JP Pietersen has been called up to the Springbok squad for the remainder of the Rugby Championship in place of the injured Ruan Pienaar.

Pietersen, who featured at outside centre for the Boks in June, will join up with the squad next Sunday as they prepare for the home Tests against Australia and New Zealand.

Pienaar suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury during Saturday's 14-10 defeat to the All Blacks and has subsequently been ruled out for the remainder of the competition.

Pietersen has been playing in Japan since the conclusion of the Super Rugby season, but was always set to become available for the home Tests.

'JP has always been part of our plans and did very well in June playing at outside centre,' said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer following the announcement. 'We’ve got two scrumhalves in the squad in Francois Hougaard and Cobus Reinach and decided it would be better to bring in an outside back such as JP, who covers wing and outside centre.'

Meanwhile, Pienaar will go for scans on Monday to determine the extent of his knee injury. Regular scrumhalf Fourie du Preez was ruled out for the duration of the tournament after suffering an ankle injury in the Test against Scotland in June.

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