AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL: IRELAND v SOUTH AFRICA
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin Date: Saturday, 28 November Kick-off: 1430 GMT Coverage: Live coverage on BBC2, BBC Radio Ulster MW and the BBC Sport website
Ireland want to finish on a high
Lock Bakkies Botha has been ruled out of the South Africa team for Saturday's clash against Ireland at Croke Park.
Botha is forced out by a back injury so Andries Bekker is drafted into the Springboks' starting line-up.
Bekker's place on the bench goes to scrum-half Francois Hougaard, leaving the injury-hit Springboks with no dedicated second-row replacements.
Six Nations champions Ireland go into Saturday's game seeking their third win in a row over the world champions.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney has made a bold selection at fly-half, with Jonathan Sexton replacing Ronan O'Gara.
Even before Saturday's late change to their line-up, South African coach Peter de Villiers had made a notable selection call by switching captain John Smit back to hooker from prop.
Grand Slam winners Ireland are unbeaten this autumn while the tired Boks have lost to France, Leicester and Saracens.
The defeats against the two Guinness Premiership sides saw them field second-string XV's but even in their sole success, against Italy, their scrummaging was exposed.
 Bakkies Botha is ruled out for South Africa because of a back injury
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As a result Smit returns to the middle of the front row, with Tendai Mtawarira and Ulster's BJ Botha set to be his props.
In addition to Botha two other Irish-based players, Munster centre Jean de Villiers and Leinster prop CJ van der Linde, are also in the Springbok squad.
Wian du Preez and Adriaan Strauss make way for Mtawarira and Botha, while Victor Matfield replaces Andries Bekker at lock.
Schalk Burger, who received an eight-week ban for eye-gouging Ireland winger Luke Fitzgerald during the Lions tour this summer, returns at blind-side flanker with Danie Rossouw switching to number eight.
The only change to the backline sees Wynand Olivier starting at inside centre in place of Adrian Jacobs.
Leinster fly-half Sexton produced an impressive display against Fiji and is given his chance to shine against more formidable opposition.
Cian Healy, David Wallace, Donncha O'Callaghan, Tommy Bowe, Paddy Wallace and Tomas O'Leary all return to the side after playing in the draw with Australia, but sitting out the win over Fiji.
Ireland are unlikely to have many better opportunities to put one over de Villiers' outfit, who have been replaced by New Zealand at the top of the world rankings.
It is a far cry from an honour-laden summer that saw them edge the Lions across three Tests and claim their first Tri-Nations title since 2004.
 Sexton made a superb debut for Ireland against Fiji
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Ireland are going for a hat-trick of wins over their southern hemisphere opponents, having triumphed 17-12 at Lansdowne Road in 2004 and 32-15 at the same venue in 2006.
Their only other win over the Springboks was a 9-6 victory at Lansdowne Road in 1965.
A physical encounter is expected and Ireland full-back Rob Kearney has warned the South Africans that Ireland are ready to match them in the physicality stakes at Croke Park.
"I don't think over the last year we've been shown up at the breakdown and maybe only against the All Blacks last year were we physically off the mark," he said.
"But since then I don't think we've been shy in wanting to bring that physical aspect to our game.
"This game is going to be as physical as it is ever going to be for us.
"If we don't bring that physical aspect to our game we are going to be in for an awakening.
"Slow down their ball and quicken up our ball - it's just a simple basic of rugby," added the British and Irish Lion.
Ireland: R Kearney; T Bowe, B O'Driscoll, P Wallace, K Earls; J Sexton, T O'Leary; C Healy, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell; S Ferris, D Wallace, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, T Buckley, L Cullen, D Leamy, P Stringer, R O'Gara, G D'Arcy.
South Africa: Z Kirchner; JP Pietersen, J Fourie, W Olivier, B Habana; M Steyn, F du Preez; T Mtawarira, J Smit (capt), BJ Botha; A Bekker , V Matfield; H Brussow, S Burger, D Rossouw.
Replacements: B du Plessis, CJ van der Linde, F Hougaard, J Deysel, D Potgieter, R Pienaar, J de Villiers.
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