2015 Rugby World Cup: Samoa vs South Africa live streaming info and preview

South Africa will look to realign their 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign once they face Samoa this weekend at Villa Park. After a shocking defeat against Japan in their RWC opener, the Springboks are expected to bounce back against the Pacific Islanders, who beat USA in their first match of the tournament.

South Africa will be a “wounded beast” once they face Samoa on Saturday, hoping to cement their authority in Pool B of the quadrennial tournament. The Springboks were the victim of one of the RWC’s greatest upset when Japan stunned South Africa 34-32 at the weekend.

South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer made some changes ahead of the team’s clash with the Samoans, but decided to retain captain Jean de Villiers, whom he described as the right man for a World Cup game which “the whole country depends on.”

There have been calls from sections of the South African media to drop De Villiers from the team’s XV due to the skipper’s history of injuries. De Villiers dislocated a knee against Wales in November and suffered from a broken jaw before being included in the Springboks’ World Cup squad. But Meyer stood by “the most difficult decision of his life,” backing De Villiers, who had six knee operations.

"I thought about it long and hard and came to the conclusion that this is a must-win game and who are you going to back?” Meyer told the BBC. "I'll back him and if we, as South Africans, maybe backed each other more, South Africa would be a better place with less hate and violence and more love."

Meanwhile, Samoa coach Stephen Betham is expecting a tough match against South Africa come game time. Betham said that his side will go all out once they face the Springboks, who are expecting to have a good Rugby World Cup result in their second game of the tournament.

Samoa defeated USA 25-16 at Brighton on Sunday, but the victory was a short-lived celebration, knowing that they will face a tougher test against South Africa. Scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i said the team is aware how Japan made it more difficult for them to win Saturday’s clash.

"We knew this pool would be tough and we were a bit rusty out there,” Fotuali’i told the Rugby World’s official website. “Yes, we'll have to be better than that against South Africa."

(Courtesy of the BBC) Team lineup

South Africa: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Jean de Villiers (captain), Damian De Allende, Bryan Habana, Handre Pollard, Fourie du Preez, Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Schalk Brits, Trevor Nyakane, Frans Malherbe, Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Labie, Jesse Kriel.

Samoa: Tim Nanai-Williams; Ken Pisi, Paul Perez, Rey Lee-Lo, Alesana Tuilagi; Mike Stanley, Kahn Fotuali'i; Sakaria Taulafo, Motu Matu'u, Anthony Perenise, Teofilo Paulo, Iosefa Tekori, TJ Ioane, Jack Lam, Ofisa Treviranus (captain) Replacements: Ole Avei, Viliamu Afatia, Census Johnston, Faifili Levave, Vavae Tuilagi, Vavao Afemai, Tusi Pisi, George Pisi.

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