The world champions, South Africa, received a considerable fillip when their veteran lock Bakkies Botha was named in the starting line‑up to face Fiji in Wellington on Saturday.

Botha missed the defeat of Wales with a hamstring injury and there were concerns that he might not make the tournament.

The prop Gurthro Steenkamp starts, John Smit is retained at hooker and Danie Rossouw moves to the back row in the pack while Frans Steyn shifts from full-back to centre, meaning Pat Lambie wears No15.

The vice-captain Victor Matfield (hamstring), the utility back Butch James (hip flexor), the winger Bryan Habana (patella tendon) and the centre Jean De Villiers (rib cartilage) were not in contention.

South Africa: Lambie; JP Pietersen, Fourie, F Steyn, Ndungane; M Steyn, Du Preez; Spies, Burger, Brussow, Rossouw, Botha, J Du Plessis, Smit (capt), Steenkamp.

Replacements B Du Plessis, Mtawarira, Muller, Alberts, Hougaard, Pienaar, De Jongh.