Erasmus names strong squad to face Wallabies

Springbok head coach, Rassie Erasmus, has named a strong matchday 23 for South Africa’s Rugby Championship opener against Australia at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The Boks are aiming for a fifth consecutive win over the Wallabies, having beaten them twice in Australia last season and once each in 2022 and 2023.

Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as South Africa’s most capped player to 134 Tests.

Erasmus has opted for a back three of Aphelele Fassi, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Edwill van der Merwe, with Jesse Kriel partnering Andre Esterhuizen in midfield after Damian de Allende picked up a niggle. Manie Libbok and Grant Williams start at halfback.

Captain Siya Kolisi will wear the No.8 jersey for the first time in a Test. He joins Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden in the loose forwards.

Etzebeth partners Lood de Jager in the second row, behind a front row of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, and Wilco Louw.

“We’ve been experimenting with player combinations during the Castle Lager Incoming Series and at our conditioning camp over 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.

“All of the starters except for Edwill have faced them before, and we are confident that he is ready for this challenge,” he added.

Springbok team to face Australia in Johannesburg:

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 (captain)
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

Written by: Ntsako Mukhari