Boks end Smit experiment

Smit: Restored to hooker

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South Africa captain John Smit will return to his usual position in the number two jersey for the Test against Ireland at Croke Park.

The 31-year-old, who is rugby's longest serving Test captain with 66 appearances in the leading role, was named at prop for the previous autumn matches but will be back at hooker on Saturday after France and Italy demolished the Springbok scrum to expose his shortcoming at tighthead.

South Africa reshuffled their front row in the second half against Italy last weekend, switching Smit and bringing on props Tendai Mtawarira and BJ Botha, and the same trio are set to feature in the starting XV for the Ireland clash.

Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has made six changes in total, two positional, to the team that secured a 32-10 victory over Italy.

Wian du Preez and Adriaan Strauss have been dropped in favour of Mtawarira and Ulster prop BJ Botha, while Andries Bekker is replaced at lock by Victor Matfield.

Comeback

Schalk Burger, who was issued an eight-week ban for eye-gouging Ireland winger Luke Fitzgerald during the British and Irish Lions summer tour, makes his comeback to replace Danie Rossouw at openside flanker, with the Bulls forward switching to number eight.

The only alteration to the back-line sees Wynand Olivier replacing Adrian Jacobs at inside centre.

Two other Irish-based players line up alongside BJ Botha, with Munster centre Jean de Villiers and Leinster prop CJ van der Linde also featuring.

De Villiers joined the Springbok camp to stand in for Jacobs, who is sidelined with an ankle problem.

Scrum-half Fourie du Preez will also appear after recovering from a hand injury.

South Africa: Z Kirchner (Blue Bulls), J Pietersen (Sharks), J Fourie (Lions), W Olivier (Blue Bulls), B Habana (Blue Bulls), M Steyn (Blue Bulls), F du Preez (Blue Bulls), T Mtawarira (Sharks), J Smit (Sharks, captain), BJ Botha (Ulster), B Botha (Blue Bulls), V Matfield (Blue Bulls), H Brussow (Cheetahs), S Burger (Western Province), D Rossouw (Blue Bulls).

Replacements: B du Plessis (Sharks), CJ van der Linde (Leinster), A Bekker (Western Province), J Deysel (Sharks), D Potgieter (Blue Bulls), R Pienaar (Sharks), J de Villiers (Munster).