South African Rugby
Burger out of first Lions Test
Scrum.com
June 16, 2009

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has named his side to face the British & Irish Lions in the first Test in Durban on Saturday - and there is no place for injured openside flanker and former IRB World Player of the Year Schalk Burger.

Burger has been ruled out with a calf injury, meaning that late call-up Heinrich Brussow will step in to a back-row also containing No.8 Pierre Spies and experienced blindside Juan Smith. Brussow has already faced the Lions on this tour, starring for the Cheetahs in a narrow loss in Bloemfontein. He will win his second cap at Kings Park, after making his debut as a replacement against England last November.

John Smit leads the Springboks, and starts at tight-head alongside Bismarck du Plessis and Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira.

Francois Steyn, who started in the Springboks' 2007 World Cup final victory at inside-centre, has been chosen to fill the problem fullback position after regular starter Conrad Jantjes was ruled out with a broken leg. Ruan Pienaar has seen off competition from the Super 14's form fly-half Morne Steyn and starts alongside Fourie du Preez at half-back.

Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha are present and correct in the second-row, while there are also starts for the regular centre pairing of Jean de Villiers and Adi Jacobs and wingers JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana.

The Lions play their final warm-up game against the Southern Kings on Tuesday afternoon before naming their Test side on Thursday.

South Africa: F Steyn (Sharks); JP Pietersen (Sharks), A Jacobs (Sharks), J de Villiers (Stormers), B Habana (Bulls); R Pienaar (Sharks), F du Preez (Bulls); T Mtawarira (Sharks), B du Plessis (Sharks), J Smit (Sharks), B Botha (Bulls), V Matfield (Bulls), H Brussow (Cheetahs), J Smith (Cheetahs), P Spies (Bulls)

Replacements: G Steenkamp (Bulls), D Carstens (Sharks), A Bekker (Stormers), D Rossouw (Bulls), E Januarie (Stormers), J Fourie (Lions), M Steyn (Bulls)

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