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Pat Lambie will start ahead of Handré Pollard at out-half this weekend. Inpho/Billy Stickland

Springbok half-backs pay the price for Irish shellacking

Handré Pollard and Francois Hougaard are two of five players dropped for England this weekend.

HEYNEKE MEYER NAMED his South Africa side to face England today and unsurprisingly he has made a raft of changes from the Springboks’ 29-15 defeat to Ireland last Saturday.

Half-backs Handré Pollard and Francois Hougaard, who both underperformed from the high standard they set in the Rugby Championship, have been replaced by Pat Lambie and Cobus Reinach respectively.

Meyer had said last week that Pat Lambie would definitely get a start on the tour but the performance of Pollard at the Aviva may have forced his hand a little sooner than he had anticipated.

JP Pietersen, who scored a late consolation try off the bench against Ireland, will start on the right wing ahead of Cornal Hendricks while Adriaan Strauss, whose sin-binning was a pivotal moment in South Africa’s loss, will start at hooker ahead of Bismarck du Plessis.

The final change sees veteran flanker Schalk Burger start at openside in place of Teboho Mohoje.

South Africa will also play Italy and Wales on their autumn tour.

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Bakkies Botha, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Cornal Hendricks.

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    Mute Leinster Fan
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    Nov 12th 2014, 12:34 PM

    Thought Hougaard had a shocker last week!

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    Mute Johnny Fitz
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    Nov 12th 2014, 1:02 PM

    To be fair he is hardly their first choice 9. I would have him as third choice when everyone is available. Pollard too for all his future superstar ability is still just a kid and you would imagine they would still turn to Steyn when the time comes….

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    Mute reg gordon
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    Nov 12th 2014, 1:13 PM

    South Africa will eviscerate England this weekend!

    Question:if we win and England lose do we jump up to 4th in world rankings?
    If Australia lose on sunday do we go third?
    Heady heights indeed

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    Mute Mack
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    Nov 12th 2014, 1:19 PM

    We’re already in 4th. We might be third by the end of the series, with luck.

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    Mute Nicholas Ring
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    Nov 12th 2014, 1:23 PM
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    Mute Nicholas Ring
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    Nov 12th 2014, 1:26 PM

    If SA hadn’t scored in the last minute we would be up to 3rd!!! Odd system

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    Mute Brian Fitzpatrick
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    Nov 12th 2014, 4:08 PM

    Our ranking (points wise) won’t be higher if we win as Georgia’s ranking is too low. If England or Australia lose then we jump one place and if they both lose we go 3rd.

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    Mute Kieran Murphy
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    Nov 12th 2014, 3:17 PM

    England will beat this SA team in Twickenham, look at the amount of veterans in the team….habana, matfield, burger…add to that no Pienaar, Morne or Francois Steyn.England will have more intensity than SA will be able to handle!

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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Nov 12th 2014, 7:01 PM

    Not sure why you’re getting so many red thumbs. I reckon England will stuff them too.

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    Mute Christiaan Theron
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    Nov 12th 2014, 7:25 PM

    Agree, think it will be close but expect Lancaster and Farrell will be well prepared.

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