Rassie Erasmus has recalled seven experienced Springboks for Saturday’s Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires, with regular skipper Siya Kolisi named in the match 23.
Kolisi takes back the captain’s armband, with locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and scrumhalf Morné van den Berg also all coming back from injury.
Centre André Esterhuizen and outside back Ethan Hooker, who picked up niggles during the Nations Championship last month, also return.
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The starting XV carries 13 changes from the lineup that beat Wales in the Boks’ last outing.
Seven players from that 43-0 victory in Durban retain their places in the 23, though only two – fullback Aphelele Fassi and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach – start.
The other five, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese and Gerhard Steenekamp, have been named among the replacements in a 6-2 split.
Van den Berg and Handré Pollard are the backline cover on the bench.
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Erasmus has fielded an entirely new front five. Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit pack down alongside Johan Grobbelaar in the front row, with Etzebeth partnering De Jager at lock. Kolisi, Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom form the loose trio.
In the backline, Reinach and Feinberg-Mngomezulu combine at halfback, while Esterhuizen lines up alongside Canan Moodie in midfield.
Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe and Fassi complete an exciting back three.
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SPRINGBOKS – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter.
Bench: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Morné van den Berg, 23 Handré Pollard.
Photo: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
The post Siya back for fully-loaded Boks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Rassie Erasmus has recalled seven experienced Springboks for Saturday’s Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires, with regular skipper Siya Kolisi named in the match 23.
The post Siya back for fully-loaded Boks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
