Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named an experienced squad to face England in the opening Test of the inaugural Nations Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday, with backs Cheslin Kolbe and Damian Willemse set to earn their 50th Test caps.
Captain Siya Kolisi will lead South Africa for the 72nd time, while fellow centurion Eben Etzebeth extends his record as the country’s most-capped player with his 142nd Test appearance.
Erasmus has retained a settled starting XV, with Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit forming the front row, while Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese and Kolisi make up the loose trio. The backline features Grant Williams and Manie Libbok at halfback, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel in midfield, with Kurt-Lee Arendse joining Kolbe and Willemse in the back three.
The replacements include the return of Cameron Hanekom, while Cobus Reinach, Andre Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie provide backline cover.
Erasmus said the Boks were expecting a tough encounter against an experienced England side and stressed the importance of making a strong start to the new competition.
It’s a special occasion for Cheslin and Damian to reach 50 Tests, and we’d like to make it a memorable one. But England will be highly motivated, so we need to be accurate in every aspect of our game,” he said.
The Springboks head into the clash with an impressive record against England, having won 29 of their 47 previous Tests, including a 29-20 victory on the 2024 end-of-year tour.
Kick-off at Ellis Park is at 17:40, with the match to be broadcast live on SuperSport. The day’s action begins at 13:30 when the Springbok Women host the USA in Johannesburg.
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