British and Irish Lions

As well as familiar faces such as Butch James, Brian Habana, Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery and Schalk Burger, the Springbok selectors have included five players who will be making their first Tri Nations tour to Australasia.

Odwa Ndungane, Andries Bekker, Ryan Kankowski ,Tendai Mtawarira, Brian Mujati and Luke Watson are all included for the games against New Zealand in Wellington and Dunedin on July 5 and 12 respectively and the clash with the Wallabies in Perth on July 19.

The majority of the touring party leave South Africa this Thursday but, with his Clermont Auvergne side due to play Toulouse in this weekend's final of the Top 14, World Cup-winning skipper John Smit will join up with the party early next week.

South Africa squad for the away leg of the Tri-Nations

Backs: Bolla Conradie, Jean de Villiers, Peter Grant, Butch James, Conrad Jantjes, Adrian Jacobs, Enrico Januarie, Bryan Habana, Percy Montgomery, Odwa Ndungane, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Francois Steyn

Forwards: Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Bismarck du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Tendai Mtawarira, Brian Mujati, Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, John Smit (captain), Gurthro Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde, Joe van Niekerk, Luke Watson

The Brumbies pair of Ben Mowen and Christian Leali'ifano will get the chance to follow in the footsteps of their team mates by beating the British & Irish Lions when they make their Qantas Wallaby Test debuts against the tourists in Brisbane on Saturday.

Rob Howley says having George North available for selection is a major plus for the British & Irish Lions as they go in search of the tries he believes will be needed to beat the Qantas Wallabies this Saturday.

Less than four kilometres away from the Suncorp Stadium, venue for the opening Test between the British & Irish Lions and Qantas Wallabies on Saturday, lies the grave of the man who took the starring role in the first international between the two teams in 1899.