Heinrich Brüssow, one of the all-conquering Springbok team's star performers against the B&I Lions and in the Tri-Nations, appears to have been dropped to the dirt-trackers for South Africa's year-end tour.

Brüssow has been named in the Bok starting XV to face Leicester in the opening tour match at Welford Road on Friday - a team that includes five uncapped players and nine players who were involved in the team's victorious Tri-Nations campaign.

As reported by this website at the weekend, the team to face the Tigers will be captained by hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, who last captained a Springbok team against a World XV, also in Leicester, in 2006.

However, the decision to name Brüssow on the flank in the starting XV means that he will not feature in the starting XV in the first Test of the tour, against France eight days later.

De Villiers is keeping the starting XV behind in South Africa, to prepare for the game in Toulouse on Friday, November 13, with the midweek 22 flying out to England on Tuesday.

It is worth nothing that Sharks loose forward Ryan Kankowski's name is missing from the match-day 22 for the Leicester encounter, which means he is staying behind to prepare with the starting XV for the French Test. That will give the Boks in Toulouse a loose forward combination of Kankowski, Schalk Burger and Pierre Spies.

The 'Dirt Trackers' will see loose forwards Dewald Potgieter and Ashley Johnson, scrumhalf Heini Adams, centre Juan de Jongh and fullback Earl Rose all make their debuts for the Springboks.

Other newcomers to the squad – for the Leicester trip - that are set to make their Bok debuts are hooker Bandise Maku, lock Alistair Hargreaves, flank Davon Raubenheimer, scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and fullback Riaan Viljoen.

The squad of 22 includes 12 players with Test experience who between them have earned 186 caps.

Those who were part of the Tri-Nations squad are front row forward Gurthrö Steenkamp, captain Chiliboy Ralepelle, and Jannie du Plessis, locks Danie Rossouw and Andries Bekker, flank Heinrich Brüssow, flyhalf Ruan Pienaar, centre Wynand Olivier and wing Odwa Ndungane.

The match marks a return for wing Jongi Nokwe, who last played in the third Test against the British & Irish Lions in July, as well as for centre Meyer Bosman and prop Heinke van der Merwe, who last represented the Springboks in 2006 and 2007 respectively and have been included on the bench.

There are a total of 10 uncapped players in the match 22, six of whom have previously played for the Emerging Springboks – Potgieter, Adams, Rose, Maku and Raubenheimer, who faced the British & Irish Lions in 2009, and Johnson, at the IRB Nations Cup in 2008.

Centre De Jongh has played for the Springbok Sevens team, whilst Hargreaves and Hougaard have represented South Africa at Under-19 and Under-21 levels.

"Our focus is fully on the Leicester match, because it is important that we get the tour off to a good start," said Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.

"It is also important that we strive to give all of the newcomers game time in the opener. It is also great to have a host of players in the 22 that have played at Test level and can use their experience to assist the newcomers to settle quickly.

"Leicester will be tough opponents. They have been consistently good for the past few seasons and are one of the top club teams in the Northern Hemisphere," De Villiers said.

Leicester Tigers are the defending Premiership champions, having beaten London Irish in the 2008/09 final in May this year.

They are currently lying fourth in the 2009/10 standings after seven matches.

South Africa: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle (captain), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Davon Raubenheimer, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Riaan Viljoen.

Date: Friday, November 6
Venue: Welford Road, Leicester
Kick-off: 19.45 (19.45 GMT, 21.45 SA time)
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: Roy Maybank, Robin Goodliffe
TMO: Andrew Turner, Graeme Hughes

Your thoughts on the team? Has Div lost the plot again? Leave all your comments below!

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