Africa-Press – South-Africa. Siya Kolisi returns from injury to take over the Springbok captaincy for the first time this season in a squad including three debutants named by coach Rassie Erasmus for Saturday’s last Incoming Series match against Georgia at Mbombela Stadium.
Bok No 8 Jasper Wiese has been suspended for four matches after a headbutt on Italian prop Danilo Fischetti in the Springboks’ 45-0 victory on Saturday, ruling him out of the side’s eagerly-anticipated clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Boan Venter, Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche will make their international debuts against Georgia.
Venter, who was called up to the squad in June as injury cover at prop, will start in a new front row with fellow prop Fouche and hooker Van der Merwe, who both had their first taste of Springbok rugby in the team’s 54-7 victory against the Barbarians last month.
Kolisi features in a loose trio with Pieter-Steph du Toit and Cobus Wiese after missing the past three matches due to niggles.
The three uncapped front rankers will increase the number of newly capped players this season to seven after Vincent Tshituka (flanker), Wiese, Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop) and Ethan Hooker (utility back) made their Test debuts against Italy.
Erasmus’ team features only five players who started and eight in total from the match-23 that defeated Italy in Gqeberha on Saturday.
Wiese, who is the Boks’ first choice option at the back of the scrum, a position where they have several injury concerns, will sit out Saturday’s fixture against Georgia and the first three matches of the Rugby Championship.
South Africa start the defence of their southern hemisphere title with two home games against Australia before a visit to Auckland, where they have not beaten New Zealand since 1937.
Wiese will be available for the second Test against the All Blacks in Wellington on September 13.
The burly back row received a permanent red card from referee Andrew Brace after a headbutt on Fischetti as the two squared up during a stoppage in play after 21 minutes of Saturday’s Test in Gqeberha.
Springbok team to face Georgia:
15 — Aphelele Fassi (Sharks) — 11 caps, 35 points (7t)
14 — Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks) — 2 caps, 15 pts (3t)
13 — Canan Moodie (Bulls) — 13 caps, 30 pts (6t)
12 — Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) — 88 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 — Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls) — 25 caps, 95 points (19t)
10 — Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers) — 9 caps, 52 points (14c, 8p)
9 — Grant Williams (Sharks) — 17 caps, 25 pts (5t)
8 — Cobus Wiese (Bulls) — 1 cap, 0 pts
7 — Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) — 87 caps, 40 pts (8t)
6 — Siya Kolisi (captain, Sharks) — 92 caps, 60 points (12t)
5 — Ruan Nortje (Bulls) — 7 caps, 0 pts
4 — Eben Etzebeth (Sharks) — 132 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 — Neethling Fouche (Stormers) — uncapped
2 — Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets) — uncapped
1 — Boan Venter (Edinburgh) — uncapped
Replacements:
16 — Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks) — 78 caps, 70 points (14t)
17 — Thomas du Toit (Bath) — 24 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18 — Vincent Koch (Sharks) — 62 caps, 5 points (1t)
19 — RG Snyman (Leinster) — 41 caps, 10 points (2t)
20 — Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) — 52 caps, 45 points (9t)
21 — Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) — 59 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5p)
22 — Handré Pollard (Bulls) — 81 caps, 784 points (7t, 115c, 168p, 5dg)
23 — Damian Willemse (Stormers) — 40 caps, 56 points (4t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)
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