Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named an experienced match 23 for Saturday’s Nations Championship Test against Italy in Turin.
Erasmus has opted against handing uncapped youngsters in the squad such as Riley Norton, Yaqeen Ahmed and Markus Muller their Test debuts.
The only player who will make his first appearance in the green and gold this season is lock Salmaan Moerat, who missed the first leg of the Nations Championship and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series due to neck and toe injuries.
Moerat will partner Ruan Nortjé in the engine room in a physical forward pack, which features a front row of Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit, and a loose trio of captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese.
MORE: Erasmus has ‘full faith’ in Bok youngsters
The Bok backline is equally settled, with halfbacks Morné van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the experienced midfield pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel, and a back three of Ethan Hooker, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse.
Erasmus opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the bench.
Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Wilco Louw will serve as the back-up front row, with Lood de Jager providing lock cover, and Cameron Hanekom and Paul de Villiers loose forward cover. Grant Williams and Manie Libbok are the backline replacements.
STATE OF NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Boks eye final
The Boks currently top the southern hemisphere standings, tied on 15 points with the All Blacks, but in the No 1 spot because of a better points’ difference.
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nché.
Bench: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok.
Photo: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images
The post Rassie aims Bok big guns at Azzurri appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named an experienced match 23 for Saturday’s Nations Championship Test against Italy in Turin.
The post Rassie aims Bok big guns at Azzurri appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
