SPRINGBOK captain Jean de Villiers will shoulder more responsibility than usual when the Boks play Argentina at Loftus on Saturday.
De Villiers, who has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of the June tests, is back at inside centre but has the weighty responsibility of baby-sitting inexperienced players either side of him.
Handre Pollard will play his second test, while Damian de Allende will reacquaint himself with the outside centre position on debut.
De Villiers's availability for his 97th test was crucial to the make-up of the backline.
His presence is reassuring for coach Heyneke Meyer who was desperate to give Pollard another crack after his debut against Scotland in Port Elizabeth.
Meyer is a long-time admirer. "Handre showed some great touches in his first test. He is only 20 years old but he is a very mature 20 years old," Meyer said yesterday.
"I saw him play as a 15-year-old boy and at U-19 at Craven Week. He has always impressed me. He has an unbelievable running game but he can also play a tactical game. Not many flyhalves can do that.
"He can knock people back in the tackle. There are no grey areas in his game."
Pollard is selected ahead of Morne Steyn, who is on the bench.
The Springbok starting XV against Argentina:
Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks, Damian de Allende, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Handre Pollard, Ruan Pienaar, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Bakkies Botha, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira.
De Villiers Bok baby-sitter
SPRINGBOK captain Jean de Villiers will shoulder more responsibility than usual when the Boks play Argentina at Loftus on Saturday.
De Villiers, who has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of the June tests, is back at inside centre but has the weighty responsibility of baby-sitting inexperienced players either side of him.
Handre Pollard will play his second test, while Damian de Allende will reacquaint himself with the outside centre position on debut.
De Villiers's availability for his 97th test was crucial to the make-up of the backline.
His presence is reassuring for coach Heyneke Meyer who was desperate to give Pollard another crack after his debut against Scotland in Port Elizabeth.
Meyer is a long-time admirer. "Handre showed some great touches in his first test. He is only 20 years old but he is a very mature 20 years old," Meyer said yesterday.
"I saw him play as a 15-year-old boy and at U-19 at Craven Week. He has always impressed me. He has an unbelievable running game but he can also play a tactical game. Not many flyhalves can do that.
"He can knock people back in the tackle. There are no grey areas in his game."
Pollard is selected ahead of Morne Steyn, who is on the bench.
The Springbok starting XV against Argentina:
Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks, Damian de Allende, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Handre Pollard, Ruan Pienaar, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Bakkies Botha, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira.
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