With the Rugby World Cup less than a year to kick-off, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer will use Saturday’s game against Australia to see whether he has sufficient back-up in his squad, especially at scrumhalf.
Francois Hougaard, 26, was named in the starting line-up for Saturday's clash against the Wallabies in Cape Town after injuries to Fourie du Preez and Ruan Pienaar.
The latter was a replacement for injured 32 year-old du Preez, who has been South Africa’s first choice number nine for nearly a decade now.
The debate with Hougaard will always be whether he is a better player at scrumhalf or at wing. He did not have the best of starts to the season in this position and his teammate at the Blue Bulls Piet van Zyl wore the number nine jersey.
On the bench will be 24 year-old Sharks scrumhalf Cobus Reinach.
The Newlands game against the Wallabies will present an opportunity for Reinach, who is yet to earn a cap.
Reinach had a splendid Super Rugby season with the Durban team and must be eager to prove it to Meyer that he is good enough to compete at international level.
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