Apowerful Springbok team claimed a resounding 33-7 win over the Wallabies last weekend, but that hasn’t stopped Rassie Erasmus from selecting an entirely new-look team for this Saturday’s rematch.
In total, the team shows 10 changes to the starting line-up, with the likes of Siya Kolisi, Damian de Allende and Eben Etzebeth being rested.
The changes to the team were motivated by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ desire to continue finding the balance between building momentum and expanding squad depth.
“We made it clear from the outset this season that one of our main goals is to build squad depth with an eye on the next Rugby World Cup here in Australia, and we feel there is no better way to test some of the younger players and assess where we are as a group against a top-Tier nation, especially away from home, in this match,” said Erasmus.
“We have a group of about 45 players that are part of our wider squad this season and we’ve seen what most of these players can do. We have full faith in the younger generation of players coming through, and we feel this is the right time to Test them against an Australian outfit that will be desperate to bounce back strongly from last weekend.”
Five other players who were members of that emphatic 64-21 victory also join them in Van den Berg, Aphelele Fassi (fullback), Lukhanyo Am (inside centre), Makazole Mapimpi (wing) and Manie Libbok (flyhalf), with the latter starting on the replacements bench showing a traditional split of five forwards and three backs.
Erasmus added: “All of the younger players made a strong impression against Portugal and in the other Tests in which they received an opportunity to showcase their skills, and we believe that their hunger to play, combined with their individual skills will be a fantastic driving force for them to build on the result in Brisbane.”
The rotation also allows time to regenerate for a handful of players who have been regulars in the team this season, with another four Tests left in the Rugby Championship after this weekend – two against New Zealand in Johannesburg and Cape Town, one against Argentina in Santiago and the closing match of the tournament against Los Pumas in Nelspruit.
“We have a big squad, and it’s important to balance some players’ workload while at the same time bringing a few young players into the mix, and this squad allows us to do both,” said Erasmus.
“This also means that every player in this travelling squad will have an opportunity to play. All of the players who have been excluded from the squad have been regulars this season and we feel we’ll benefit in different ways by resting them this week.”
Erasmus opted to rest Kolisi (flanker), Frans Malherbe, Gerhard Steenekamp (both props), Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf), Kurt-Lee Arendse (wing), Damian de Allende (centre) and Willie le Roux (fullback).
Some injury concerns for Rassie in the Springboks’ camp
Ben-Jason Dixon, who started at flanker last week, meanwhile is nursing a niggle, which has placed him on the rehabilitation list along with RG Snyman, who has been ruled out of contention for selection as he continues to manage the foot niggle that saw Erasmus being forced to make late changes his match-23 last week.
Nortje has recovered from the knee issue that ruled him out of the Brisbane match and returns to the Bok matchday team for the first time since making his Test debut off the bench against Wales in Bloemfontein in 2022.
The Test will mark Moerat’s second as the Springbok skipper after he became the 66th Springboks’ captain against Portugal.
Erasmus named a robust replacements’ bench filled with Rugby World Cup-winners in Malcolm Marx (hooker), Ox Nche, Vincent Koch (both props), Eben Etzebeth (lock), Kwagga Smith (loose forward), Grant Williams (scrumhalf), Libbok and Handre Pollard (flyhalf).
In total, 14 players were retained from the Brisbane match-23, namely Moerat, Van Staden, Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Louw, Kolbe, Kriel, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Marx, Nche, Koch, Etzebeth, Smith, Williams and Pollard.
How the team will line up:
Springboks – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels