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Cape Town - Springbok centre Juan de Jongh is eager to prove that he isn't too small for Test rugby when he starts against Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday.
Many pundits have questioned the 1.75m and 85kg centre's size for international rugby but the 24-year-old is eager to prove his critics wrong.
"Everyone has an opinion, but this week I have a chance to prove something to people who think I am too small," he told the Beeld website.
"You get opportunities in life and this one is huge. I have to be at my best prove all the people who believe I shouldn't be there, wrong."
De Jongh will on Saturday start a Test for the first time in the Heyneke Meyer era after missing out to Jaco Taute - a much bigger player - in recent Tests.
The perception that coach Meyer only prefers big players also doesn't bother the Western Province star, who dazzled with his game-changing try in the Currie Cup final against the Sharks in Durban.
"It wasn't frustrating to be on the periphery of the team because I always knew where I stood with Heyneke. For me it's just important to work hard, because if you want to keep playing for the Boks, you have to make sure you possess all the qualities a coach looks for."
The Test at Murrayfield kicks off at 16:30 (SA time) on Saturday.
Teams:
Scotland:
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Nick de Luca, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Greig Laidlaw, 9 Mike Blair, 8 David Denton, 7 Kelly Brown (captain), 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Ryan Grant
Substitutes: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Kyle Traynor, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Alastair Kellock, 20 John Barclay, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Peter Murchie
South Africa:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp
Substitutes: 16. Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Lwazi Mvovo
Many pundits have questioned the 1.75m and 85kg centre's size for international rugby but the 24-year-old is eager to prove his critics wrong.
"Everyone has an opinion, but this week I have a chance to prove something to people who think I am too small," he told the Beeld website.
"You get opportunities in life and this one is huge. I have to be at my best prove all the people who believe I shouldn't be there, wrong."
De Jongh will on Saturday start a Test for the first time in the Heyneke Meyer era after missing out to Jaco Taute - a much bigger player - in recent Tests.
The perception that coach Meyer only prefers big players also doesn't bother the Western Province star, who dazzled with his game-changing try in the Currie Cup final against the Sharks in Durban.
"It wasn't frustrating to be on the periphery of the team because I always knew where I stood with Heyneke. For me it's just important to work hard, because if you want to keep playing for the Boks, you have to make sure you possess all the qualities a coach looks for."
The Test at Murrayfield kicks off at 16:30 (SA time) on Saturday.
Teams:
Scotland:
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Nick de Luca, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Greig Laidlaw, 9 Mike Blair, 8 David Denton, 7 Kelly Brown (captain), 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Ryan Grant
Substitutes: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Kyle Traynor, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Alastair Kellock, 20 John Barclay, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Peter Murchie
South Africa:
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp
Substitutes: 16. Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Jaco Taute, 23 Lwazi Mvovo
