Cape Town - Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has revealed that hooker Bismarck du Plessis will be back to face the All Blacks in the final Rugby Championship Test at Ellis Park next week.
Du Plessis has been replaced by Adriaan Strauss in the starting team for this Saturday's Test against Australia at Newlands.
But Meyer, in an interview with Die Burger's website, said the decision to bench Du Plessis has nothing to do with the red card he received against the All Blacks in Auckland two weeks ago.
Meyer said the decision to play Strauss in Saturday's game was made before the Rugby Championship started.
"It's not a case of me leave out Bismarck to try and take pressure off him. Bismarck will start in the next game (against the All Blacks in Johannesburg)," said Meyer.
Meyer also said it's easy to rotate the duo as he views them as the two best hookers in world rugby.
"Bismarck and Adriaan fine are leaders. Both fulfil the role of vice-captain when they are playing for us."
Kick-off is at 17:00 on Saturday.
Teams:
South Africa:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Juandré Kruger, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Jan Serfontein
Australia:
15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Leali'ifano, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 James Slipper
Substitutes: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Sitaleki Timani, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Will Genia, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Chris Feauai-Sautia
Du Plessis has been replaced by Adriaan Strauss in the starting team for this Saturday's Test against Australia at Newlands.
But Meyer, in an interview with Die Burger's website, said the decision to bench Du Plessis has nothing to do with the red card he received against the All Blacks in Auckland two weeks ago.
Meyer said the decision to play Strauss in Saturday's game was made before the Rugby Championship started.
"It's not a case of me leave out Bismarck to try and take pressure off him. Bismarck will start in the next game (against the All Blacks in Johannesburg)," said Meyer.
Meyer also said it's easy to rotate the duo as he views them as the two best hookers in world rugby.
"Bismarck and Adriaan fine are leaders. Both fulfil the role of vice-captain when they are playing for us."
Kick-off is at 17:00 on Saturday.
Teams:
South Africa:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Juandré Kruger, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Jan Serfontein
Australia:
15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Leali'ifano, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 James Slipper
Substitutes: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Sitaleki Timani, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Will Genia, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Chris Feauai-Sautia