Heyneke Meyer, the South Africa head coach, believes Scotland will offer as tough a challenge as any of the other European nations next month.

Meyer made the claim as he recalled two of his big names for the Murrayfield Test.

He said: "Scotland finished third in the Six Nations, and in our last two Tests against them they have been a tough nut to crack. They will be every bit as hard to beat as our other opponents on the trip."

The lineout specialist Bakkies Botha and the centre Jacque Fourie have not played for the Springboks for more than two years. Meyer believes their experience will be crucial in Scotland, Wales and France.

The Cheetahs fly-half Johan Goosen also returns, as does Stormers winger Gio Aplon. Meyer has included four new faces, prop Frans Malherbe, scrum-half Louis Schreuder, hooker Scarra Ntubeni and lock Pieter-Steph du Toit.