Rassie Erasmus sends two Springboks back to their club

Two members of Rassie Erasmus’ extended South Africa squad have been released to the Lions for Tuesday night’s clash with the All Blacks at Ellis Park, with Quan Horn and Boan Venter both included in Ivan van Rooyen’s matchday 23.

Horn has been named at full-back for the final franchise fixture of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, while loosehead Venter will provide cover from the bench. The pair return to a Lions group built largely around the side that won the SA Shield during the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship campaign.

Venter last represented South Africa in the 17-10 victory over Argentina earlier this month, while Horn last featured in green against Scotland in the Nations Championship in July, where he was deployed at fly-half again.

Francke Horn will captain the hosts from No.8, with Henco van Wyk and Richard Kriel forming the midfield combination and Chris Smit partnering Nico Steyn as the half-backs.

The All Blacks have meanwhile named a side containing several notable Test names, headlined by Richie Mo’unga’s return to the black jersey for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Beauden Barrett starts at full-back, while Rieko Ioane, Wallace Sititi and Samisoni Taukei’aho are also included.

Fixture

Rugby Union Hybrid Friendlies

Lions

10:00

25 Aug 26

New Zealand

All Stats and Data

Prop Saula Ma’u is set for his first All Blacks appearance, while injury call-ups Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Jamie Hannah are among the replacements. Peter Lakai and Anton Lienert-Brown will run out just three days after featuring in the opening Test against the Springboks, with Patrick Tuipulotu again captaining the tourists.

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie said: “Firstly, I want to congratulate Saula on making his All Blacks debut, it will be a special day for him and his family.

“With the naming of this matchday 23, everyone currently in the squad will have played on tour, which is great for creating depth and competition for places in the Test team.

“I’ve been impressed with the way that all players in our squad have responded to the quick turnaround between games. The Lions match comes just three days after the first Test match but everyone has been involved in preparing this team to play.

“We know we will have to be at our very best again to prepare for what we know will be another physical match against a Lions side that has been lying in wait.”

Lions XV: 15 Quan Horn; 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Erich Cronje; 10 Chris Smit, 9 Nico Steyn; 1 SJ Kotze, 2 PJ Botha, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 5 Ruan Delport, 6 Siba Mahashe, 7 Batho Hlekani, 8 Francke Horn (captain)
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Boan Venter, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Boeta Chamberlain

All Blacks XV: 15 Beauden Barrett; 14 Fehi Fineanganofo, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 11 Emoni Narawa; 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Noah Hotham; 1 Siale Lauaki, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 4 Sam Darry, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 6 Wallace Sititi, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 8 Semisi Ta’eiloa
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Saula Ma’u, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown