Erasmus makes sweeping changes and huge bench call for final Bok game

Rassie Erasmus has made eight changes to his starting South Africa team for their final match of the year against Wales on Saturday, from the one that beat Ireland in Dublin last week.

Ruan Nortje, captain Siya Kolisi, Jasper Wiese, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Canan Moodie, Damian de Allende and Damian Willemse are the seven players who have been retained in the XV, as the world number ones look to end their Quilter Nations Series campaign unbeaten.

South Africa had already confirmed that a host of superstars would be rested for the trip to Cardiff, including the newly crowned World Rugby player of the year, Malcolm Marx, which has opened the door to some fringe players to get some game time.

World Cup winner Bongi Mbonambi will make his first appearance of the series from the bench, having originally been listed as a reserve member of the squad, as will tighthead Asenathi Ntlabakanye.

Erasmus has also opted for a 7-1 split on the bench, with Cobus Reinach – who will win his 50th cap – being the sole back.

Fixture

Internationals

Wales

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Full-time

South Africa

All Stats and Data

With the match falling outside the Test window, Wales have been forced into overhauling over half the squad that faced the All Blacks last week due to their Gallagher PREM-based cohort returning to their clubs.

Steve Tandy has therefore named a side light on experience, particularly on the bench, to play the Boks, who are ranked 10 places above them in the world rankings.

Springboks XV
15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 48 caps, 71 pts (7t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)
14 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 7 caps, 5 pts (1t)
13 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 96 caps, 55 pts (11t)
12 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 28 caps, 20 pts (4t)
11 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 21 caps, 40 pts (8t)
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 18 caps, 144 pts (7t, 35c, 13p)
9 Morne van den Berg (Lions) – 5 caps, 20 pts (4t)
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 42 caps, 10 pts (2t)
7 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 83 caps, 20 pts (4t)
6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 102 caps, 70 pts (14t)
5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 17 caps, 0 pts
4 Jean Kleyn (Munster) – 8 caps, 0 pts
3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 28 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 7 caps, 0 pts
1 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 15 caps, 5 pts (1t)

Replacements
16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 81 caps, 70 pts (14t)
17 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – 2 caps, 0 pts
18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions) – 2 caps, 0 pts
19 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 140 caps, 35 pts (7t)
20 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 32 caps, 20 pts (4t)
21 Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)
22 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 62 caps, 55 pts (11t)
23 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 49 caps, 95 pts (19t)