One change to Springboks XV for Rugby Championship title decider

South Africa loosehead prop Ox Nche is set to start against Argentina on Saturday at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium for the final match of the Rugby Championship.

The 30-year-old is the only change to the starting XV that are looking to retain the Championship, and comes back into the squad after pulling out the day before the 67-30 victory over the Pumas in round five.

Boan Venter, who started in Nche’s place after originally being named on the bench, is out of the squad entirely, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels operating as the loosehead option on the bench and Bongi Mbonambi replacing Marco van Staden as the replacement hooker.

The final two changes to the squad come among the backs on the bench, with Grant Williams overcoming an injury to take over from scrum-half Morne van den Berg and Jesse Kriel replacing Andre Esterhuizen.

Fixture

Rugby Championship

Argentina

27 - 29

Full-time

South Africa

All Stats and Data

With the match coming after Australia’s contest with the All Blacks at Perth’s Optus Stadium, South Africa will know exactly what is required of them when they take to the field in London.

Already leading the Championship by a solitary point, another bonus point victory over the Pumas would guarantee the Springboks back-to-back titles regardless of the result earlier in the day. Even a defeat could still bring the title back to South Africa, but that would be dependant on how the match in Western Australia pans out.

“There are minimal personnel changes, with the bulk of the team having done the job for us last week against the Pumas in Durban and our other Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches,” head coach Rassie Erasmus said after naming his squad.

“Ox and Grant could have played last week if we really needed them, but Boan [Venter] and Morne [van den Berg] did really well, while Jesse was rotated in the last two matches and is raring to go. The same applies to Bongi, who last played against Australia, and who is excited for this opportunity.

“Their experience, combined with the younger players in the team, makes this an exciting squad, which is exactly what we need in a match that will essentially be the Castle Lager Rugby Championship decider.”

Springboks XV
15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 44 caps, 66 points (6t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 45 caps, 126 points (21t, 3c, 5p)
13 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 19 caps, 40 pts (8t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 92 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 4 caps, 0 points
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 14 caps, 95 points (3t, 25c, 10p)
9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 45 caps, 75 pts (15t)
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 38 caps, 10 points (2t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 92 caps, 70 pts (14t)
6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 97 caps, 65 points (13t)
5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 12 caps, 0 pts
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 137 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 Thomas du Toit (Bath) – 29 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 83 caps, 125 pts (25t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 45 caps, 0 pts

Replacements
16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 80 caps, 70 points (14t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps, 10 pts (2t)
18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 23 caps, 0 pts
19 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 45 caps, 15 points (3t)
20 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 58 caps, 55 points (11t)
21 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 23 caps, 25 pts (5t)
22 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 23 caps, 133 pts (2t, 42c, 13p)
23 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 83 caps, 95 points (19t)