De Villiers makes 10 changes for final Test

(GETTY IMAGES)

Peter de Villiers has made 10 changes to his South Africa side to face the British and Irish Lions in the third Test at Ellis Park on Saturday.

With the Springboks having already taken an unassailable 2-0 series lead, the coach opted to give the rest of his squad a game leaving captain John Smit, vice-captain Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez, Tendai Mtawarira and Juan Smith as the only survivors in the starting XV.

Bulls full-back Zane Kirchner will make his debut in the number 15 jersey, while Odwa Ndungane, Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Jongi Nokwe and Morne Steyn all come in to a backline that includes just one player - scrum-half Du Preez - that started in the previous Test that was won 28-25 by the world champions.

There are four new faces amongst the forwards where Chiliboy Ralepelle Johann Muller, Heinrich Brussow and Ryan Kankowski all come in.

On the bench, uncapped Sharks lock Steven Sykes has been named following the unsuccessful appeal earlier today by Bakkies Botha over a two-week suspension for dangerous charging.

Sharks captain Johann Muller has been included in the starting team in Botha's place, while Bismarck du Plessis, Pierre Spies, Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn all drop down to being amongst the substitutes, which also includes Gurthro Steenkamp and Deon Carstens.

The South Africa team to face the British and Irish Lions in the third Test in Johannesburg on Saturday is:

Z Kirchner (Bulls); O Ndungane (Sharks), J Fourie (Lions), W Olivier (Bulls), J Nokwe (Cheetahs); M Steyn (Bulls), F du Preez (Bulls); T Mtawarira (Sharks), C Ralepelle (Bulls), J Smit (Sharks), J Muller (Sharks), V Matfield (Bulls), H Brussow (Cheetahs), J Smith (Cheetahs), R Kankowski (Sharks).

Replacements: B du Plessis (Sharks), G Steenkamp (Bulls), D Carstens (Sharks), S Sykes (Sharks), P Spies (Bulls), R Pienaar (Sharks), F Steyn (Sharks).