Africa-Press – South-Africa. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named a strong team for the side’s opening Rugby Championship match against Australia at Ellis Park on Saturday, with the match day squad featuring 18 Rugby World Cup winners and only one player who made his Test debut during the Castle Lager Incoming Series.
Only three players in the squad have five Test caps or fewer — Jan-Hendrik Wessels (utility forward), Edwill van der Merwe (wing) and Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), who made his Test debut against Italy in July.
The Springboks will chase their fifth successive victory against the Wallabies in the match after defeating them in both Rugby Championship games in Australia last season and once each in 2023 and 2022.
The match will mark a significant occasion for veteran Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, who will extend his record as the most capped Bok of all time to 134 matches, which will see him pass Ireland scrumhalf Conor Murray from joint-11th place in the global pecking order to joint 10th position with Welsh prop Gethin Jenkins.
Erasmus named an exciting backline, featuring a back three of Aphelele Fassi and wings Kurt-Lee Arendse and Van der Merwe, while Jesse Kriel will join forces with André Esterhuizen in the midfield after a niggle picked up by Damian de Allende.
Manie Libbok and Grant Williams will dictate at halfback.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will don the No 8 jersey for the first time in a Test, in a loose trio with flankers Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden, while Etzebeth and Lood de Jager will control the engine room behind a front row featuring props Ox Nche and Wilco Louw and hooker Malcolm Marx.
The Bok coach opted for five forwards and three backs on the replacements bench, where Bongi Mbonambi, Wessels and Ntlabakanye will serve as the impact front row, with utility forwards Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith.
The three backs on the bench are Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse.
“We’ve been experimenting with player combinations during the Castle Lager Incoming Series and at our conditioning camp in the last two weeks and we believe this team will allow us to play the type of rugby we want to play against Australia,” said Erasmus.
“The Wallabies will be determined to change their win record against us in the past three seasons, so they’ll come out guns blazing, and we are confident the players we selected will be up for the challenge.
“All the starters except Edwill have faced them before and we are confident he is ready for this challenge.”
Commenting on the niggle to De Allende, Erasmus said: “Damian picked up a back niggle in the past two weeks and will train again this week, but Andre has been strong for us in the past few seasons, so it was an easy decision to name him with Jesse in the midfield.
“Cheslin [Kolbe] has also recovered from a niggle and trained with us last week, but we decided to exercise caution and give him extra time at training before selecting him.
“Edwill has been in good form this season and it will be good to see what he brings in this match.”
With Australia coming off a confidence-boosting 22-12 victory after a heartbreaking 29-26 defeat against the British & Irish Lions, Erasmus expected a challenging Test against them.
“Australia showed they are on the right trajectory in their past two matches against the British & Irish Lions and we have no doubt they will enter this match with confidence and determined to build on those performances,” he said.
“They are a physical and well-coached team and we’ll not underestimate how much those performances, combined with their motivation to bounce back strongly against us after the past few results between the teams, and win their first match ever at Ellis Park, will inspire them.
“That said, we have also been working hard to keep building on our game and improve and we believe our two-week conditioning camp has placed us in the right frame of mind for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
“So hopefully we can transfer that hard work into our game to place ourselves in a good position to defend the title.”
Springbok team to face Australia:
15. Aphelele Fassi, 14. Edwill van der Merwe, 13. Jesse Kriel, 12. André Esterhuizen, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10. Manie Libbok, 9. Grant Williams, 8. Siya Kolisi (capt) 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Lood de Jager, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Wilco Louw, 2. Malcolm Marx, 1. Ox Nche
Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi, 17. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18. Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19. Franco Mostert, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Cobus Reinach, 22. Canan Moodie, 23. Damian Willemse
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