Erasmus named a strong Springbok team for the side’s opening Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies at Ellis Park on Saturday, with the matchday squad featuring 18 Rugby World Cup winners and only one player who made his Test debut during the Incoming Series.
Only three players in the squad for the clash, which kicks off at 17:10, have five Test caps or fewer – Jan-Hendrik Wessels (utility forward), Edwill van der Merwe (wing) and Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), who made his Test debut against Italy in July.
Erasmus named an exciting backline, featuring a back three of Aphelele Fassi and wings Kurt-Lee Arendse and Van der Merwe, while Jesse Kriel will join forces with Andre Esterhuizen in the midfield following a niggle picked up by Damian de Allende.
Manie Libbok and Grant Williams will pair up at halfback.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will don the No 8 jersey for the first time in a Test, in a loose trio with flankers Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden, while Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager pair up behind a front row featuring props Ox Nche and Wilco Louw and hooker Malcolm Marx.
Erasmus opted for five forwards and three backs on the replacements bench, where Bongi Mbonambi, Wessels and Ntlabakanye will serve as the impact front row, along with utility forwards Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith.
The three backs on the bench are Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie, and Damian Willemse.
Springbok team to face Australia in Johannesburg:
15 Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 12 caps, 35 points (7t)
14 Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 3 caps, 25 pts (5t)
13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 80 caps, 95 points (19t)
12 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 20 caps, 0 pts
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 26 caps, 100 points (20t)
10 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 20 caps, 108 pts (1t, 35c, 11p)
9 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 19 caps, 25 pts (5t)
8 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 93 caps, 60 points (12t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 88 caps, 60 pts (12t)
6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 27 caps, 15 pts (3t)
5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 67 caps, 25 points (5t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 133 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 18 caps, 0 pts
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 78 caps, 115 pts (23t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 41 caps, 0 pts
Replacements:
16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 79 caps, 70 points (14t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 10 pts (2t)
18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions) – 1 cap, 0 pts
19 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 79 caps, 20 points (4t)
20 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 53 caps, 45 points (9t)
21 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 40 caps, 70 pts (14t)
22 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 14 caps, 35 pts (7t)
23 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 41 caps, 61 points (5t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
What is your prediction for the team selection?
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