De Villiers returns from injury to captain Springboks against Argentina
Youngsters Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende and Lood de Jager given a start by coach Heyneke Meyer in Rugby Championship opener
Jean de Villiers returns to captain South Africa for their Rugby Championship opener against Argentina this weekend while youngsters Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende and Lood de Jager are all given a start by coach Heyneke Meyer.
De Villiers will captain from inside centre after missing the June tests against Wales and Scotland through injury, meaning De Allende will make his test debut in the unfamiliar outside centre position.
De Allende has made his Super Rugby appearances at No 12 or wing but was picked by Meyer on Wednesday to start against Argentina after also missing the mid-year tests with injury.
Young fly-half Pollard was at No 10 for his second test in a swift ascension to the senior team after leading South Africa Under-20s to the Junior World Cup final in June. The 20-year-old Pollard was preferred by Meyer over 56-test veteran Morne Steyn, who is on the bench.
Lock De Jager is the third young player to get his chance, and replaces veteran Victor Matfield in the second row. Matfield was ruled out against Argentina at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday with a knee problem. Veteran lock Bakkies Botha will start alongside De Jager.