Springboks team: Siya Kolisi in historic positional switch as Rassie Erasmus makes huge calls at half-back against Wallabies
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and captain Siya Kolisi, who starts at number eight against the Wallabies.
Siya Kolisi has been named to start at number eight for the first time in Test rugby as Rassie Erasmus selected his Springboks team to face the Wallabies this weekend.
South Africa have named a XV which is as close to full strength as possible with Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe out of the clash due to niggling injuries.
“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,” Erasmus said.
“The Wallabies will be determined to change their win record against us in the last three seasons, so they’ll come out guns blazing, and we are confident that the players we selected will be up for the challenge.
“All of the starters except for Edwill have faced them before, and we are confident that he is ready for this challenge.”
Big calls at scrum-half and fly-half
The Boks begin their Rugby Championship campaign in Johannesburg and they will line up with a back three of Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
De Allende’s injury means that Andre Esterhuizen joins Jesse Kriel at centre, while Manie Libbok gets the nod at fly-half for this encounter.
The selection of Grant Williams alongside him in the decision-making positions is another big call, with Cobus Reinach the reserve scrum-half.
As mentioned, Kolisi starts at number eight while Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden are the two flankers, while Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth combine at lock.
Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche complete the XV as the Springboks look to begin the defence of their title with a victory over an improving Wallabies side.
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“Australia showed that they are on the right trajectory in their last 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,” Erasmus said.
“They are a physical and well-coached team, and we’ll certainly not underestimate how much those performances, combined with their motivation to bounce back strongly against us after the last 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.”
Interestingly, South Africa have gone the traditional route with the bench, opting for a 5-3 split with Bongi Mbonambi, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith the forward cover, while Reinach, Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse are the backline replacements.
Springboks team to face the Wallabies
Springboks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi (c), 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
Date: Saturday, August 16
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:10 local (16:10 BST, 15:10 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant referees: James Doleman (NZR), Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Tual Trainini (FFR)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZR)