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British & Irish Lions
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Ireland Rugby
Change is the name of the game for the Springboks
When the Lions announced their team earlier today, it was clear that there was wholesale change in the line up, with eight alterations being made to the side for the third and final test against the Springboks. But this still blanched in comparison to the home side which made a staggering ten changes to its team for the clash.
It has been suggested that the major changes have been put in place due to the fact that the Springbok coaching staff wants to give some less experienced players a run. Given that the series is now in the hands of the home team, this makes sense.
While there are lots of new faces, there is only one debutant to the side and that is Zane Kirchner who will play in the number 15 jersey. Other relatively less experienced players include Morne Steyn and Chilliboy Ralepelle who are going to be in the starting line up for the first time. Local teams such as the Sharks and the Blue Bulls have been an important source of talent for this new Springbok line up.
Pieter de Villiers, Springbok coach, has stated that he tried to extend the unique opportunity of playing against the British and Irish Lions to as many young Springboks as he possibly could. It is also thought that the newer players will benefit the team after what has been a tough couple of weeks for both sides, with two demanding tests.