PDV and his assistants have named their Springbok team to face France in a one of match at Newlands this Saturday, 12 June. A number if returning/first choice Springboks have been drafted into the squad after being rested this past weekend, when the Springboks beat Wales 34 – 31 at millenium Stadium, in Cardif

The team announcement sees the return of experienced Springboks: Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morné Steyn, Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger and Gurthrö Steenkamp.

Jean de Villiers, who missed the Welsh Test because of injury, has been included on the bench, alongside Flip van der Merwe, who will be making his Bok debut should he take to the field.

The inclusion of Flip van der Merwe is due reward for outstanding work during the 2010 Super 14 campaign, but again raises the issue of why Alistair Hargreaves was handed a test cap last week, and excluded this week? It just doesn’t add up.

Springboks vs France: Newlands, Cape Town, Saturday 12 June, 2010

Springbok teamsheet:

15 Zane Kirchner (5 caps)

14 Gio Aplon (1 cap)

13 Jaque Fourie (55 caps)

12 Wynand Olivier (27 caps)

11 Bryan Habana (57 caps)

10 Morné Steyn (12 caps)

9 Ricky Januarie (41 caps)

8 Pierre Spies (28 caps)

7 Francois Louw (1 cap)

6 Schalk Burger (55 caps)

5 Victor Matfield (93 caps)

4 Danie Rossouw (47 caps)

3 BJ Botha (20 caps)

2 John Smit (Capt)  (94 caps)

1 Gurthrö Steenkamp ( 22 caps )

Replacements:

16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (9 caps);  17 Jannie du Plessis (13 caps); 18 Flip van der Merwe (uncapped); 19 Dewald Potgieter (2 caps); 20 Ruan Pienaar (37 caps); 21 Juan de Jongh (1 cap); 22 Jean de Villiers (55 caps)

France teamsheet:

15 Clement Poitrenaud

14 Vincent Clerc

13 David Marty

12 Maxime Mermoz

11 Aurelien Rougerie

10 Francois Trinh-Duc

9 Morgan Parra

8 Julien Bonnaire

7 Wenceslas Lauret

6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain)

5 Romain Millo- Chluski

4 Lionel Nallet

3 Nicolas Mas

2 Dimitri Szarzewski

1 Thomas Domingo.

Replacements: 16 Guilhem Guirado; 17 Jean Baptiste Poux; 18 Julien Pierre; 19 Louis Picamoles; 20 Dimitri Yachvili; 21 David Skrela; 22 Marc Andreu; 23 Luc Ducalcon