South Africa head coach Heyneke Meyer has unveiled his Rugby World Cup 31-man squad, with Jean de Villiers confirmed as captain.

Centre de Villiers, back-row Duane Vermeulen, prop Coenie Oosthuizen and scrum-half Fourie du Preez have all been included in the squad despite all four struggling with respective injuries.

Zane Kirchner and Siya Kolisi are preferred to Cornal Hendricks and Marcell Coetzee, while Cobus Reinach, Heinrich Brussow, Frans Steyn and Vincent Koch also miss out.

"Every single player in our wider group worked incredibly hard and to cut the squad to 31 was probably the most difficult selection I've faced in my coaching career," Meyer told South Africa Rugby's official website.

"In the end, the selectors decided the 31 players named were the best we have at the moment but that is not to say any of the others won't have a role to play, with injuries a reality in our game."

South Africa are in Pool B alongside Scotland, Japan, Samoa, and the USA.

South Africa Rugby World Cup squad:

Front-rows: Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Frans Malherbe, Coenie Oosthuizen

Hookers: Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Schalk Brits

Second-rows: Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Victor Matfield, Pieter-Steph du Toit

Back-rows: Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Siya Kolisi

Half-backs: Fourie du Preez, Ruan Pienaar, Rudy Paige; Pat Lambie, Handre Pollard, Morne Steyn

Centres: Jean de Villiers, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende

Back three: Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen, Lwazi Mvovo, Zane Kirchner, Willie le Roux