South Africa recall Saracens' Schalk Brits for autumn Tests

Saracens hooker Schalk Brits has been recalled to the South Africa squad for their autumn internationals in Europe.

Brits, 31, who joined Sarries in 2009, won the last of his three caps for the Springboks against Australia in 2008.

Bryan Habana, South Africa's all-time leading try scorer, misses out due to a knee injury sustained in Saturday's Currie Cup final.

South Africa play Ireland in Dublin on 10 November before going on to face Scotland and England.

Brits is one of four Europe-based players in the squad, along with Bath flanker Francois Louw, Ulster scrum-half Ruan Pienaar and Toulouse prop Gurthrö Steenkamp.

South Africa's first-choice hooker Bismarck Du Plessis is one of a number of players who misses the tour with injury.

Fellow hooker Tiaan Liebenberg, prop Coenie Oosthuizen, lock Andries Bekker, back-rows Siya Kolisi, Jacques Potgieter and Pierre Spies, fly-half Johan Goosen and centre Frans Steyn are also sidelined, while long-term injury victims Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Heinrich Brüssow remain unavailable.

Five uncapped players - Cheetahs wing Raymond Rhule, Lions wing Lionel Mapoe, Bulls scrum-half Jano Vermaak, Lions lock Franco van der Merwe and Bulls back-row Arno Botha - are included.

"Although the Springboks won on their last visit to Dublin (in 2010), they lost three in a row before that," said Boks coach Heyneke Meyer.

"In 2010, we lost to Scotland in Edinburgh. They beat the Wallabies in Australia earlier in the year, so it won't be easy there.

"And in June we've experienced first-hand how difficult an opponent England are. They will be fired up at Twickenham and it will be a challenging Test to end the tour with."

South Africa squad:

Backs: Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (captain), Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Raymond Rhule, Morné Steyn, Jaco Taute, Jano Vermaak

Forwards: Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Schalk Brits, Pat Cilliers, Marcell Coetzee, Eben Etzebeth, Juandré Kruger, CJ van der Linde, Francois Louw, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Tendai Mtawarira, Jannie du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Gurthro Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Duane Vermeulen