'I'm here on merit'

"I've been selected on merit," said flank Teboho "Oupa" Mohoje yesterday, after being named in the starting XV for the Springboks against Australia in the Rugby Championship clash at Newlands on Saturday.

The match will be the 24-year-old's second Test cap after he made his debut off the bench against Scotland in June.

Mohoje's selection has been overshadowed after weeks of questioning from politicians, the media and fans as to why coach Heyneke Meyer was overlooking the callow backrower.

Lions No 8 Warren Whiteley and veteran Juan Smith, who weren't originally in the Bok squad, were brought in when Willem Alberts suffered a back injury and they immediately leap-frogged Mohoje.

But there were sound rugby reasons for that, as Whiteley covered No 8 - a position that Mohoje is not comfortable with - and Smith experienced a tough environment when the team travelled to Salta to face the Pumas.

The upshot is that Mohoje's non-selection became a political issue and now that he has been included, he has had to defend his selection.

"I was selected on merit, the coach told me that I'm here on merit," Mohoje said.

"I know there has been talk about my selection but I don't let it get to me and I don't let it get into my head. Selection is the coach's choice and all you can do is stay positive. If I think that earlier this year I was playing Varsity Cup and now I'm starting for the Springboks, I've come a long way."

Mohoje is match-shy, having last played for the Cheetahs 10 weeks ago in a Super rugby contest at Ellis Park against the Lions.

He's also played only 11 first-class games and started only five games as a professional.