Springboks ring the changes

South Africa will give debuts to three players against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday in the final match of their tour.

Andries Strauss, the centre, Elton Jantjies, the fly-half and Coenie Oosthuizen, a prop, were drafted yesterday among 12 changes to the side that defeated England 21-11 last weekend.

With five players including Victor Matfield, their captain, injured and five more released from the squad, Peter de Villiers, the coach, also gave Patrick Lambie, Odwa Ndungane, Adi Jacobs, Willem Alberts, Adriaan Strauss, Alistair Hargreaves and CJ van der Linde their first starts on tour.

"The newcomers have been waiting for their chance and will bring energy and enthusiasm to the line-up at the end of a long season," De Villiers said.

"They have trained well and been patient throughout the tour and this is their chance to show what they can do."

Lambie was a winger but gets his first start for the Springboks at full-back, with Jantjies at No 10.

"They are exciting talents and this way they both get maximum opportunity in the match," De Villiers said. "But I've stressed to them and to all of the team that this match is not about personal performance but about performing as a team. If they do that, they will all be successful."

With Matfield out, Juan Smith, the Free State Cheetahs flanker, will lead the Springboks, who have won three and lost three of their six meetings with the Barbarians.

Meanwhile, Sale Sharks, the English Premiership side, are trying to convince Andrew Sheridan to reject a move to France when his contract expires next summer.

The England prop is considering his options with Toulon, coached by Philippe Saint-Andre, Sale's former director of rugby, heading the queue of suitors.

* Associated Press