Marx one of three Boks benched in last minute change by Erasmus before France

South Africa have made a late change for Friday’s Nations Championship clash with France, swapping their entire front row ahead of kick-off.

Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp and Thomas du Toit will now start at the Stade de France, with World Rugby Player of the Year Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche and Wilco Louw moving to the bench.

The switch completely reverses the front-row combination Rassie Erasmus originally selected for Paris. Louw had been promoted into the starting XV in the only change from the side that beat Italy 66-7, with Du Toit dropping to the replacements.

No reason for the reshuffle was given in the Springboks’ social media announcement, which confirmed the starting trio and corresponding changes to the bench.

“Late change to the Springboks team: The front row of Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Thomas du Toit will now start, with Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, and Wilco Louw coming off the bench,” was the message shared on social media.

It is not the first time this year Erasmus has made such an alteration so close to kick-off.

Ahead of South Africa’s meeting with New Zealand in Cape Town in August, the Bok coach also changed all three starting front-rowers late, moving the originally selected trio to the bench and promoting their replacements.

On that occasion, Erasmus explained the decision had been influenced by a change in the weather forecast, with conditions turning out drier than expected.

There is no indication yet that the same reasoning applies in Paris.

The latest move means Du Toit returns to the starting tighthead jersey despite Louw having originally been preferred after Italy managed to deny South Africa their usual scrum dominance in Turin.

Wessels and Steenekamp, meanwhile, are promoted alongside him, leaving Marx, Nche and Louw available to provide a second-half impact.

The remainder of South Africa’s starting XV is unchanged for a match that could prove decisive in the Nations Championship standings.

Updated South Africa XV: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg; 1 Gerhard Steenekamp, 2 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Lood de Jager, 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese.

Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok.