Category: Springboks

Rassie has retained the same starting team from Durban except that Ox Nche returns at loosehead. Bongi Mbonambi, Grant Williams and Jesse Kriel move onto the bench.

If Australia can sneak a win over New Zealand the Boks can afford to lose this game by 7 points. Otherwise a simple win over the Pumas will hand the Boks the Rugby Championship trophy.

Rassie has made minor changes to the team that walloped the All Blacks in Wellington. Damian Willemse moves to full back, Damian de Allende starts at inside centre, Eben Etzebeth replaces the injured Lood de Jager. Jan-Hendrik Wessels move to cover hooker, Boan Venter comes onto the bench. Morne van den Berg replaces Grant Williams (out with a niggle) as scrumhalf cover.

Rassie has released his team for the crucial test in Wellington, and has thrown caution to the wind. Pollard, le Roux, de Allende, Kriel, van Staden (Kolisi a tad lucky) and Eben (possibly niggle) drop out of the squad. Grant Williams who had an error prone game although behind a losing breakdown drops to the bench. The backline has been completely rejigged = Reinach, Wunderkind, Hooker, Willemse, Moodie, Kolbe and Fassi.

Ethan Hooker is making the most of his call up to the Boks and may feature later in the game from the bench. Canan Moodie is lucky to retain the 14 jersey after two poor performances against Australia (Hooker must be pushing hard for that). He is a talent but needs to rediscover the form from when he burst on the scene.

Rassie has made major changes to the side that got walloped by the Wallabies at Ellis Park. Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe and Handré Pollard start in the back line, with Jean-Luc du Preez, Franco Mostert, Ruan Nortje, RG Snyman and Thomas du Toit starting in the pack. Marnus van der Merwe comes onto the bench with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu covering a number of back line positions.

Rassie has picked a strong side for the starting game of the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies. Due to Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe unavailable to injury Andre Esterhuizen and Edwill van der Merwe will start. Siya Kolisi has moved to 8 with Marco van Staden playing at 6. The combination of Grant Williams and Manie Libbok is the best attacking half back combo the Boks have.

Rassie has made more wholesale changes for the game against the Georgians. The remaining uncapped front row forwards (Boan Venter, Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche) will start against Georgia while Cobus Wiese will be tried out at 8. Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi are back in the starting team. The bench has a lot of experience with the likes of Pollard, Bongi and co.

Rassie has overhauled the team from last weekend to give other players in his squad the opportunity to face Italy. Ethan Hooker should get his Bok cap in the second half along with Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Cobus Wiese (the brother of Jasper). Salmaan Moerat willl captain the team.

Rassie has made a number of rotational changes to the Bok side. Vincent Tshituka will get his first start in an official test after a storming game against the Barbarians. Damian Willemse and Handre Pollard will start at 15 and 10 respectively, with Jasper Wiese, Eben Etzebeth and Wilco Louw starting in the pack. Jesse Kriel retains the captaincy.

Vincent Tshituka will debut for the Boks against the Barbarians on Saturday. Apart from the half backs the Boks will feature a pretty experienced back line. Lood de Jager makes his return to the Boks, while Jean-Luc du Preez gets another opportunity at 8. Asenathi Ntlabakanye will anchor the scrum along with the Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche. The four players including Vincent who make their debut will not be capped though – as the game does not count as an official test.

I am disappointed not to see Ethan Hooker in the mix, but apparently Rassie wants to use this game to get the Japan based Boks some match practice.