Straeuli's big hitters aim to stop clean sweep

Springboks make six changes for Twickenham Test as full-back explains sporting philosophy born out of penury and tragedy

Changes had to be made, and Rudolf Straeuli has made them: four newcomers and two positional switches in a Springbok team long on attitude but still short on know-how. Three high-class international operators – the hooker James Dalton, the flexible back-five forward A J Venter and the outside-half Andre Pretorius – plus a Test rookie in Pedrie Wannenburg, a 21-year-old open-side flanker, will take the field at Twickenham on Saturday in search of the bolt-from-the-blue performance that would prevent Clive Woodward's side completing an unprecedented clean sweep over the major powers of the southern hemisphere.

Straeuli, in his first season as South Africa's national coach, believes this is the strongest team available to him, and he may not be far wrong. It is far from the quickest combination, though. Two of the Springboks' more electric performers in this year's Tri-Nations tournament, the sevens specialist Brent Russell and the Western Province centre Marius Joubert, have failed to make the starting line-up, as has another exciting Super 12 midfielder, Adrian Jacobs of the Blue Bulls.

Instead, Straeuli has opted for back-line muscle in the shape of Butch James and Robbie Fleck, who will make a few English eyes water if it is the last thing they ever do. James played at stand-off against the Scots at Murrayfield last weekend – one of the more forgettable days in Springbok history – while Fleck performed the inside-centre role. The promotion of the gifted Pretorius means both men have been shifted out one position. The changes will not make an iota of difference to their red-neck style of offensive defence.

"They are players who enjoy attacking and love defending," said Straeuli. "We lost Jean de Villiers early in the tour, and Joubert has been struggling with a shoulder strain, so this is a new combination. It is not a knee-jerk reaction to last Saturday's game, though, and there has been no panic. I know Butch and Robbie are extremely motivated for this match." When those two are "motivated", it is time to head for the hills.

Dalton, combustible as the day is long, is another player who could not, in all conscience, claim to have a calming effect on a game of rugby. He replaces Lukas van Biljon in the middle of a front row badly exposed by a Scottish unit featuring two 2001 Lions in Tom Smith and Gordon Bulloch, and while Van Biljon could fairly argue that he was the best of the South African trio, a shortage of options at prop means he must make the frustrating drop to the bench while his under-performing partners, Wessel Roux and Deon Carstens, continue in the run-on team.

Not for the first time this week, Straeuli was pressed on the large number and outstanding quality of South African players currently reaping a pension in British league rugby – an issue given added impetus by the decision of Mark Andrews, the much-decorated Springbok lock, to join Rob Andrew's struggling Newcastle outfit after Christmas. And, not for the first time, Straeuli pitched camp on the moral high ground. "Do I think the South African Rugby Football Union should change its policy on not selecting players from outside the country? No, they should not change," he said. "I think England should prevent players coming here to retire. If this trend continues, the home-grown talent will not come through."

Richard Hill, the England No 8 and very much a home-grown talent, sat out training in Surrey yesterday because of a mild cold. His participation on Saturday is not in doubt.