S Africa v Italy: Teams

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has made six changes to the side that beat Wales for Saturday's one-off Test against Italy in Cape Town.

Winger Odwa Ndungane is set to link up with his brother Akona as the pair become the 32nd set of brothers to play for the Boks after he was included on the right wing.

At centre Gcobani Bobo is in for Adrian Jacobs while Frans Steyn takes over from Butch James at fly-half.

Number eight Ryan Kankowski gets his first start of the year in replacing Pierre Spies, while CJ van der Linde gets a recall at tighthead ahead of BJ Botha.

Finally, in regular captain John Smit's absence, hooking duties have been handed to Bismarck du Plessis. The team will be captained by Victor Matfield.

On the bench Schalk Brits looks set to win his first cap, while Schalk Burger returns from injury and there are recalls for Peter Grant and Joe van Niekerk.

The match will be South Africa's last before departing to New Zealand to kick-off the 2008 edition of the Tri-Nations competition.

Youthful Azzurri

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named two new inside backs in his starting line up for the Newlands Stadium clash with the world champions.

Calvisano's Luke McLean and Gonzalo Garcia will combine at fly-half and inside centre while Viadana prop Ignacio Rouyet and Cariparma wing Riccardo Pavan have been named among the replacements.

"It's not ideal for a young Italian development side to play the world champions," Mallett admitted.

"But the challenge is to make sure that whatever happens, however many tries get scored, that the team puts that try behind them and play as hard as they can for the next 10 minutes. If we have enough players who do that I'll be proud."

The former South Africa coach said he had to be realistic: "If you're coaching South Africa and you don't win the World Cup, it's a disappointment. But if you're coaching a weaker team, your objectives are different," he said.

"You want to make your team a team that is respected and a team that can, on a good day, pull off a win against one of the better sides.

Italy have lost seven of their top eight props through injury while captain Sergio Parisse and centres Mirco Bergamasco and Gonzalo Canale are still involved with their French clubs.

South Africa have won each of their six tests against the Italians. The Springboks won the last encounter 54-26 in Genoa in 2001.

South Africa: Conrad Jantjes; Odwa Ndungane, Gcobani Bobo, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Frans Steyn, Ricky Januarie; Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, CJ van der Linde, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Luke Watson, Juan Smith, Ryan Kankowski.
Replacements: Schalk Brits, Brian Mujati, Andries Bekker, Joe van Niekerk, Schalk Burger, Peter Grant, Ruan Pienaar.

Italy: Andrea Marcato; Kaine Robertson, Andrea Masi, Gonzalo Garcia, Matteo Pratichetti; Luke McLean, Simon Picone; Josh Sole, Robert Barbieri, Alessandro Zanni; Carlo del Fava, Santiago DellapF, Carlos Nieto, Leonardo Ghiraldini (capt), Michele Rizzo.
Replacements: Fabio Ongaro, Ignacio Rouyet, Jaco Erasmus, Tommaso Reato, Pablo Canavosio, Enrico Patrizio, Riccardo Pavan.