White rings the changes

Springbok coach Jake White has made seven changes to his team for the Test against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday with prop Gurthro Steenkamp and flanker Solly Tyibilika set to make their debuts for the side.

Steenkamp, a 117 kg giant from the Free State Cheetahs, replaces veteran loosehead prop Os Du Randt in the side, while his Cheetahs team-mate CJ van der Linde starts ahead of Eddie Andrews at tighthead.

Du Randt has been named on the bench for the match, while Andrews has been given a rest against the Scots.

Tyibilika will start his first game for the Boks in the No.6 jersey in place of South Africa's Player of the Year, Schalk Burger, with the latter also being given a well-deserved rest on what has been a physically gruelling and disappointing tour for the 22-year-old.

The final change in the forwards sees hard-running flanker Danie Rossouw, who was impressive when he came on as a second-half replacement against England last week, replace AJ Venter with the latter dropping out of the squad.

In the backline Bryan Habana and Jaque Fourie start on the wings ahead of Jean de Villiers, who is out injured, and Breyton Paulse with the latter also rested for the Murrayfield encounter.

The final change in the team sees Wayne Julies start at inside centre alongside Marius Joubert with De Wet Barry, who has been largely out of sorts on tour, also dropping out of the match-day 22.

On the bench Danie Coetzee moves ahead of Hanyani Shimange in the pecking order for the No.2 jersey, while Jaques Cronjé and Gcobani Bobo are also set for their first game on the tour to date.

"I'd like to keep the same side every Saturday," said White of the changes, "but I think the fatigue is starting to take it's toll now.

"The physio room is the most active place on this tour. I have to make the changes, theres bumps and bruises some players have had for four weeks now that are just not clearing up."

And the Bok coach stressed that the changes are not as drastic as they seemed, with Fourie and Julies both having played in the team earlier in the year, while Steenkamp had played under him at Under-21 level.

"It's a good opportunity for all these players to prove themselves. It's an opportunity for us to look at the next best, and an opportunity for them if they want to be in the mix till 2007," he added in reference to the World Cup in France.

South Africa: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Jaque Fourie, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 Wayne Julies, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Solly Tyibilika, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 John Smit (capt), 1 Gürthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Danie Coetzee, 17 Os du Randt, 18 Gerrie Britz, 19 Jacques Cronjé, 20 Michael Claassens, 21 Gcobani Bobo, 22 Gaffie du Toit.

Kick-off: 14.45 GMT