Burger back for Boks to face Wallabies

South Africa have selected veteran flanker Schalk Burger out of position at No.8 for their Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies on Saturday night.

Burger is the only change to the Springboks’ starting side which thrashed a World XV 46-10 on the weekend.

Coach Heyneke Meyer felt in the absence of regular No.8 Duane Vermeulen who has a neck injury, veteran Burger was best suited to the back of the scrum in a highly mobile back-row designed to negate David Pocock and Michael Hooper.

Springboks: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Bryan Habana, Handre Pollard, Ruan Pienaar, Schalk Burger, Marcell Coetzee, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield (capt), Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Heinke van der Merwe, Frans Malherbe, Lood de Jager, Oupa Mohoje, Cobus Reinach, Pat Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo.

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