Meyer puts ‘Oupa’ into Cape battle

FLANK Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje will come under intense scrutiny after he was named to start for the Springboks against Australia at Newlands on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Cheetahs’ backrower has been at the centre of a brewing transformation storm after being overlooked since making his Test debut off the bench against Scotland in June.

But an injury to Francois Louw has allowed coach Heyneke Meyer to find a place for Mohoje in his team. It is a risky selection considering Mohoje has previously started only five games as a professional player – at the Cheetahs during Super Rugby.

“Political pressure definitely didn’t play a role in Oupa’s selection,” said Meyer. “I’ve had a plan with Oupa since day one and there is no extra pressure on him.

“He deserves his chance because he has shown the willingness to work on his game in training. His lineout work is excellent and he has improved his defence and his cleaning.

“Oupa has had a dream season, but this is his first year at this level and he had never been away from home.

“He had never toured Australasia or played away so it would have been ask to have thrown him in earlier. He has been training well with us and improved.”

Veteran Schalk Burger will cover all three loose-forward positions from the bench

SA team is: Willie le Roux; Cornal Hendricks, Jan Serfontein, Jean de Villiers (capt), Bryan Habana; Handré Pollard, Francois Hougaard, Duane Vermeulen, Teboho Mohoje, Marcell Coetzee, Victor Matfield, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Bismarck du Plessis, Trevor Nyakane, Marcel vd Merwe, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Cobus Reinach, Pat Lambie, JP Pietersen.