Vermeulen given time as Du Plessis gets start

01 October 2014 - 14:10 By Sapa
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Bismarck du Plessis of South Africa during The Castle Rugby Championship match between South Africa and Australia at DHL Newlands on September 27, 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Bismarck du Plessis of South Africa during The Castle Rugby Championship match between South Africa and Australia at DHL Newlands on September 27, 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Springbok number eight Duane Vermeulen will be given as much time as possible to recover from injury, while Bismarck du Plessis will start Saturday's final round Rugby Championship Test against New Zealand at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

The match will be Springbok captain Jean de Villiers' 50th appearance in the Rugby Championship, the most by any South African.

Vermeulen is recovering from a rib cartilage injury and if he does not recover in time to face New Zealand, Schalk Burger will start in the number eight jersey with Warren Whiteley coming onto the bench.

If Vermeulen is cleared to play, the inclusion of Du Plessis at hooker will be the only change to the team that beat Australia by 28-10 in Cape Town last weekend.

Springbok team: Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks, Jan Serfontein, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Handré Pollard, Francois Hougaard, Duane Vermeulen / Schalk Burger, Teboho Mohoje, Marcell Coetzee, Victor Matfield, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Marcel van der Merwe, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger / Warren Whiteley, Cobus Reinach, Pat Lambie, JP Pietersen

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