 13:

Team: Z Kirchner (Bulls); JP Pietersen (Sharks), J Fourie (Lions), A Jacobs (Sharks), B Habana (Bulls); M Steyn (Bulls), F du Preez (Bulls); R Kankowski (Sharks), S Burger (Stormers), H Brussow (Free State Cheetahs), V Matfield (Bulls), B Botha (Bulls), J Smit (Sharks, capt), B du Plessis (Sharks), T Mtawarira (Sharks).

Replacements: A Strauss (Free State Cheetahs), W du Preez (Free State Cheetahs), CJ van der Linde (Leinster), A Bekker (Stormers), D Rossouw (Bulls), R Pienaar (Sharks), W Olivier (Bulls).