Juan de Jongh will make his South Africa debut against Wales on Saturday after World Cup winning five-eighth Butch James was refused permission to play in the Cardiff clash.
James had been due to start at inside centre, but his English club Bath are not obliged to release players for a match that falls outside the recognised International Rugby Board June playing window.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) had hoped to secure his release but their request was rejected by Premier Rugby.
The ruling has upset SARU, whose president Oregan Hoskins was left further infuriated after Saracens hooker Schalk Brits was allowed by his club to play for the Barbarians this weekend.
“SARU, Bath and Butch were all keen to see Butch play but the rule has been strictly enforced,” he said.
“What’s particularly frustrating is that Schalk Brits has just played 33 matches for Saracens and can be released to play for the Barbarians against Ireland this weekend, whereas Butch has played barely a dozen matches this season and he can’t play against Wales.”
Stormers centre De Jongh, who has helped his club reach the Super 14 final, will now line-up alongside Jaque Fourie in midfield after Springbok coach Peter de Villiers finalised his 22 players for the Millennium Stadium fixture.
“This is almost unbelievable, but it’s an exciting moment for me too,” De Jongh said.
“I feel for Butch, but I must now focus on what the team needs from me on Saturday.
“It’s good to be playing with experienced players like Ruan and Jaque and my experience playing with Jaque in the Super 14 will also be a great help.”
De Villiers added: “This is a great opportunity for Juan, who has had a fantastic Super 14 season.
“He is a talented player who has held his own in a very tough environment and I have faith in his abilities to make the step up.”
De Jongh is one of three uncapped players in the starting XV – the other two are his Stormers team-mates winger Gio Aplon and flanker Francois Louw.
Altus Momberg
Guest
Isn't it ironic that De Jongh, who scored the crucial try, was only in the team because of the Butch James fiasco. Thanks Premier rugby!
nicksa
Guest
i would say less than average
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Ah Wales, so average.
Mr Saunders
Roar Guru
I agree, James probably is a better scrummager than Jenkins, and he will be propping with his regional colleague. We shall soon see, not too long to go now. I'm actually quite looking forward to the game, especially after the dross that was Australia v Fiji.
Colin N
Guest
Don't get me wrong, James isn't a world beater but I feel he has improved quite a lot this season and is a better scrummager than Jenkins and I feel he'll hold up his end. The Welsh won't dominate this area, but I don't think South Africa will dominate that area like you say they will. I will hold up my hands if you are correct though.
Mr Saunders
Roar Guru
'I think South Africa will dominate the line-out but I very much doubt they’ll do the same in the scrum. I’ve been impressed with Paul James this season in the scrum and I feel Bradley Davies adds a bit of ballast to the second-row in comparison to the fairly lightweight Roussow and Matfield partnership.' Colin, I read a comment from Rory Best regarding the recent Ireland v SA test. He said that Smit's added bulk meant that his presence as a hooker rather than a prop was immense, and that he'd never felt such pressure. IMHO Paul James is a very ordinary prop, and we didn't exactly see any fireworks from the Welsh scrum during the 6N. I think Adam Jones is very, very good, but I think that the SA front row will be too buky (despite Van der Linde's inadequacies).
nicksa
Guest
Pdv is doing the right thing, he needs to test some of these players! this is preparation for the world cup! a couple of losses here and there is fine as long as the sqaud is at full strength come wc time.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
You're not really using the NH schedule as a defence are you? Since 2008 the number of season ending injuries for Test players has risen dramatically.
Peter K
Guest
OJ - The NH play a lot more games we can harldy bleat about busy calendars. These injuries have all come about in the S14 so in 15 games. None of them seem to be repetative wear and tear injuries so it makes it hard to blame a busy test year in 2009. That is nothing to all the games and comps in the north.
Peter K
Guest
That backline is too white, it will never be picked.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
It's too bad they can't do it in the offseason.
Brett McKay
Guest
and OJ, I suspect we'll see more players with season-enders this year with the RWC not 18 months away now. Anyone needing to get anything done surgicly (new word?) will want it out of the way to ensure a full lead-in for next September...
Suzy Poison
Guest
I think Juan De Jong is a better all round player and defender than Butch "No arms" James anyway. I have a feeling that he will go on to become one of the greats, he has step just like Giteau, and like Giteau, punches above his weight when it comes to defence. Butch is actually a crap defender, he usually tries to take the players head off and misses the tackle. De Jong and Jacque Fourie were together, a key feature in the Stormers stingy defence in this year's Super 14. The tight five looks very solid, but I am worried about the balance in the loose forwards. At least Ricky has played a lot in Wales, so he will feel comfortable. The Boks are without doubt underdogs, you would expect Wales to win. However I think the Boks may cause an upset. There are a couple of desperate players, who want to earn a world cup place in the team.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
The injury situation this year is ridiculous. It's about time that SANZAR took notice of what these playing calendars are doing.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Wales loom as a potential banana skin here but outside of the fatigure factor the combos look better now than in the original lineup. frontrow is very solid and powerful. Smit is also a very accurate hooker at lineouts and has worked extensively with Victor second row is very very experienced if lacking the dynamic athleticism of the previous combo backrow has plenty of ability Ricky will need to come to the party. If it goes pear then Pienaar to 9 and Bosman to 10 the centres are a settled combo the sum of which is greater than the previous lineups parts Back 3 is also pretty solid The interesting thing will be to see how the bench is utilised as PdV plays with his combos. Either way too strong in the pack for the Welsh who without Williams providing the spark will struggle for midfield penetration with the Stormers pair. Boks by 15
Go_the_Wannabe's
Guest
All sounds a bit familiar.....similar story concerning injuries with the Wannabe's and the NZers. I don't think the human body has evolved enough yet to sustain the high speed impacts in modern rugby. I guess the answer is to add more and more cattle to the squads until there's virtually A and B, if not a C team in the wings. Until evolution catches up of course, then it's back to just the A team.
Who Needs Melon
Guest
Jeez I dunno. These Southern Hemisphere sides sending understrength teams. Tsk tsk tsk... Seriously though: Ordinarily I would back South Africa to beat just about anyone in the world at the moment but a few stars seem to be aligning against them for this one. The players will of course say they are 'up' for this match - as all players always do before a game - but after the mental highs/lows of the Super comp, the travel, injuries, start of the season and various other things... Wales should be sniffing a real opportunity here. Mind you a loss to Wales won't be the worst thing for SA at the moment. They'll know this is the start of their international season and that they'll only get better as their international season warms up.
King of the Gorganites
Guest
great news about jim lstrange leaving the tahs. time to get that place in order.
Colin N
Guest
I see what you are saying, but Rees is an erratic thrower (although it was pretty good on the Lions tour) and with Wyn-Jones on the bench, I don't see Wales having a particular outlet. I suppose they have Ryan Jones and Jonathan Thomas who are both athletic jumpers but it's traditionally been a Welsh failing over the years. On the South African side, Smit's a pretty reliable thrower, and from what I remember the Bulls lineout was fairly solid in the Super 14 with Roussow and Matfield there. Re: the scrum, it's interesting how much of a difference Smit made to the scrum against Ireland in November, even though the Irish front-row isn't particularly strong.
Lee
Guest
Just as long as PDV doesn't start Januarie at 9, I wil be happy.