Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has stuck to his tried and tested combinations for their third Rugby Championship encounter against the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, 6 September.
Erasmus made only four changes to the starting team that beat the Wallabies in Cape Town a fortnight ago, with Jesse Kriel retaining the captaincy.
Returns from a niggle
The changes see the return of South Africa’s most experienced player, Eben Etzebeth, to the starting XV in the engine room alongside Ruan Nortje, in what will mark his 136th Test, with the other two changes in the loose trio, where Siya Kolisi returns from a niggle in what will mark his second Test at No 8, while Pieter-Steph du Toit returns at flanker.
The only change in the backline is at fullback, where Willie le Roux will start his 101st Test after being forced to withdraw from the last clash against the Wallabies due to a niggle.
Erasmus made three personnel changes to the replacements bench, which features five forwards and three backs, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels taking over from Marnus van der Merwe at hooker, Kwagga Smith moving back to the bench in the void left by Etzebeth, and utility back Ethan Hooker featuring in his second Test in place of Andre Esterhuizen.
The Test holds vast significance as the Springboks attempt to register their fifth victory in a row against the All Blacks and break their hoodoo at Eden Park – where they last won in 1937 – while the Freedom Cup is also on the line.
The match kicks off at 09:05 (SA time).
A look at the SCHOOLS the Springbok squad for Saturday attended:
| Position | Player | School |
| 15 | Willie le Roux | Paul Roos |
| 14 | Cheslin Kolbe | Brackenfell |
| 13 | Jesse Kriel | Maritzburg College |
| 12 | Damian De Allende | Milnerton |
| 11 | Canan Moodie | Boland Landbou |
| 10 | Handre Pollard | Paarl Gimnasium |
| 9 | Grant Williams | Paarl Gimnasium |
| 8 | Siya Kolisi | Grey High |
| 7 | Pieter-Steph du Toit | Swartland |
| 6 | Marco van Staden | Hoërskool Bekker |
| 5 | Ruan Nortje | Wonderboom |
| 4 | Eben Etzebeth | Tygerberg |
| 3 | Thomas du Toit | Paarl Boys High |
| 2 | Malcolm Marx | KES |
| 1 | Ox Nche | HTS Louis Botha |
| Reserves | ||
| 16 | Jan-Hendrik Wessels | Grey College |
| 17 | Boan Venter | De Aar |
| 18 | Wilco Louw | HTS Drostdy |
| 19 | Lood de Jager | Hoërskool Hugenote, Springs |
| 20 | Kwagga Smith | HTS Middelburg |
| 21 | Cobus Reinach | Grey College |
| 22 | Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu | Bishops |
| 23 | Ethan Hooker | Westville Boys’ High |
In the match-day 23-man squad, Paarl Gimnasium and Grey College each boast two old boys. No other school has more than one representative.
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