15 Willemse 14 Hooker 13 de Allende 12 Esterhuizen 11 Moodie 10 Sacha 9 vd Bergh 1 Steenkamp 2 Grobelaar 3 Wilco 4 Kleyn 5 Nortje 6 Kolisi 7 Mostert 8 Wiese
16 Bongi 17 Porthen 18 Nthlabakanye 19 Eben 20 BJ Dixon 21 v Staaden 22 Kwagga 23 Reinach
Thanks Dave - I already posted he team under the quessing thread.
DDA at 13? AE at 12? Are you sure that’s not a printing mistake?
So much for Uncle claiming that Erasmus only sees AE as a loose forward…:) In any case, not a bad team.
That backline is bigger than most pack of forwards :)
7-1 Bench.
I’m guessing Mchunu is not on the bench as they must have felt he was not up to speed yet - he was off injured for some time this year and has yet to play a game of rugby since his return and move to the Stormers
That is probably our biggest backline we have fielded in years. 4 of them over 100kg and 188 cm. However, Moodie, Hooker and Willemse had some serious pace.
Pack is really decent too.
Interesting to see some Japanese players still in the mix. Thought all of them went to Japan
Kwagga looks to be a backline back up if needed. Reinach could play wing if needs be..
This is a pretty good team and should do the job.
Per Ruckers Admin:
It's set to be an explosive showdown in Cardiff this Saturday as Rassie Erasmus rolls out his notorious 'Nuke Squad' with an unusual 7-1 split on the bench, aiming to demolish Wales and cap off a spotless year-end tour. Despite this bold strategy, Erasmus confesses it wasn't part of his initial playbook. Injuries and availability issues have pushed him to make this forward-heavy selection—a move he describes as almost being forced upon him.
“I don’t think we planned at the beginning of the year to go 7-1 against them,” Erasmus reflected. “These are actually just the only guys available after discussions with the franchises.” Highlighting the precariousness of his squad's health, he noted, “Player 24 is Tuks [Ntuthuko Mchunu] and player 25 is Duane Vermeulen. So it was a case of one injury, Tuks is in and another injury, Duane is in.”
With Cobus Reinach as the lone specialist back on the bench for his landmark 50th Test, Erasmus outlined the contingency plans in place for backline disruptions. “Cobus will cover on the wing. Kwagga [Smith] covers nine on defense if we lose two backs to injury and on attack he’ll go onto the blind wing. Then we also have Ben-Jason [Dixon] who’s on standby should we get a third injury in the backline.” The adaptability of players like Smith and Dixon is a testament to their versatility and crucial in managing the unexpected.
The anticipation builds as the match also marks a significant test for Wales, who are eager to make a statement in their final game of the year. Erasmus is wary of the challenge: “We’re expecting a tough Test in Cobus’ 50th game against a Welsh team who we think has a tough underbelly and who has fire in their bellies. Somewhere along the line their game will come together and we’re just hoping that it isn’t against us on Saturday.” He added that with the Rugby World Cup draw looming, both teams will be desperate to clinch a victory to boost their rankings.
As tensions mount for this climactic end-of-year clash, the stage is set for a dramatic finale. Whether Erasmus' forced hand will deal a winning blow or if the Welsh dragons will breathe fire remains to be seen.
Love it - Vermeulen as number 25 lol
Mppower
This is not a real test counting for ranking purposes, There are a very weak Welsh eam = so anybody can be used in any position. Against stronger oposition a completely different scenario will be in place. A gianst stronger teaams Esterhuizen in tests this year played in 2 tests at center and for the rest eh played s a loosie, His role was to move rom loosie to the backline when the opposition was likely to get ball possession to defend - for the rest he was plaing as a loosie,
D e A llende ahs played at 13 years ago when he played in hsi furst two tests Jean de Villiers played t 12 and DeAllende at 13, In his early matches for the Stormers he played on the wing.
In essense the team selected is not ever to be used against real opposition on test level against credible opposition.
Of course it’s an official test that counts towards rankings
From what I understand, because it falls outside the international window it will not count for the rankings.
I think it's still got test match status so Cobus Reinach will get his 50th cap.
Ah ok - what I don’t understand is that I’m sure we used to play 4 sides on our EOYT’s falling within the test window - now the test window seems to only run over 3 weekends or am I mistaken?
Because our first game against Japan also fell outside the test window
Not sure exactly but this does seem like a bit of a waste of time.
Nonetheless, this is the fixture where I get to sing both national anthems proudly.
Go Bokke!
I’ve got Welsh, English and Scottish in my blood
Of those 3 I’m drawn to the Scots
My mom’s dad was Scottish - he used to call me Tam - was a beef farmer in the East Cape/Border area - best days of my life were holidays on the farm
That is probably the biggest backline the Springboks have ever selected.
The most interesting part of the match will probably be how Sasha combines with Esterhuizen.
Only one backline player is on the bench. What happened to Grant Williams? Surely should have been on the bench in place of Reinach.
Willemse is covering fly-half replacement
Actually kind of a fun team. Should be an enjoyable relaxed game.
Dave you mean your grandfather was Scottish on your mom side?
Ja King
Saffolk was drawn to the Scots but chose to live in England ! Go figure ;)
Too fucking cold up there - its pretty shit down here as well as far as weather goes but I live in the semi arid part of England according to some twat who told me that many moons ago
Semi arid my fucking arse
Ha ha ha !
You just need some warm clothes and to stop walking around naked all the time ;)
"You just need some warm clothes and to stop walking around naked all the time ;)"
Too much sharing guys . . .
Ha ha ha !
I’m just teasing, Rooinek :)
Sometimes when players get played out of position they get confused. They line up where they usually play.
I expect to see some confusion in the midfield with Delande and Esterhuizen playing musical chairs.
I’m wondering if this will be Mostert’s last game for the Boks - has now turned 35 so I suspect it could be his last
Fingers crossed hey :)
4–5 minutes
Head coach Steve Tandy forced to pick side with only 267 caps combined in starting line-up because the match falls outside the international window
new
Wednesday November 26 2025, 1.00pm GMT, The Times
Wainwright has been passed fit to start at No8, as last Saturday’s debutant Deaves drops out of the 23-man squad entirely
JOE GIDDENS/PA
Wales are down to the bare bones for their nonsensical final Test of the autumn against world champions South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday. The wing Tom Rogers, who scored a hat-trick in the 52-26 defeat by New Zealand last weekend, is out injured adding to the 13 players unavailable because the match is outside the international window and the banned Josh Adams.
Wales brought forward their team announcement from Thursday simply because there were no secrets left to guard: they have basically picked what is left after their players based in England and France departed for their clubs, and players such as Rogers and the lock James Fender were ruled out with injury. It is a horribly inexperienced side, with only 267 caps in the starting line up. Only three players have more than 25 caps.
Out from last weekend’s 23-man squad against New Zealand go Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears), Max Llewellyn, Tomos Williams and Freddie Thomas (all Gloucester), Rhys Carré and Nick Tompkins (both Saracens), Archie Griffin (Bath), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Beard (Montpellier) and Jarrod Evans (Harlequins).
Mee has been brought into the squad this week and will start on the wing
IAN COOK/GETTY
Ellis Mee and Rio Dyer start on the wings instead of Rogers and Rees-Zammit, while Joe Roberts replaces Llewellyn at outside centre and Kieran Hardy comes in at scrum half. Gareth Thomas starts at loose-head prop while there is a new second-row pairing of Ben Carter (Dragons) and Rhys Davies (Ospreys). Mee and Roberts were only called into the squad this week.
With No8 Aaron Wainwright fit again after withdrawing late last weekend with a hip injury, open-side flanker Harri Deaves is left out of the 23 altogether, having made his debut against the All Blacks. Taine Plumtree shifts from No8 to blind-side flanker and Alex Mann moves from there to open-side, where he played against Japan. Cardiff loose-head prop Danny Southworth is line to make his debut from the bench.
South Africa, who announce their squad on Thursday, will also be depleted, having been left with only 25 players to choose from. But, as we all know, they possess much greater depth than Wales.
“What we want to see from the boys [on Saturday] is the same type of effort and performance as we did last weekend,” Wales head coach Steve Tandy said. “I think we showed a lot of attacking intent, a lot of toughness in the way we went about the defensive effort as well, to give the supporters something to shout about.
“The fans on the weekend were electric. I think the boys really responded to how good the support was. When you see the charge, in and around when we score, but also when we’re going deep into the defensive set, when they’re chanting ‘Wales’, it’s just something that’s unbelievable.”
Blair Murray (Scarlets – 13 caps); Ellis Mee (Scarlets – 3 caps), Joe Roberts (Scarlets – 6 caps), Joe Hawkins (Scarlets – 6 caps), Rio Dyer (Dragons – 23 caps); Dan Edwards (Ospreys – 6 caps), Kieran Hardy (Ospreys – 27 caps); Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 43 caps), Dewi Lake (Ospreys – 25 caps), Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby – 18 caps), Ben Carter (Dragons – 13 caps), Rhys Davies (Ospreys – 3 caps), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets – 10 caps), Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby – 10 caps), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 61 caps)
Replacements Brodie Coghlan (Dragons – 1 cap), Danny Southworth (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped), Christian Coleman (Dragons – 1 cap), James Ratti (Ospreys – 3 caps), Morgan Morse (Ospreys – 1 cap), Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys – 1 cap), Callum Sheedy (Cardiff Rugby – 16 caps), Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby – 16 caps)
I don’t see Louis Rees-Zammit? He was influential against the AB.
Steve Tandy the New Coach, is known for his work in defense, having built the "Blue Wall" defense for the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby.
Some clubs don't release.
So apparently the test was agreed back in 2017 when SA was ranked 7 and when there were still 4 weeks of test rugby which was reduced to 3 weeks. Apparently Wales refused to move the date earlier or as the first game.
SARU also paying some of the unions R250k per player foe the this match
@King.
Win for the unions then. A cool R500k just for Porthen and Mchunu.
The idea that SARU has to pay the unions just so their own players can turn out for the Springboks Is backwards.
Not really...there is a reason for the test window...Stormers are Playing Munster on Saturday for top of the log and they'll be without most of their stars...this can cost them later in the season...they should be compensated...but a 3 week test window this time of the year is backwards. ...should be 5 weeks.
England does that, they don't really have player contracts but match fees. They even have to go as far as to pay the club is the player picked up a major injury playing test rugby.
However, these are businesses and SARU make money and don't get that much from the Government and the same for the unions, although they use to get a cash injection from the SARU.
However, if they were completely different cost centres then the club have every right to ask for funding as they are paying for the wage and services of those players.
Still think rugby is backwards at the moment when it comes to finance
KC
The set up has basically got to do with TV ri ghts where most money come from. Aside from that sponsors also play a major role = followed by the R3 billion sponsirship of school rugby coming from smaller comanies - parents - ex-pupis and some pubblic support pograms,
I am not sure about the rpesent TV contracting system, Under the Super Rugby contract SARU got R700 million forom Supersport and that amount was passed on to the 4 franchises,
Nowadays the funding of the 4 franchises invovled came from private ownership - normally holding 74,5% of the shares of the franchises invovled,
It is rather complicated - but SARU stil have a deficit of R54 million on their books and those are esssentially covered by the owners of the franchises,
As a result the rugby bodies are now more financially stable than it was in the period 2 000 to 2019 - basically as a result of the move to private shareholding that took over since 2021.