Boks against 'B' Blacks

Centre Jean de Villiers is in the South African team to play New Zealand in Pretoria on Saturday but the Springboks were hit with another serious injury blow on Wednesday.

Loose forward Juan Smith, who has been in excellent form this season and was named in the team to play South Africa's first home Tri-nations match of the season on Saturday, injured a left thigh muscle in practice on Wednesday.

"I'm not sure at all whether Juan will be able to play, he's gone off to get his injury checked and I'll know nothing until he gets back," Springbok coach Jake White told reporters at the team announcement.

"The injury is to his left quadriceps, so it is totally unrelated to the hamstring twinge he had earlier in the week in his right leg.

"Juan has been one of the stars of the season and was a form player in the Super 14, too. He's creeping up to 30 test caps and he was playing under-21 rugby only three years ago. He's definitely needed in the team."

White said losing Smith on top of the long-term injuries to fellow forwards Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger and Gurthro Steenkamp meant the selected side was "like a South African B team".

LONG LIST

De Villiers, who has 21 caps and is the first-choice inside centre, was one of several players on a formidable injury list who missed the overseas leg of the Tri-nations due to bruised ribs he sustained against Scotland in Durban in June.

The 25-year-old replaces Wynand Olivier, who drops to the bench alongside returning flyhalf Andre Pretorius and the uncapped scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar.

White said he did not believe the Springboks would be up against a second-string All Blacks side, despite the visitors making 12 changes to the team that won the Tri-nations with their 34-27 win over the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday.

"I'm sure the guys who are playing will up their game because they would have been told that if they want to stay a part of the All Blacks then they're going to have to show they can play at the next level," White said.

New Zealand have not won in South Africa since 2003, when they hammered the Springboks 52-16 in Pretoria.

Team: 15-Percy Montgomery; 14-Akona Ndungane, 13-Jaque Fourie, 12-Jean de Villiers, 11-Bryan Habana; 10-Butch James, 9-Fourie du Preez; 8-Jacques Cronje, 7-Juan Smith, 6-Solly Tyibilika, 5-Victor Matfield, 4-Johann Muller, 3-CJ van der Linde, 2-John Smit (captain), 1- Os du Randt

Replacements: Wynand Olivier, Andre Pretorius, Ruan Pienaar, Joe van Niekerk, Albert van den Berg, Chiliboy Ralepelle, BJ Botha.