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Second row Bakkies Botha will make a welcome return for South Africa against Fiji in their second Pool D match of Rugby World Cup 2011 at Wellington Regional Stadium on Saturday, 17 September.

A lengthening injury list has forced South Africa to innovate in selecting their 22, with Frans Steyn moving from full back to inside centre and their bench players covering multiple positions.

"Against a tough proposition like Fiji you'd prefer to have all your players available but this is tournament rugby and we picked our squad knowing that we would have to cover for many situations," said coach Peter de Villiers.

Botha, who missed the first round match against Wales because of a persistent achilles problem, was passed fit in time to step in for long-term second row partner Victor Matfield, who is nursing a sore hamstring.

Coach de Villiers said Botha was "good to go" and they were not taking a risk with him.

“Oh, no, no. We never take risks with players. Any player on the list that does have a niggle - and you can go right through the World Cup and all the teams will have niggles - but with niggles you can still play and Bakkies is good to go."

South Africa are also missing centres Butch James (hip flexor) and Jean de Villiers (rib cartilage), plus wing Bryan Habana (patella tendon).

Late fitness test

Reserve second row Johann Muller will undergo a late fitness test on a tight hamstring and will be replaced on the bench by flanker Francois Louw if he cannot make match day.

Coach de Villiers said Steyn had played last season in France at inside centre, while loose forward Willem Alberts will provide cover at second row if Muller fails to play.

"We have had injury problems at lock but we have versatile players to cover for most situations," said de Villiers.

"(Starting second row) Danie Rossouw has now been picked to start at 4,5,7 and 8 this season and will call the lineouts this weekend.

"Willem Alberts is on the bench to cover four of the back five positions in the pack and we have a couple of scrum halves (Francois Hougaard and Ruan Pienaar) on the bench who cover three other positions as well, so we are fortunate."

In other changes from the team that played Wales, Pat Lambie starts at full back, Odwa Ndungane replaces Habana on the wing, Gurthrö Steenkamp is promoted from the bench at loosehead prop at the expense of Tendai Mtawarira and centre Juan de Jongh comes on to the bench as an additional back replacement after South Africa reverted to the standard 4-3 split between forwards and backs.

De Villiers said swapping props Steenkamp and Mtawarira was designed to share game time.

“All the diesel trucks in the team, you need to keep them on the field so they can play themselves to the standard we expect of them,” he said.