Springbok duo handed first starts

Inexperienced pair Francois Hougaard and Flip van der Merwe will win their first starts for South Africa after being named in the starting line-up for the Tri Nations encounter against New Zealand in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Gio Aplon was also a surprise inclusion at full-back, although the inclusion of the Stormers winger in the number 15 jersey had been predicted in recent days.