Springbok prop fit for Pumas clash

LONDON, England -- Experienced prop CJ van der Linde has recovered from a knee injury and returns to the South African starting line-up against unchanged Argentina in the World Cup semifinal at the Stade France on Sunday.

The 27-year-old's inclusion is the only change to the side that beat Fiji in last Sunday's quarterfinal, Jannie du Plessis reverting to the bench as the Springboks seek to reach their second World Cup final.

Argentina's star fly-half Juan Martin Hernandez sat out contact training on Thursday with a leg injury, along with captain Agustin Pichot (back) and inside centre Felipe Contepomi, who was feeling unwell -- but all three are in the starting line-up.

Van der Linde lines-up in the Springboks front row alongside captain and hooker John Smit with Os du Randt, the only survivor in the squad from the side that won the World Cup in 1995, the other prop.

Coach Jake White shuffled his replacements by naming Bobby Skinstad -- a member of the side that reached the 1999 semifinals -- and hooker Bismarck du Plessis at the expense of Wikus van Heerden and Gary Botha respectively.

"We have tweaked one of two things. Sunday will tell whether we've analysed them in the right way and if we have done enough homework," said Smit.

South Africa have won all 11 of their previous Tests against the South Americans but Smit pointed out that the Pumas have already beaten hosts France and Ireland.

"We're under no illusion that it will be tough after what they have done in this World Cup," he said.

"They have some fantastic individuals, but the way they play, they work as a team. They have fantastic forwards and backs that chase the ball and put their bodies on the line."

White insisted he had no extra insight into the Pumas on account of his friendship with Argentina counterpart Marcelo Loffreda.

"Marcelo is a friend of mine, his son stayed at my house for three weeks at the start of the year," White said.

"Marcelo took me to some clubs and he showed me how the Argentines do the ruck and the maul. It was nice to share some ideas with him. But no, I don't know his secrets."

White believes the Springboks will have to be at their best, saying: "People think we just have to arrive to beat Argentina....but they have beaten France and won at the Stade de France, not many people can say that in the past couple of years."

Argentina tackle the Springboks with the same starting XV that earned victories over Ireland and then Scotland in last weekend's quarterfinal.

The only change coach Marcelo Loffreda has made to the squad is on the bench, where London Irish centre Gonzalo Tiesi replaces Hernan Senillosa.

The Pumas are in their first World Cup semifinal and have never beaten South Africa but are determined to create their own slice of history this week.

Centre Manuel Contepomi has said: "There's always a first time for all things. "This is a semifinal, a new game, we trust in our weapons and that we can play a great match."

Argentina: Ignacio Corleto; Lucas Borges, Manuel Contepomi, Felipe Contepomi, Horacio Agulla; Juan Martin Hernandez, Agustin Pichot (captain); Gonzalo Longo, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Lucas Ostiglia, Patricio Albacete, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Martin Scelzo, Mario Ledesma, Rodrigo Roncero

Replacements: Alberto Basualdo, Omar Hasan, Rimas Kairelis, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, Federico Todeschini, Gonzalo Tiesi

South Africa: Percy Montgomery; JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Francois Steyn, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Fourie du Preez; Dannie Roussouw, Juan Smit, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, John Smit (captain), Os du Randt

Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Johannes Muller, Bobby Skinstad, Ruan Pienaar, Andre Pretorius, Wynand Olivier E-mail to a friend