Oupa Mohoje is set to start at blindside flank for the Springboks against the Wallabies this Saturday. JON CARDINELLI reports.

Schalk Burger is back with the Boks, but his role could be limited to that of an impact player off the bench.

As reported earlier in the week, Mohoje is expected to start at No 7. The Cheetahs flanker ran with the de facto starting side during a training session at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. The starting team will only be confirmed on Wednesday, but it’s expected that Mohoje will form part of a back row that includes Marcell Coetzee and Duane Vermeulen.

The loss of Francois Louw to injury has necessitated a change to the loose-trio combination. Coetzee will move from blindside to openside, and Mohoje is the favourite to slot in at blindside.

Burger and JP Pietersen only recently joined the squad, having missed the first four games of the Rugby Championship due to club commitments in Japan. Like Burger, Pietersen could feature from the bench against the Wallabies at Newlands.

The only change to the backline will be at scrumhalf, with Francois Hougaard replacing the injured Ruan Pienaar. Cobus Reinach will provide scrumhalf cover from the bench, and will win his first Test cap if he gets onto the field.

Probable Springboks – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.

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