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Marcoussis - Springbok Women's coach Lawrence Sephaka on Monday made five changes to his starting team to face France in their second Women's Rugby World Cup pool clash in Marcoussis on Tuesday.
Three of the changes were in the pack with prop Portia Jonga and number eight Shona-Leah Weston earning starts while flank Lamla Momoti has recovered from the knee injury that forced her to withdraw from the team against Australia on Friday.
They replace prop Asithandile Ntoyanto, number eight Mandisa Williams and Rachelle Geldenhuys respectively.
In the backline fullback Siviwe Basweni replaces Cindy Cant and scrumhalf Fundiswa Plaatjie will start in place of Tayla Kinsey.
Ntoyanto, Geldenhuys, Cant and Kinsey, however, have all been named on the bench.
Flyhalf Zenay Jordaan will lead the team in the absence of Williams, while Momoti, who captained the team against the Nomads and France on the team's World Cup warm-up tour, was been named the vice-captain.
"We have selected a team that we believe will be best suited to face France and we hope to see the team build on our solid second-half performance against Australia," said Sephaka.
He was positive that despite the changes to the team, they would be able to maintain the momentum they built up against Australia.
"We have retained most of the key player combinations, so I don't think this would disrupt our momentum," said Sephaka.
"We are also fortunate that in the positions where we have made changes, the combinations are settled as these players played together on the warm-up tour to London and France.
Sephaka expected a tough assignment against France and said his side had to be at their best to create an upset against the hosts.
"France are a physical team with a powerful pack and quality backs," said the coach.
"They showed a lot of patience on attack against Wales last Friday and when we faced them in the warm-up game in July, and they tend to use their point-scoring chances well.
"They also proved against Wales that they have the ability to punish any mistakes the opposition makes, so we have to be wary of that."
Springbok Women's team to face France:
15 Siviwe Basweni, 14 Veroeshka Grain, 13 Benele Makwezela, 12 Lorinda Brown, 11 Phumeza Gadu, 10 Zenay Jordaan, 9 Fundiswa Plaatjie, 8 Shona-Leah Weston, 7 Vuyolwethu Vazi, 6 Lamla Momoti, 5 Nolusindiso Booi, 4 Celeste Adonis, 3 Cebisa Kula, 2 Denita Wentzel, 1 Portia Jonga
Substitutes: 16 Nwabisa Ngxatu, 17 Asithandile Ntoyanto, 18 Rachelle Geldenhuys, 19 Andrea Mentoor, 20 Tayla Kinsey, 21 Zandile Nojoko, 22 Cindy Cant
