3 Sep 2014

Habana to play 100th test

4:33 pm on 3 September 2014

The South African winger, Bryan Habana, will become just the fourth player to play 100 test matches for the Springboks when he takes the field in the Rugby Championship clash against Australia in Perth on Saturday night.

Bryan Habana

Bryan Habana Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 31-year-old Habana, who made his debut for South Africa against England at Twickenham on 20 November 2004, holds the record for the most Test tries in a Springbok jersey. His 56 Test tries places him fourth on the list of all-time international try scorers.

The three-time South African Rugby Player of the Year (2004, 2007 and 2012), who was also named the IRB Rugby Player of the Year in 2007, will lead the Springboks out on Saturday as he follows Percy Montgomery, John Smit and Victor Matfield in amassing 100 Tests for South Africa.

Elsewhere, South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer has shaken up his pack for Saturday's Rugby Championship test against Australia in Perth, benching hooker Bismarck du Plessis and restoring Victor Matfield to the second row.

Adriaan Strauss will start at hooker alongside promoted prop Tendai "The Beast" Mtawarira in a revamped front row as the Springboks look to overcome the scrum problems that dogged them in two tight victories over Argentina.

Matfield returns after missing the first two matches of the southern hemisphere tournament through injury, replacing young lock Lood de Jager, while Morne Steyn replaces Handre Pollard at flyhalf among six changes to the starting side.

Marcell Coetzee comes off the bench to replace openside flanker Juan Smith with Jan Serfontein dislodging Damian de Allende at outside centre.

South Africa: 15-Willie le Roux; 14-Cornal Hendricks, 13-Jan Serfontein, 12-Jean de Villiers (captain), 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Morne Steyn, 9-Ruan Pienaar, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Marcell Coetzee, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Victor Matfield, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Adriaan Strauss, 1-Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16-Bismarck du Plessis, 17-Trevor Nyakane, 18-Marcel van der Merwe, 19-Lood de Jager, 20-Warren Whiteley, 21-Francois Hougaard, 22-Pat Lambie, 23-Lwazi Mvovo