Heyneke Meyer has dug his heels in and persisted with selecting the out-of-form Morné Steyn. Francois Louw of Bath starts ahead of Marcell Coetzee who is relegated to the bench. Flip ‘Yellow card’ van der Merwe gets a rare start following the suspension of Eben ‘Ysterbeth’.
Jannie du Plessis is named in the starting team despite a hamstring injury and may be forced to pull out at the last minute. Meyer again favours the one-dimensional Zane ‘Sideshow Bob’ Kirchner at full back ahead of Patrick ‘Splinters’ Lambie.
Expect the usual ‘skop-en-jag/stampkar’ game plan, kicking away possession and in the end a huge defeat for the hapless Boks. New Zealand by 30.
Springbok team
15. Zane Kirchner (Blue Bulls)
14. Bryan Habana (Western Province)
13. Jean de Villiers (captain, Western Province)
12. Frans Steyn (Sharks)
11. Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls)
10. Morné Steyn (Blue Bulls)
09. Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland)
08. Duane Vermeulen (Stormers)
07. Willem Alberts (Sharks)
06. Francois Louw (Bath)
05. Flip van der Merwe (Blue Bulls)
04. Juandré Kruger (Blue Bulls)
03. Jannie du Plessis (Sharks)
02. Adriaan Strauss (vice-captain, FS Cheetahs)
01. Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks)
Replacements
16. Tiaan Liebenberg (Western Province)
17. Dean Greyling (Blue Bulls)
18. Andries Bekker (Stormers)
19. Marcell Coetzee (Sharks)
20. Johan Goosen (Free State)
21. Juan de Jongh (Stormers)
22. Pat Lambie (Sharks)
New Zealand – 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Brodie Retallick, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Aaron Smith, 21 Beauden Barrett, 22 Tamati Ellison
How does a out-of-form player get the Man-Of-The-Match award??? I wish all these cpt wannabe journalists stop copying keo.. lets presure HM into submission… who will then coach the boks? Allister??? Nick????? Naka???? Rassie??? Brendon???? And if they fail??? Is he not selecting enough stormers already??? PdV wanted Earl… Goosen will start sooner that later, but not now give him a few more games…