Rassie Erasmus, the mastermind coach of the Springboks, has once again shuffled his deck, this time introducing a 7-1 'Bomb Squad' strategy on the bench in a bold move as South Africa gears up to overpower Wales with sheer size and brawn. Despite making eight changes from the squad that toppled Ireland, the Boks remain a formidable force, even as club commitments have stripped them of several key players.
In the backline, despite the absence of speedster Cheslin Kolbe, Damian Willemse and Canan Moodie hold down the fort, with Moodie sliding to the left wing and Ethan Hooker stepping in on the right. In the centers, powerhouse Damian de Allende shifts to 13, pairing with the versatile Andre Esterhuizen. Fly-half duties remain with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, supported by Morne van den Berg at scrum-half.
The forward pack sees a shake-up with no Pieter-Steph du Toit. Yet, stalwarts Jasper Wiese and captain Siya Kolisi join forces with Franco Mostert to complete a robust loose trio. The front five features only Ruan Nortje retaining his spot, flanked by newcomers Jean Kleyn, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, and Gerhard Steenekamp, forming an all-Bulls front row.
Erasmus's bench strategy, featuring seven forwards and just one back, highlights his confidence in his pack's dominant season-long performance. "The composition of the bench was a combination of the availability of players we had for this match, but also given how well our pack has performed this season, and we believe it will be a key area of the match on Saturday," Erasmus explained.
"We knew from the outset that we would lose players for this match due to their club commitments, and we are pleased with the quality of the team we’ve selected,"
Erasmus further praised the provincial unions and clubs for their cooperation, allowing the Springboks to assemble a potent lineup aiming to conclude their November tour triumphantly. He also acknowledged the depth the team has cultivated, evident from the diverse talent pool utilized throughout the year, gearing up for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Wales, facing their world champion opponents with a significantly altered squad, finds themselves in a daunting position to make their mark. Both teams, grappling with player availability, are set to clash in what promises to be a fierce and strategic showdown, wrapping up the international season.
Springboks side to face Wales: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Zachary Porthen, 18 Asenathi Ntlab
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Rassie Erasmus, the mastermind coach of the Springboks, has once again shuffled his deck, this time introducing a 7-1 'Bomb Squad' strategy on the bench in a bold move as South Africa gears up to overpower Wales with sheer size and brawn. Despite making eight changes from the squad that toppled Ireland, the Boks remain a formidable force, even as club commitments have stripped them of several key players.
In the backline, despite the absence of speedster Cheslin Kolbe, Damian Willemse and Canan Moodie hold down the fort, with Moodie sliding to the left wing and Ethan Hooker stepping in on the right. In the centers, powerhouse Damian de Allende shifts to 13, pairing with the versatile Andre Esterhuizen. Fly-half duties remain with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, supported by Morne van den Berg at scrum-half.
The forward pack sees a shake-up with no Pieter-Steph du Toit. Yet, stalwarts Jasper Wiese and captain Siya Kolisi join forces with Franco Mostert to complete a robust loose trio. The front five features only Ruan Nortje retaining his spot, flanked by newcomers Jean Kleyn, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, and Gerhard Steenekamp, forming an all-Bulls front row.
Erasmus's bench strategy, featuring seven forwards and just one back, highlights his confidence in his pack's dominant season-long performance. "The composition of the bench was a combination of the availability of players we had for this match, but also given how well our pack has performed this season, and we believe it will be a key area of the match on Saturday," Erasmus explained.
"We knew from the outset that we would lose players for this match due to their club commitments, and we are pleased with the quality of the team we’ve selected,"
Erasmus further praised the provincial unions and clubs for their cooperation, allowing the Springboks to assemble a potent lineup aiming to conclude their November tour triumphantly. He also acknowledged the depth the team has cultivated, evident from the diverse talent pool utilized throughout the year, gearing up for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Wales, facing their world champion opponents with a significantly altered squad, finds themselves in a daunting position to make their mark. Both teams, grappling with player availability, are set to clash in what promises to be a fierce and strategic showdown, wrapping up the international season.
Springboks side to face Wales:
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Zachary Porthen, 18 Asenathi Ntlab