Venter to replace Wessels in Bok side to face Wallabies

Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, has been forced into a late change to his matchday 23 for Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener against Australia at Ellis Park.

Prop Boan Venter will provide front-row cover off the bench following the withdrawal of Jan-Hendrik Wessels who suffered a knock in training on Wednesday.

Venter will partner up with Bongi Mbonambi and Asenathi Ntlabakanye as the back-up front row.

Saturday’s clash will see Venter make only his second Test appearance for the Springboks after he made a try-scoring debut for the world champions during their 55-10 victory over Georgia in Nelspruit last month.

Meanwhile, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has warned that the clash against the Wallabies will be their toughest challenge of the season so far.

“The talk in our camp has solely been on Australia. We saw how they played against the British & Irish Lions, and we’ve been in the position they are now in the past, so it would be foolish to think that they won’t throw everything at us,” said Kolisi.

Revised Springboks team to face the Wallabies:

South Africa: 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 Boan Venter, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Canan Moodie, 23 Damian Willemse