South Africa captain Corne Krige will miss his team's opening World Cup pool C game against Uruguay after suffering a mild hamstring strain, coach Rudolf Straeuli said today.
Announcing his team for the match at Subiaco Oval, Straeuli said scrumhalf Joost Van der Westhuizen, captain at the last World Cup, would replace the flanker as skipper.
"We had a run out last night and Corne felt the twinge in his hamstring," Straeuli said. "But it is not serious and he would have played if it was a bigger match and will definitely be ready for next week [against England].
"It is a setback in terms of preparation but Joe van Niekerk can play at six or seven so we have plenty of flexibility."
Van Niekerk will wear the number six, usually the openside flanker in South African rugby, with Danie Rossouw coming in for his international debut on the blind side, wearing number seven.
Hendro Scholtz, normally back-up to Krige, was named among the replacements.
The coach also handed a debut to Jaque Fourie who links up with tough-tackling De Wet Barry in the centres.
Team:15-Werner Greeff; 14-Ashwin Willemse, 13-Jaque Fourie, 12-De Wet Barry, 11-Thinus Delport; 10-Louis Koen, 9-Joost Van der Westhuizen (captain), 8-Juan Smith, 7-Danie Rossouw, 6-Joe van Niekerk, 5-Victor Matfield, 4-Bakkies Botha, 3-Richard Bands, 2-Danie Coetzee, 1-Lawrence Sephaka.
Replacements:16-John Smit, 17-Faan Rautenbach, 18-Selborne Boome, 19-Hendro Scholtz, 20-Neil de Kock, 21-Derick Hougaard, 22-Ricardo Loubscher.