Rassie Erasmus makes wholesale changes for England clash
Written by Ayanda Nyuswa on 14 November, 2024
By Ayanda Nyuswa
Springbok coach uRassie Erasmus has made 12 changes to the team that beat Scotland last weekend, for their second November tour match against England at Twickenham on Saturday night. Wilco Louw will make his first Springbok appearance since 2021 at tight head prop, and form a front row alongside Ox Nche and Bongi Mbonambi. Louw was called up as a late injury replacement for Frans Malherbe. Mbonambi and Nche retain their starting places alongside Eben Etzebeth, who reliqueshes the captain’s arm band with the return of Siya Kolis in the starting 15. Kolisi returns as one of five changes to the pack that started against Scotland, with RG Snyaman, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese returning to the side.
Grant Williams is one of only two backline player who have retained his places in the squad, as he will start at Scrum half after coming off the bench last weekend. Lukhanyo AM is the other player who started last weekend, but drops to the bench this week as one of three backline players among the reserves, with Erasmus opting for a 5/3 split.
Manie Libbok has been trusted to start at Fly half with Handre Pollard coming off the bench, while the World Cup winning centre pairing of Damien de Allende and Jessie Kriel reuinited. Kurt-Lee Arendse will form a back three with Cheslin Kolbe and Aphelele Fassi, as Canaan Moodie, Makazole Mapimpi and Willie le Roux fall off the squad.
South Africa and England will meet for the first time since the World Cup semi final where the Boks prevailed with a narrow 16-15 victory in Paris. Rassie Erasmus’ boys have won their previous 8 test matches, while the English are on a four match losing streak. Saturday’s match will take place at the Alianz Stadium, previously known as Twickenham, at 19:40 SA time.
FULL SQUAD:
1. Ox Nche, 2. Bongi Mbonambi 3. Wilco Louw 4. Eben Etzebeth 5. RG Snyaman 6. Siya Kolisi 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit 8. Jasper Wiese 9. Grant Williams 10. Manie Libbok 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse 12. Damien de Allende 13. Jessie Kriel 14. Cheslin Kolbe 15. Aphelele Fassi
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Malcolm Marx 17. Gerhard Steenekamp 18. Vincent Koch 19. Elrigh Louw 20. Kwagga Smith 21. Cobus Reinach 22. Handre Pollard 23. Lukhanyo Am
Image: SA Rugby
