Meyer stands by South Africa side for USA clash

South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer stuck with the bulk of his side for their final World Cup Pool B match against the United States at London's Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.

Meyer made just two,injury-enforced changes, to the team that beat Scotland 34-16 in Newcastle last weekend.

Lwazi Mvovo takes over from JP Pietersen, with Bryan Habana moving across to the right wing.

In the pack, prop Frans Malherbe replaces Jannie du Plessis.

Pietersen and du Plessis have knee injuries.

Lock Victor Matfield remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the Scotland game.

Replacement scrum-half Rudy Paige could make his Springbok and World Cup debut if he comes off the bench.

The 1995 and 2007 world champions have bounced back from their shock 34-32 loss to Japan in their opening group game with wins over Samoa (46-6) and Scotland.

The Springboks now top their group and are on course for a quarter-final with the losers of this weekend's Pool A match between Australia and Wales.
South Africa will be up against a much-changed US side but Meyer said he was taking nothing for granted.

"Wednesday’s match against a much-improved USA team is a must-win for us if we want to progress to the quarter-finals which is one of the reasons why we decided to go with continuity,” Meyer said Monday at the team hotel.

"We also have a number of players who returned to action from injuries recently and it’s important to give them game-time against an opponent who will physically challenge us this week."

Meyer added: "The performances against Samoa and Scotland were satisfactory, but we will have to make another step up against the USA.”

South Africa (15-1)

Willie le Roux; Bryan Habana, Jesse Kriel, Damien de Allende, Lwazi Mvovo; Handre Pollard, Fourie du Preez (capt); Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Francois Louw; Lodewyk de Jager, Eben Etzebeth; Frans Malherbe, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: Schalk Brits, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Willem Alberts, Rudy Paige, Morne Steyn, Jan Serfontein

Coach: Heyneke Meyer (RSA)

Source: AFP