With All Black veteran Aaron Mauger set to line up at flyhalf for Leicester Tigers against South Africa in their tour match at Welford Road on Friday, Springbok assistant coach Dick Muir expects the home team to provide his men with a stern test of their ability.

The Springboks' Dirt Trackers arrived in London, at the start of their five-match tour, and Muir, who is overseeing the midweek team preparations, fronted up to the media.

The Boks will face France in the first Test next Friday, November 13, followed by matches against Italy, Saracens and Ireland.

Springbok head coach Peter de Villiers will only arrive in Leicester on Friday, as he stayed behind in South Africa to oversee the preparations of the Test starting XV - which will fly directly to Toulouse next Wednesday.

Muir feels that the Tigers, despite having many of their frontline players in the England squad to play Australia at Twickenham on Saturday, will pose a real threat to an inexperienced group of Boks that include nine newcomers.

"Although the Tigers have lost a few of their top players to the England squad, they have good depth and will be tough opponents," Muir said of a side that will miss at least five internationals.

The Tigers team will be spearheaded by the All Black veteran, Mauger, who will captain them from flyhalf.

The utility back, who captained the All Blacks in the 2004 match against the UK Barbarians and also played at flyhalf in a Test for New Zealand, will replaces Jeremy Staunton in the Tigers No.10 jersey.

Staunton is being rested after a punishing start to the season in the Northern Hemisphere, while Mauger needs the game time after making a successful comeback from injury only last week.

Tigers coach Richard Cockerill said they need to "look after Staunton".

"He has played eight games on the trot, he has a knee niggle and our next focus is Gloucester," Cockerill told the Leicester Mercury.

"That's the next set of points on offer, so we need everyone fit."

Cockerill delayed naming his sides to face the Boks and then Leeds on Sunday in the LV= Cup, because England put back their team announcement.

Jordan Crane, Tom Croft, Lewis Moody, Louis Deacon and Dan Hipkiss are in the England 22 to play Australia on Saturday, but Tigers will get Ben Kay and George Chuter back.

Cockerill admitted it had been tough putting together two sides due to international calls and injuries.

He said both teams would contain a mixture of youth and experience.

He told the Mercury: "We will have two very good sides and I expect them to perform.

"It will be interesting to see how these young guys play under pressure."

New signing Lote Tuqiri will make his debut off the bench against the Boks and, despite his chequered past, Cockerill insisted he was no risk.

He added: "There won't be any disciplinary issues. It's a harsh environment.

"He will have to work hard, turn up on time and wear the right kit. We have never had any issue with any player in that regard and I don't expect that from him."

The Boks, who will train in Leicester on Wednesday and wrap up with a captain's run on Thursday, are upbeat about the Welford Road outing.

"The mood in the camp is positive and the players are determined to get the tour off to a good start," said the assistant coach, Muir, who is overseeing the midweek team preparations.

"The new guys are full of enthusiasm and I hope this reflects in their performance on Friday."

The match will mark the opening of the new Caterpillar Stand, that increases stadium capacity at Welford Road from 17,000 to 24,000. Friday's clash is a sell-out.

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