The Albany Gazette - Concussed Springbok Wiese replaced by Smith for France Test

Wiese, 27, failed the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocols after taking a knock during last week's loss to Ireland and will miss Saturday's game with Les Bleus in Marseille.

Olympic sevens bronze medallist Smith, 29, is promoted from the Rugby World Cup winners' bench with Deon Fourie starting among the replacements.

"We'd hoped Jasper would pass all the criteria, HIA set of rules," Erasmus told reporters.

"Kwagga has done really well for us at eight," he added.

Erasmus and head coach Jacques Nienaber have chosen against handing 21-year-old Evan Roos a place among the substitutes instead of former Lyon forward Fourie, who can play hooker and No. 8.

"With the change so late, a guy like Deon makes more sense to us and knows French culture and the way they play," Erasmus said.

"Evan has been with us for a while now, he deserves a chance somewhere."

"We did consider it," Erasmus added.

France, captained by World Rugby player of the year Antoine Dupont, are on a record 11-match unbeaten run, which includes last weekend's late win over Australia and a first Six Nations Grand Slam victory in 12 years.

"They're not a team that goes through ups and downs emotionally," Erasmus said.

"You can see they're steady when it goes well and bad.

"They're a well-balanced team with young guys leading their team, that makes them dangerous."

- 'Mythical' Velodrome -

Nienaber's players have spent the week in Toulon, 70 kilometres up the Mediterranean coast from the Stade Velodrome, where they will play two group games at next year's World Cup.

His squad for Saturday, led by Siya Kolisi, includes just five players who were absent from the Webb Ellis trophy win three years ago.

"It will be good for us, especially the guys who have never played in a World Cup to see what it will be like," Kolisi said.

"We're all getting these experiences now.

"Especially for those who haven't seen it before, it will be really good for them to see what it will be like next year."

France have played at the home of French football giants Marseille 12 times, losing just twice, most recently to New Zealand in 2009.

"For me it's the first time I have the chance of playing at this mythical stadium," Dupont told reporters.

"We're very happy to be able to come and play here, and we hope that it will bring us luck, as was the case in the past for other France teams," the scrum-half added.

(S.G.Stein--BBZ)