One of the stars of South Africa’s recent triumph over the Lions is set to feature for his country against Leicester Tigers this Friday.
The Springboks take on the Guinness Premiership Champions at Welford Road in their first match of their European tour, although 15 of their tour squad will not be traveling to England.
Springbok head coach Peter de Villiers has chosen his matchday squad for the game in East Midlands and has allowed what appears to be his first-choice XV to stay at home in South Africa for a further week in order to prepare for the clash with France on November 13.
Among those making the trip to Leicester tomorrow is Cheetahs flanker Heinrich Brussow.
The 22-year-old openside emerged as one of the star performers during the 2-1 series victory over Britain and Ireland’s elite.
And the decision to select Brussow for this weekend’s fixture has been greeted with surprise in South Africa, with De Villiers appearing to favour a back row of Schalk Burger, Ryan Kankowski and Pierre Spies for the French Test in Toulouse.
However, Spies was this morning ruled out of the end-of-year tour with a finger injury, meaning Brussow could yet be promoted to the likely starting XV.
De Villiers has called up Sharks back row Jean Deysel to his tour party but Brussow would now appear the favourite to succeed Spies, with Kankowski moving to No8.
Also traveling to Leicester will be the mercurial Ruan Pienaar – the man who started the series against the Lions in the fly-half position.
Pienaar appeared to be one of de Villiers’ favoured players but the Sharks star has since lost out to Bulls pivot Morne Steyn after the latter kicked the Boks to victory against Ian McGeechan’s tourists in Pretoria on June 27.
Springbok squad to face Leicester Tigers
Earl Rose; Odwa Ndungane, Juan de Jongh, Wynand Olivier, Jongi Nokwe; Ruan Pienaar, Heini Adams; Gurthro Steenkamp, Chiliboy Ralepelle (captain), Jannie du Plessis, Danie Rossouw; Andries Bekker, Heinrich Brussow; Dewald Potgieter, Ashley Johnson
Replacements: Bandise Maku, Heinke van der Merwe, Alistair Hargreaves, Davon Raubenheimer, Francois Hougaard, Meyer Bosman, Riaan Viljoen
Players not traveling to Europe until November 10
Beast Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, John Smit, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Ryan Kankowski, Fourie du Preez, Morne Steyn, Bryan Habana, Adi Jacobs, Jaque Fourie, JP Pietersen, Zane Kirchner
Added to squad
Jean Deysel
Springbok Tour Fixtures
Nov 6 vs Leicester Tigers at Welford Road, kick off 7.45pm
Nov 13 vs France at Municipal Stadium, Toulouse
Nov 17 vs Saracens at Wembley Stadium, kick-off 7.45pm
Nov 21 vs Italy at Stadio Friuli, Udine
Nov 28 vs Ireland at Croke Park, kick off 2.30pm
