Sporting Digest: Rugby Union

South Africa have made eight changes for their Tri-Nations game against New Zealand in Pretoria on Saturday. South Africa lost 32-6 to Australia in Brisbane four weeks ago after losing 28-0 to New Zealand in the opening round. Flanker Ruben Kruger returns to the line-up for the first time after two years of injury problems while hooker Chris Rossouw will play his first game in four years if he comes off a bench which also shows six changes. Scrum-half and new captain Joost van der Westhuizen and centres Andre Snyman and Franco Smith make their first appearances of the season. The others recalled are wingers Deon Kayser and Pieter Rossouw, outside- half Gaffie du Toit and lock Albert van den Berg.

SOUTH AFRICA (v New Zealand, Tri-Nations, Pretoria, Saturday): P Montgomery; D Kayser, A Snyman, F Smith, P Rossouw; G du Toit, J van der Westhuizen (capt); Os du Randt, N Drotske, C Visagie, A van den Berg, S Boome, R Kruger, A Venter, J Erasmus. Replacements: S Terblanche, R Fleck, W Swanepoel, A Vos, M Andrews, O le Roux, C Rossouw.