Centre Jean de Villiers has become the third European-based player to be called up to join the Springbok squad.

De Villiers' recall for national duty comes as South Africa prepare to take on Ireland in their final tour match in Dublin on Saturday.

De Villiers, who joined Irish club Munster in September, has been called to the squad to replace Adi Jacobs - who has been ruled out of Saturday's Test due to an ankle injury.

Jacobs will return to South Africa on Thursday.

The Springbok team to face Ireland will also be named on Thursday, with De Villiers and Wynand Olivier in line to replace Jacobs at No.12 in the starting XV.

De Villiers's recall comes in the wake of injury-enforced call-ups for Ireland-based props CJ van der Linde and BJ Botha.

As it is, Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has delayed, until Thursday, the naming of the squad that will face Ireland due to a long list of injuries.

Apart from Jacobs, who has now been ruled out, others on the injury list are fullback Zane Kirchner (knee), scrumhalf Fourie du Preez (hand), lock Bakkies Botha (back), hooker Bismarck du Plessis (ribs), flank Schalk Burger (ribs), hooker Adriaan Strauss (back) and prop CJ van der Linde (hamstring).

BJ Botha, who was on holiday in South Africa at the time, was called up as cover for Van der Linde, who damaged his hamstring in the 23-24 loss to Saracens. Van der Linde - who plays for Heineken Cup winners, Leinster - lasted just 10 minutes before hobbling off.

Botha was capped 17 times for his country before he joined up with Irish province Ulster at the start of the 2008/09 season. He came on as a second-half replacement in the win over Italy last week.

Van der Linde, who has 57 Test caps, was called up to the Bok squad after the opening match of the tour - a 17-22 loss to Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

This game started the Boks' injury scourge when the entire Dirt Trackers front row - Gurthrö Steenkamp, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Jannie du Plessis - were all forced to return home because of injuries.

Botha - who has established himself as an integral part the Ulster front row - is a specialist tighthead prop, with Van der Linde able to play on both sides of the scrum.

The match against the Six Nations champions is the Boks' final Test of what has been a successful year - with victory against the British and Irish Lions, as well as winning the Tri-Nations by whitewashing the All Blacks for the first time since 1949.

But their tour of Europe has proved less productive - with their solitary victory against Italy last week being overshadowed by defeats to France, Leicester and Saracens.

The Springbok team to face Ireland will also be named on Thursday.

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