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Sydney - South Africa lock Danie Rossouw has vehemently rejected suggestions he and his team-mates are part of a second-string Springbok side in Australia for the Tri-Nations series opener.
South Africa has left more than 20 regular internationals at home while others traveled to take on the Wallabies on Saturday, preferring to give many players a rest with the Rugby World Cup beckoning in September.
"This second string stuff, I'm not listening to that stuff. It's a Springbok team and if you get picked for a Springbok team, you give your best," Rossouw said on Thursday.
Rossouw, a powerful, 45-Test veteran, said "it's not nice to be called the second-string team" and added "we've got the best 22 for this game and that's how it is."
Despite fielding three Test newcomers against the Wallabies, and nine players with 10 caps or less, South Africa has also included experienced players like Rossouw, captain John Smit - who will play his 103rd Test -and centre Wynand Olivier.
Rossouw and injured lock Bakkies Botha are the only Springboks to have won a Rugby World Cup, Tri-Nations, Lions series, Super Rugby title and the domestic Currie Cup.
"There is a lot of quality in this Springboks side," Olivier said. "As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as a B side or a second-string side, or whatever"
Australia will have plenty of motivation Saturday after relinquishing its No 2 ranking to South Africa following Sunday's embarrassing 32-23 loss to Samoa.
At the same time, the South Africans are drawing confidence from Samoa's shock win.
"In years to come, they're going to say Samoa beat Australia. They're not going to ask what the Australian side was like," Olivier said.
"So Samoa beat them, and for us, we're the Springboks and we've come here to win the game and put up a challenge. The guys are mentally up for this."
Alistair Hargreaves was on Thursday promoted to South Africa's starting XV as a replacement for lock Johann Muller, who has a hamstring strain.
Hargreaves' spot on the bench taken by his Sharks team-mate Ryan Kankowski.
