Leinster prop CJ van der Linde will join the Springbok squad in France on Wednesday, while Nathan Hines will start in the second row for Scotland against Fiji on Saturday in Murrayfield…
Van der Linde made the last of his 56 Test appearances for South Africa against Australia in a Tri-Nations fixture in August 2008.
His most recent appearance for Leinster was in the Irish champions’ 23-6 victory over Cardiff Blues on October 31, before the break in the European season for the autumn internationals. He had also featured in the previous games against Brive (Heineken Cup) and away to Ulster (Magners League).
Van der Linde made his Test debut as a 22-year-old against Scotland in 2002 and was a member of the World Cup-winning squad of 2007.
“It’s fantastic that we’re able to call on a player with CJ’s experience to join the squad,” said Bok coach Peter de Villiers.
“With such a tight schedule it is also helpful to be able to bring in someone who has been part of the group before, knows the systems and will settle in quickly.
“CJ is also a specialist tighthead who will provide the type of cover we will need.”
Meanwhile, Nathan Hines will partner Glasgow’s Alastair Kellock in the second row for the visit of Mike Brewer’s Fiji to Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon (KO: 2.30pm).
Scotland coach Andy Robinson has chosen Chris Cusiter as captain for the first of the autumn Tests against Fiji at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Robinson, taking charge of his first full Test in charge of Scotland, said last week that scrum-halves Cusiter and Mike Blair would vie for the captaincy.
Worcester centre Alex Grove will make his debut, while prop Moray Low will make his first start at home. But there is no place in the side for record points-scorer Chris Paterson.
SCOTLAND: Rory Lamont (Toulon), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN, Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Nathan Hines (Leinster), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors), John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)
REPLACEMENTS: Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh), Jason White (Clermont Auvergne), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
