Siya Kolisi is pencilled in for the Springboks’ second Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series on Saturday, with fellow World Cup hero Handré Pollard among the team changes.
Also see: Springboks vs All Blacks: Cape Town prepares for Saturday clash
Siya Kolisi to rejoin the Springboks
Rassie Erasmus has kept much of the side that lost to the All Blacks in Johannesburg intact, with Kolisi bracketed alongside Paul de Villiers at openside flank pending his recovery through the week.
Pollard partners Cobus Reinach at halfback, while Ethan Hooker replaces the injured Cheslin Kolbe on the wing, shifting Kurt-Lee Arendse across to partner Damian Willemse in the back three. Pieter-Steph du Toit retains the captaincy.
Should Kolisi be passed fit, he’ll complete a loose trio with Du Toit and Jasper Wiese in what would be the most experienced Bok team ever fielded, boasting a combined 1,012 Test caps.
The occasion carries extra significance for two of the Boks’ most decorated forwards. Du Toit becomes the 11th Bok to reach a century of Test caps, while Ox Nché joins the 50-cap club at Cape Town Stadium.
On the bench, 39-year-old Deon Fourie returns for his first involvement since the 2023 World Cup final, joining Gerhard Steenekamp and Thomas du Toit in reserve front-row cover.
Lood de Jager and Cameron Hanekom provide further forward depth alongside hybrid André Esterhuizen, with scrumhalf Morné van den Berg and the versatile Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu completing the backline cover.
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Springboks to take to the field
- 15 Damian Willemse
- 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse
- 13 Jesse Kriel
- 12 Damian de Allende
- 11 Ethan Hooker
- 10 Handré Pollard
- 9 Cobus Reinach
- 8 Jasper Wiese
- 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (c)
- 6 Siya Kolisi/Paul de Villiers
- 5 Ruan Nortje
- 4 Eben Etzebeth
- 3 Wilco Louw
- 2 Malcolm Marx
- 1 Ox Nché
Bench
- 16 Deon Fourie
- 17 Gerhard Steenekamp
- 18 Thomas du Toit
- 19 Lood de Jager
- 20 André Esterhuizen
- 21 Cameron Hanekom
- 22 Morné van den Berg
- 23 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Originally published by SA Rugby Magazine.
Also see: Springboks Learn Their Rugby World Cup 2027 Path as Rassie Targets Historic Threepeat
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