FIM World Superbike Championship leader Noriyuki Haga has declared himself fit for this weekend's race in South Africa.

This follows his bruising encounter with a wayward bird in Monza.

The Ducati Xerox team leader saw his run of nine finishes inside the top two at the start of 2009 come to a bizarre end last weekend as the Japanese rider hit a large bird at 238kmh at the start of race two, causing a laceration to his bicep muscle and a fall which ended his afternoon.

Haga's second-placed finish in race one was at least enough to see him move onto the 200-point mark after just five rounds, and the WSB veteran is determined to extend his 54-point advantage over nearest challenger Ben Spies (Yamaha) this weekend.

"My arm is still sore after my run in with a bird at Monza but I'll be fine to race this weekend," confirmed Haga, who is looking forward to returning to Kyalami after a six-year absence.

"It's a great track and I'm happy to go back there again," he continued.

"Winter testing went well there, but it was my first experience riding the 1198 so there were a few ups and downs.

"Now I'm at ease on the bike and we're well into the season, it'll be interesting to go back and see how we fare over the race weekend - it should be fun."

Such is Haga's longevity in World Superbikes he is in fact the only rider among the current crop to have won at Kyalami, and one of only four riders to have raced there at all, the others being Ruben Xaus, Regis Laconi and Troy Corser.

Haga's team-mate Michel Fabrizio is another with reason to look forward to this weekend after posting his first WSB win last time out in Italy.

Fabrizio was impressive in winter testing at the South African circuit and is bullish about his chances this weekend.

"Having at last won a race this weekend at Monza I just want to win again as soon as possible," he said.

"From what I learned of the track during the winter I can say that I'm really looking forward to this round."

Injuries have led to a couple of enforced rider changes among top-end teams this weekend.

Fonsi Nieto will be reunited with Team Alstare Suzuki after being confirmed as the replacement for the injured Max Neukirchner, who faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering an accident on the opening lap of race one in Monza which saw the German left with multiple fractures to his right leg.

A successful six-hour operation has set Neukirchner on the road to recovery, with doctors confident he will suffer no lasting damage.

Meanwhile, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport's Troy Corser will be replaced by test rider Steve Martin after suffering two heavy falls last weekend.