Rugby-De Villiers calls up entire reserve front row

by Ken Borland

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has packed his bench with front row players in anticipation of a torrid forward onslaught from France in Friday's test in Toulouse.

In the squad announced on Tuesday, hooker Adriaan Strauss, loosehead prop Wian du Preez, who is uncapped, and tighthead CJ van der Linde, currently playing for Leinster in Ireland, will all be amongst the replacements on Friday, giving de Villiers an entire front row in reserve.

South Africa took a battering in the scrums during their loss to Leicester in the opening game of their European Tour last weekend and de Villiers said he expected France to attack the world champions in the same area.

"If you study the way France play, then you know to expect a forward onslaught. We don't have anything to fear, but we have to be ready for it and a full front row on the bench is the right thing to do," de Villiers told a news conference on Tuesday.

Springbok captain John Smit, who controversially moved from hooker to tighthead prop during the 2008 end-of-year tour, said he also believed the French pack would be out to give them a rough time in the forward exchanges.

"They have a well-balanced pack and they do their primary jobs very well. They secure good ball from the set phases and provide a very solid foundation for the team, and they use the conditions well," Smit said.

The starting XV shows four changes from the team that beat New Zealand in Hamilton in September to win the Tri-Nations.

Adrian Jacobs, who enjoyed a top-class season in 2008 before being injured, replaces Jean de Villiers at inside centre. Jacobs is a fine attacking player, but is considered a defensive weakness by many critics.