Heyneke Meyer makes eight South Africa changes for Samoa showdown

Meyer has pulled no punches since the 34-32 loss to Japan in the opening Pool B match, picking out several of the team’s more experienced players for not sticking to instructions.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says the team will commemorate Heritage Day by beating Samoa on Saturday.

Mike Stanley will take over as Samoa’s playmaker in Saturday’s crucial Rugby World Cup clash with South Africa as Tusi Pisi pays the price for erratic kicking against the United States. JP Pietersen, 13. Jean de Villiers (captain), 12.

“It was one of the most hard decisions of my life to make”, Meyer said at the team announcement in Birmingham.

South Africa’s sports minister warned the team to turn their poor World Cup start on its head, while Meyer greeted defeat to Japan by claiming the Springboks had let down their country.

Vermeulen was named South African rugby’s Player of the Year for 2014 but his participation at the World Cup was threatened by the surgery in early July.

Five of those are among the backs, with half-backs Ruan Pienaar and Pat Lambie both dropped to the bench to be replaced by Fourie Du Preez and Handre Pollard respectively.

In the pack, Etzebeth is one of three changes to the starting line-up with Vermeulen and Strauss.

More family history could be written if Vavae Tuilagi comes off the bench for his Rugby World Cup debut.

Meyer said it’s also very good to see Vermeulen back in the team.

While Meyer tried all kinds of analogies to defend his mind-blogging and logic defying selection, he could not even tell how De Villiers, who was always beaten for pace last week, will be up for the tough and bruising battles this weekend.

South Africa: 1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Victor Matfield, 6 Francois Louw, 7 Schalk Burger, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 9 Fourie du Preez, 10 Handre Pollard, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 14 Bryan Habana, 15 Willie le Roux. “But in saying that we can’t come to a war with our hands and a pocket knife, we’ve got to bring all we’ve got and face up”, Betham said.

“It means some players have dropped out of the squad altogether but this is a 31-man campaign and they will have other chances, but we needed to make changes after Saturday’s performance”.

They are heavily fancied to bounce back at Villa Park against the small Pacific Island nation, who they have beaten in all eight previous meetings.