Heart shock for Boks' Beast
CJ van der Linde will start at loosehead prop for South Africa against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
This follows the late withdrawal of Tendai Mtawarira from the Test.
According to a statement from the Springbok management the decision to withdraw Mtawarira is a "precautionary measure", after he had a recurrence of mild heart palpitations on Saturday morning.
Mtawarira, who is nicknamed the Beast, underwent a minor surgical procedure in February this year for the same problem.
"There is a family history and the condition is hereditary," Sharks team doctor Ewoudt van der Linde said in February.
Mtawarira was admitted to hospital for observation on Saturday and later discharged.
A decision on his continued participation on the remainder of the tour – where the Boks will face Scotland next week and England a week later – will be taken at a later stage.
Heinke van der Merwe, who has played in one Test for the Springboks in 2007, will take Van der Linde’s place on the bench.
Van der Linde has been capped 73 times for the Springboks,
South Africa – revised: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 François Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 CJ van der Linde.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morné Steyn, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
Date: Saturday, 10 November 2012
Kick-off: 17.30 (17.30 GMT)
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Luke Pierce (England)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
