Uruguay have found inspiration in Argentina’s one point loss to South Africa as they prepare to face the Africans in game one of Pool C today at Subiaco Oval in Perth from 22:00 (EST).
The Springboks are expected to win well and proceed to the quarter finals along with England but will have to do so without skipper Corne Krige who has been left out as a precaution, Scrum half Joost Van der Westhuizen will captain the team.
Van der Westhuizen last skippered the Springboks against Scotland in June and is the only South African to have played Uruguay in a 22 that includes two debutants in the starting XV, U21 outside centre Jaque Fourie and flanker Danie Rossouw.
There is total of eight new faces from the Springbok's last start, their 19-11 Tri Nations loss to the All Blacks in Dunedin in August.
Uruguay have five survivors, including the entire front row of Pablo Lemoine, Diego Lamelas and Rodrigo Sanchez of the starting XV that tested South Africa in RWC 1999 before losing 39-3 at Hampden Park in Glasgow, in the only meeting between the teams.
Coach Diego Ormaechea says Argentina’s one point loss to South Africa was an example to his players. Usual starters Nicolas Grille and Juan Menchaca were not considered because they arrived in Australia late due to work commitments.
"We have watched how Argentina played against South Africa. It was a very good match and they only lost in the last minutes. We have been studying this video," the former No.8 said.
Team
South Africa: 15 Werner Greeff, 14 Ashwin Willemse, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Thinus Delport, 10 Louis Koen, 9 Joost van der Westhuizen (captain), 8 Juan Smith, 7 Danie Rossouw, 6 Joe van Niekerk, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Richard Bands, 2 Danie Coetzee, 1 Lawrence Sephaka Replacements: 16 John Smit, 17 Faan Rautenbach, 18 Selborne Boome, 19 Hendro Scholtz, 20 Neil de Kock, 21 Derick Hougaard, 22 Ricardo Loubscher.
Uruguay: 13 Diego Aguirre (captain), 12 Martin Mendaro, 11 Emiliano Ibarra; 10 Sebastian Aguirre, 9 Emiliano Caffera, 8 Rodrigo Capo, 7 Mercelo Guttierrez, 6 Nicolas Brignoni, 5 Juan Carlos Bado, 4 Juan Alzueta, 3 Pablo Lemoine, 2 Diego Lamelas, 1 Rodrigo Sanchez Replacements: 16 Eduardo Berruti, 17 Juan Andres Perez, 18 Guillermo Storace, 19 Nicolas Grille, 20 Hernan Ponte, 21 Bernardo Amarillo, 22 Juan Ramon Menchaca
Paddy O'Biren will referee the match with Peter Marshall and Joel Jutge as touch judges and Kelvin Deaker the television match official.
Live match tracker coverage will be available on rugbyworldcup.com during the match, as well as live audio and video highlights.