BREAKING: Siya OUT, Ox IN for Springboks against All Blacks
· The South African
The majority of the players named in Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ starting team – including stand-in captain Pieter-Steph du Toit – began their preparations for the All Blacks series in Johannesburg last week as the rest of the squad travelled to Argentina for the clash against Los Pumas.
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The only two players who retain their places in the starting XV from the Argentina Test – which the Boks won 17-10 – are Eben Etzebeth (lock) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (flyhalf). A further seven players from the clash in Buenos Aires – Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese (all utility forwards), Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen (both props), Andre Esterhuizen (flanker and centre), and Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf) – have been included on the bench.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu will join forces with Grant Williams at halfback, while wings Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse (fullback) form the back trio. Completing the quality backline are the record-breaking centre pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel.
Ox Nche makes a welcome return from injury and will partner up with Wilco Louw and Malcolm Marx in the front row, while Etzebeth will reunite with Ruan Nortje in the engine room, and Paul de Villiers, Du Toit, and Jasper Wiese have been named as the loose trio.
Commenting on the omission of Kolisi, the regular Springbok flanker and captain, Erasmus said: “Siya trained well with us this week, and although we could have selected him for this clash, we thought it would be best to select Paul (de Villiers) for this weekend’s game.
“We are playing four Tests against the All Blacks and Paul has been playing well, so we are excited to give him a chance this weekend in what will be his first Test match against New Zealand, while taking a precautionary approach to Siya’s return.
“We have a solid group of players, and each one of them deserves their places in the squad, so we will approach team selection week by week.”
Erasmus retained the same replacement front row from two weeks ago of Wessels, Steenekamp and Porthen, with Cobus Wiese, Van Staden, and Esterhuizen also providing forward cover, while the two specialist backs are Reinach and flyhalf Manie Libbok.
The match kicks off at 17:10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Springbok team to face the All Blacks in Johannesburg:
15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 52 caps, 76 pts (8t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (DHL Stormers) – 50 caps, 131 pts (22t, 3c, 5p)
13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 90 caps, 115 pts (23t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 99 caps, 55 pts (11t)
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars) – 32 caps, 125 pts (25t)
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 20 caps, 177 pts (9t, 45c, 14p)
9 Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers) – 30 caps, 40 pts (8t)
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 46 caps, 20 pts (4t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain, Toyota Verblitz) – 98 caps, 70 pts (14t)
6 Paul de Villiers (DHL Stormers) – 3 cap, 5 pts (1t)
5 Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears) – 20 caps, 5 pts (1t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 142 caps, 45 pts (9t)
3 Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers) – 31 caps, 10 pts (2t)
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 89 caps, 135 pts (27t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 48 caps, 0 pts
Replacements:
16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 13 caps, 10 pts (2t)
17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 19 caps, 10 pts (2t)
18 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)
19 Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 0 pts
20 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 31 caps, 25 pts (5t)
21 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 36 caps, 20 pts (4t)
22 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 53 caps, 100 pts (20t)
23 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 30 caps, 147 pts (2t, 49c, 13p)
Stats and facts:
Springbok record against New Zealand:
Played: 110, Won: 43, Lost: 63, Drawn: 4. Points for: 1 850; Points against: 2 269; Tries scored: 181; Tries conceded: 248. Win %: 39%.