By: Bon Miguela Nhlapo
The Springboks will make just two changes to their starting XV for Saturday’s Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series decider against New Zealand in Baltimore.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus has retained the core of the team that secured back-to-back victories over the All Blacks, with Damian Willemse returning at fullback and Morne van den Berg handed his first start of the series at scrumhalf.
Willemse replaces the injured Cheslin Kolbe in the only enforced change to the backline, while Van den Berg comes into the starting team in place of Cobus Reinach, who drops to the replacements bench.
Explaining the changes, Erasmus said the team had settled well and that the players had delivered in their respective roles during the previous two Tests.
We feel that the team is well settled and all the players delivered in their respective roles in the last two matches, so we believe selecting the same matchday squad, and naming Damian back in his regular position, makes sense for the closing match of the series,” said Erasmus.
“These players also know exactly what to expect from a very determined All Blacks team, who will give everything to draw the series this weekend.”
Willemse missed last weekend’s Test after feeling a niggle, but Erasmus is confident the utility back will slot straight back into the team.
He is a quality player, and he knows the guys around him very well, so it will simply be a matter of him picking up where he left off before last week,” Erasmus said.
Van den Berg impressed after coming off the bench last weekend, earning him a starting opportunity in the series decider.
Morne, meanwhile, made a fantastic impact when he took the field last week, and he deserves a chance to start, so Cobus switches to the bench where he will add experience and skill in this vital match,” Erasmus added.
The changes reflect Erasmus’ desire for continuity after the Springboks produced dramatic back-to-back victories to take a 2-1 lead in the four-Test series following their defeat in the opening match.
A victory on Saturday will secure the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry title for the Springboks, while an All Blacks win would level the series and leave the sides sharing the spoils.
Kolbe, who sustained an injury during the Springboks’ victory at FNB Stadium last weekend, is among six players who remained in South Africa as the squad travelled to the United States.
The Springboks will travel directly from the USA to Australia for a one-off Test against the Wallabies at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, 27 September.
Erasmus expects the All Blacks to respond strongly after losing the last two Tests but believes his team is ready for another bruising encounter.
We have faced the All Blacks three weeks in a row, and just like us, they are a proud team who showed last week that they will never stop fighting until the final whistle, so we are under no illusions about the magnitude of the challenge ahead this weekend,” he said.
“That said, we are equally determined to finish the series strongly and give everything to lift the trophy, and the players are excited about the match.”
He added: “We have no doubt that it’s going to be another epic encounter that will require a full-blown 80-minute effort on attack and defence, so we will manage the players well this week to ensure that they are ready physically and mentally for Saturday.”
The Baltimore encounter will be the first Springbok Test played in the city and only their fourth Test match in the United States. South Africa previously defeated the USA 38-7 in 1981 and 43-10 in 2001, while their most recent match on American soil was a 22-20 defeat to Wales in Washington, DC, in 2018. That match was Erasmus’ first Test in charge as Springbok head coach.
The match kicks off at 23:00 South African time (17:00 EDT), with live broadcast available.
The Springbok starting XV will see Damian Willemse at fullback, with Kurt-Lee Arendse and Ethan Hooker on the wings, Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende in the centres, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at flyhalf. Morne van den Berg starts at scrumhalf, while Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi make up the loose trio. Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth form the lock pairing, with Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche completing the front row.
The replacements are Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager, Andre Esterhuizen, Cameron Hanekom, Cobus Reinach and Manie Libbok.