Springboks pick three new caps for England Test

South Africa have chosen uncapped forwards Eben Etzebeth, Juandre Kruger and Marcell Coetzee for the first Test against England at Kings Park here Saturday. Etzebeth and Kruger come in at lock as the Springboks prepare for life after the iconic second-row partnership of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield ended at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Matfield hung up his boots while Botha moved to France, leaving new coach Heyneker Meyer with a selection headache ahead of his first match in charge of the two-time world champions. Danie Rossouw, who replaced injured Botha at the World Cup, moved to Japan and was not considered for the England series, which continues on June 16 in Johannesburg and concludes a week later in Port Elizabeth. Many commentators believed the successor to controversial coach Peter de Villiers would go with Bulls duo Flip van der Merwe, the only one of four locks in the squad who has been capped, and Kruger. But Meyer opted for 20-year-old Etzebeth, who started playing Super 15 rugby for Western Stormers only this season and is widely considered a natural successor to Botha at the front of the line-out. Kruger, six years old than his partner in the engine room, is no stranger to English rugby having spent several seasons with Premiership club Northampton Saints. The elevation of Coetzee after less than two seasons of Super 15 action was widely predicted, especially when Heinrich Brussow surprisingly failed to make the 32-man series squad named four days ago. "Eben, Juandre, Marcell and Coenie (replacement prop Oosthuizen) have all put up their hands this season and I know they can succeed at Test level," Meyer said after announcing his team in this Indian Ocean city. "Although the team is quite young, we still have some experience across the starting line-up. The balance in the team is right in the way we want to play against England. "I have faith in the players and the ball is now in their hands to show they have what it takes to perform constantly at this level as we enter a new Springbok era." Meyer sprang a surprise at full-back with Northern Bulls Zane Kirchner getting the nod ahead of Patrick Lambie, who filled the role with distinction during a World Cup campaign that ended with a last-eight loss to Australia. Only six of the starting line-up against the Wallabies survive -- wings JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana, centre Jean de Villiers, fly-half Morne Steyn, tight-head prop Jannie du Plessis and eighthman Pierre Spies. Scrum-half Francois Hougaard, hooker Bismarck du Plessis and flank Willem Alberts came on as replacements in the 11-9 defeat by the Australians and make the starting line-up against England. Meyer also announced that Bismarck du Plessis -- younger brother of Jannie -- will be vice-captain for the series although he has never led his Super 15 franchise Coastal Sharks. South Africa have won 19 Tests and England 12 and one has been drawn in a rivalry between the countries that began 106 years ago at Crystal Palace in London. South Africa (15-1) Zane Kirchner; JP Pietersen, Jean de Villiers (capt), Francois Steyn, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Francois Hougaard; Pierre Spies, Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee; Juandre Kruger, Eben Etzebeth; Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Coenie Oosthuizen, Flip van der Merwe, Keegan Daniel, Ruan Pienaar, Patrick Lambie, Wynand Olivier