Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made significant adjustments to the Springbok lineup ahead of Saturday’s rematch against the All Blacks in Wellington. This fresh look aims to both respond to last week’s narrow defeat and develop squad depth.
Key Changes & Highlights
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Seven changes to the starting XV, mostly within the backline, signal a renewed approach to the rematch.
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Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu takes over at fly-half, with Damian Willemse shifting inside to inside centre and Canan Moodie at outside centre.
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Injury-return Siya Kolisi moves to blindside flank after a knee setback, with Jesse Kriel maintaining the captaincy.
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Ethan Hooker earns his first start on the wing, while Aphelele Fassi slots in at fullback alongside Cheslin Kolbe.
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Jasper Wiese is back at number eight after suspension, joining Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit in the back row.
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The lock pairing sees Lood de Jager and Ruan Nortje replacing Eben Etzebeth, and Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, and Thomas du Toit hold the front-row positions.
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The bench mixes five forwards and three backs, including Grant Williams, Manie Libbok, and Andre Esterhuizen as key impact options.
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Coach Erasmus emphasises the need for both a sharper performance and evolving team depth, especially with one of the few away tests against the All Blacks on the horizon.
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Despite the squad tweaks, Erasmus remains committed to longer-term squad development, using these changes partly to build experience ahead of future challenges.
Full Team List
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| 1. Loosehead Prop | Ox Nche |
| 2. Hooker | Malcolm Marx |
| 3. Tighthead Prop | Thomas du Toit |
| 4. Lock | Lood de Jager |
| 5. Lock | Ruan Nortje |
| 6. Blindside Flank | Siya Kolisi |
| 7. Openside Flank | Pieter-Steph du Toit |
| 8. No. 8 | Jasper Wiese |
| 9. Scrum-half | Faf de Klerk |
| 10. Fly-half | Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu |
| 11. Left Wing | Ethan Hooker |
| 12. Inside Centre | Damian Willemse |
| 13. Outside Centre | Canan Moodie |
| 14. Right Wing | Cheslin Kolbe |
| 15. Fullback | Aphelele Fassi |
| Captain | Jesse Kriel (starting outside centre last week, captains side again) |
Replacements (Bench)
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| 16. Hooker | Bongi Mbonambi |
| 17. Prop | Steven Kitshoff |
| 18. Prop | Vincent Koch |
| 19. Lock | Eben Etzebeth |
| 20. Back Row | Kwagga Smith |
| 21. Scrum-half | Grant Williams |
| 22. Fly-half | Manie Libbok |
| 23. Centre | Andre Esterhuizen |
Match Preview:
Saturday’s test will be a true test of Springbok resilience—both the side’s ability to respond after defeat and the trust placed in emerging players to perform under intense pressure.
Who do you think will make the biggest impact from these changes—and what standout factor could swing the outcome this weekend?
I will be your admin now.