Three key backs return for Springboks as Rassie swings axe

Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s match against Australia at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, as well as handing the captain’s armband to Jesse Kriel for only the second time in Springbok colours. His previous experience of leading the Springboks was against Italy in July.

Kriel will be assisted by prop Ox Nche, who has been named vice-captain for the first time.

Nche and hooker Malcolm Marx are two of the five players to retain their jerseys from last week’s 38-22 defeat to the Wallabies, with Thomas du Toit called into the front row at tight-head.

RG Snyman and Ruan Nortje make up an all-new second-row partnership, while there are two more fresh faces in the back row following the absence of Pieter-Steph du Toit and Siya Kolisi.

Marco van Staden continues in the blindside berth, while Franco Mostert and Jean-Luc du Preez come into the team at seven and eight.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

4

Draws

0

Wins

1

Average Points scored

32

18

First try wins

40%

Home team wins

40%

Grant Williams is paired with Handre Pollard at half-back, with the Springboks’ record centre combination, Damian de Allende and Kriel, outside of them.

With wings, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe, two of the four players ruled out through injury, South Africa are pleased to welcome back Cheslin Kolbe and Bok centurion Willie le Roux to the back three, alongside Canan Moodie.

Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok of all time to 134 Test matches if he comes off the bench.

Explaining the wholesale changes, Erasmus said: “We lost four players to injury last weekend, which obviously had an impact on a few of our selections, but we also know where we went wrong against Australia last week, so we made a few changes that we believe will offer us what we need for this game,” said Erasmus.

“Damian and Cheslin have also recovered from their injuries, and with their experience and knowledge of the Wallabies, it was a logical choice to recall them.”

Erasmus added: “We are determined to get things right this week. We are pleased with this squad, and we are all aligned on what we have to do to lift our standards this week.”

Erasmus expected another physical battle against the Wallabies: “There’s no doubt they’ll take a lot of confidence from their victory last week, and especially since that marked their first victory at Ellis Park against us in the professional era.

“We are still hurting from that result, and the coaches and players are extremely disappointed with the way we played last week. We know we didn’t play according to our standards in the second half, and we must rectify that.

“We let ourselves and the country down, so we have all the motivation we need to make things right this week.”

Springbok team to face Australia in Cape Town:

15 Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 100 caps
14 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 15 caps
13 Jesse Kriel (captain, Canon Eagles) – 81 caps
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 89 caps
11 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 41 caps
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) – 82 caps
9 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 20 caps

8 Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles) – 14 caps
7 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 80 caps
6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 28 caps
5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps
4 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 42 caps
3 Thomas du Toit (Bath) – 25 caps
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 79 caps
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 42 caps

Replacements:

16 Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets) – 1 cap
17 Boan Venter (Edinburgh) – 2 caps
18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 19 caps
19 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 134 caps
20 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 68 caps
21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 54 caps
22 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 41 caps
23 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 10 caps