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First Test.
Springbok centre Damian de Allende will become the 10th player in history to earn 100 Test caps for South Africa when the Boks meet the All Blacks in the opening game of the Greatest Rivalry series this weekend.
The majority of the players named in Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ starting team – including captain Pieter-Steph du Toit – began their preparations for the series in Johannesburg last week as the rest of the squad travelled to Argentina for the clash against Los Pumas.
The only two players who retain their places in the starting XV from the Argentina Test 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 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.
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.
Commenting on the omission of Siya Kolisi, the regular Springbok flanker and captain, Head coach Rassie 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.”
Springbok team to face New Zealand in Johannesburg:
15 Damian Willemse
14 Cheslin Kolbe
13 Jesse Kriel
12 Damian de Allende
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9 Grant Williams
8 Jasper Wiese
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain)
6 Paul de Villiers
5 Ruan Nortje
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Wilco Louw
2 Malcolm Marx
1 Ox Nche
Replacements:
16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels
17 Gerhard Steenekamp
18 Zachary Porthen
19 Cobus Wiese
20 Andre Esterhuizen
21 Marco van Staden
22 Cobus Reinach
23 Manie Libbok
