Victor Matfield has withdrawn from the South Africa squad for their two-match tour of the UK, becoming the 12th member of the World Cup winning Springboks side to miss the trip.

The South African Rugby Union announced that the Springboks vice-captain (pictured) had been released for personal reasons and would miss the clash with Wales in Cardiff on November 24 and the Barbarians game at Twickenham a week later.

The highly-rated Matfield, man of the match in the Boks' World Cup final victory over England, has been replaced in the squad by uncapped Free State Cheetahs lock Barend Pieterse.

Other absentees from the World Cup winning side include full-back Percy Montgomery (knee), props BJ Botha and Gurthro Steenkamp (hand), forwards Danie Rossouw (neck) and Wikus van Heerden (neck) and centre Jean de Villiers who are all injured.

Fly-half Butch James, hooker Gary Botha and winger Ashwin Willemse are unavailable due to club commitments, after joining Bath, Harlequins and Biarritz respectively.

Prop Os du Randt and number eight Bob Skinstad have retired since the World Cup final.

SARU also announced that uncapped Western Province hooker Tiaan Liebenberg had been called up as a replacement for John Smit for the Barbarians game as the Springbok skipper has not been released by Top 14 club Clermont.

Pippa Davis / Eurosport