Rassie Erasmus, the tactical mastermind of the Springboks, has barely shuffled his deck for the upcoming Rugby Championship smashdown against Argentina at London's iconic Twickenham. The big headline? Ox Nche is storming back into the starting lineup after sitting out last week with an ouchie, while the bench gets a beefy boost with the return of Bongi Mbonambi, Grant Williams, and Jesse Kriel.
Nche will join forces with Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit up front, creating a trio that could probably push over a parked car if the mood struck. The towering duo of Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje will continue their second-row partnership that's become about as impenetrable as a bank vault. At the back, Siya Kolisi, playing in his 98th Test, will captain the side from the blindside flanker position, flanked by Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese—a trio that’s more balanced than a yoga instructor on a good day.
The backline remains a thrilling ensemble with Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu pairing up as halfbacks. The centers feature Damian de Allende and Canan Moodie, while speed demons Cheslin Kolbe and Ethan Hooker take the wings, and Damian Willemse holds the fort at fullback.
"This match is a Final for us, and we know how dangerous Argentina can be,"
Erasmus declared.
"Ox and Grant could have played last week if we really needed them, but Boan [Venter] and Morne [van den Berg] did really well. Jesse was rotated in the last two matches and is raring to go, and Bongi is excited for this opportunity."
He praised the mix of experience and youth, calling it "exactly what we need in a decider."
The Pumas, despite being out of the title race, have notched impressive wins against the All Blacks and Wallabies this season. Erasmus respects the threat, emphasizing the need for his team to stick to their guns and play a full 80 minutes of disciplined rugby.
The Boks' lineup reads like a who's who of rugby stars, promising a clash that will have fans on the edge of their seats. The team sheets are as follows:
SPRINGBOKS: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
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Rassie Erasmus, the tactical mastermind of the Springboks, has barely shuffled his deck for the upcoming Rugby Championship smashdown against Argentina at London's iconic Twickenham. The big headline? Ox Nche is storming back into the starting lineup after sitting out last week with an ouchie, while the bench gets a beefy boost with the return of Bongi Mbonambi, Grant Williams, and Jesse Kriel.
Nche will join forces with Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit up front, creating a trio that could probably push over a parked car if the mood struck. The towering duo of Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje will continue their second-row partnership that's become about as impenetrable as a bank vault. At the back, Siya Kolisi, playing in his 98th Test, will captain the side from the blindside flanker position, flanked by Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese—a trio that’s more balanced than a yoga instructor on a good day.
The backline remains a thrilling ensemble with Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu pairing up as halfbacks. The centers feature Damian de Allende and Canan Moodie, while speed demons Cheslin Kolbe and Ethan Hooker take the wings, and Damian Willemse holds the fort at fullback.
"This match is a Final for us, and we know how dangerous Argentina can be,"
Erasmus declared."Ox and Grant could have played last week if we really needed them, but Boan [Venter] and Morne [van den Berg] did really well. Jesse was rotated in the last two matches and is raring to go, and Bongi is excited for this opportunity."
He praised the mix of experience and youth, calling it "exactly what we need in a decider."The Pumas, despite being out of the title race, have notched impressive wins against the All Blacks and Wallabies this season. Erasmus respects the threat, emphasizing the need for his team to stick to their guns and play a full 80 minutes of disciplined rugby.
The Boks' lineup reads like a who's who of rugby stars, promising a clash that will have fans on the edge of their seats. The team sheets are as follows:
SPRINGBOKS: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie