It’s all happening at Loftus Versfeld this Saturday! Vincent Tshituka is strapping on his boots for a sizzling Test debut, while Jesse Kriel gets to wear the captain’s armband for the first time in a full international skirmish against Italy. Talk about a pressure cooker! Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has whipped up a veteran-heavy lineup, boasting 13 heroes from the recent 54-7 thrashing of the Barbarians.
With Siya Kolisi nursing what we'll call a 'tactical niggle', Kriel steps up as captain, etching his name as the 67th leader of the Boks. Eben Etzebeth, shaking off his own injury woes, serves as Kriel's right hand as vice-captain. And here’s a fun fact: Damian Willemse, back from the naughty step of suspension, joins the fray, adding some serious spice to the backline, alongside Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Changes in the forward pack see Jasper Wiese taking over from an expectant father, Jean-Luc du Preez, while Wilco Louw beefs up the scrum. The bench strategy? A hefty 6-2 split, ensuring the muscle is there when the going gets tough, with the likes of Bongi Mbonambi and RG Snyman ready to rumble, while Faf de Klerk and nearly centurion Willie le Roux wait to add flair.
"We have a big squad and want to balance game time while maintaining continuity," Erasmus explained. "We believe this team is best suited for what we want to achieve against Italy."
Erasmus didn't miss the chance to hype up debutant Tshituka, who’s been tearing up turf lately.
"Vincent has fitted into our structures really well. He showed last week that he has the potential to play Test rugby, and we’re excited to see what he can do,"
he remarked, clearly expecting fireworks.
On the matter of Kolisi’s absence, Erasmus reassured, "Siya picked up a niggle, but Marco [van Staden] did a great job last week. He is one of the core players in our team, so we’re fortunate to have depth in the squad." Heaping praise on Kriel, Erasmus added, "Jesse really impressed us with how he took on the captaincy last week. He’s a player who leads by example and he deserves this honour."
Looking at the bigger picture, Erasmus warned not to underestimate the Italians, noting, "They are a quality team with a strong pack and dangerous backs. They also play an exciting brand of rugby, so we’ll need to stick to our structures and deliver a quality performance." With such a mix of seasoned warriors and eager new blood, the stage is set for a clash that's bound to keep rugby fans on the edge of their seats!
The Springbok team to take on Italy is:
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Willie le Roux.
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It’s all happening at Loftus Versfeld this Saturday! Vincent Tshituka is strapping on his boots for a sizzling Test debut, while Jesse Kriel gets to wear the captain’s armband for the first time in a full international skirmish against Italy. Talk about a pressure cooker! Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has whipped up a veteran-heavy lineup, boasting 13 heroes from the recent 54-7 thrashing of the Barbarians.
With Siya Kolisi nursing what we'll call a 'tactical niggle', Kriel steps up as captain, etching his name as the 67th leader of the Boks. Eben Etzebeth, shaking off his own injury woes, serves as Kriel's right hand as vice-captain. And here’s a fun fact: Damian Willemse, back from the naughty step of suspension, joins the fray, adding some serious spice to the backline, alongside Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Changes in the forward pack see Jasper Wiese taking over from an expectant father, Jean-Luc du Preez, while Wilco Louw beefs up the scrum. The bench strategy? A hefty 6-2 split, ensuring the muscle is there when the going gets tough, with the likes of Bongi Mbonambi and RG Snyman ready to rumble, while Faf de Klerk and nearly centurion Willie le Roux wait to add flair.
"We have a big squad and want to balance game time while maintaining continuity," Erasmus explained. "We believe this team is best suited for what we want to achieve against Italy."
Erasmus didn't miss the chance to hype up debutant Tshituka, who’s been tearing up turf lately.
"Vincent has fitted into our structures really well. He showed last week that he has the potential to play Test rugby, and we’re excited to see what he can do,"
he remarked, clearly expecting fireworks.
On the matter of Kolisi’s absence, Erasmus reassured, "Siya picked up a niggle, but Marco [van Staden] did a great job last week. He is one of the core players in our team, so we’re fortunate to have depth in the squad." Heaping praise on Kriel, Erasmus added, "Jesse really impressed us with how he took on the captaincy last week. He’s a player who leads by example and he deserves this honour."
Looking at the bigger picture, Erasmus warned not to underestimate the Italians, noting, "They are a quality team with a strong pack and dangerous backs. They also play an exciting brand of rugby, so we’ll need to stick to our structures and deliver a quality performance." With such a mix of seasoned warriors and eager new blood, the stage is set for a clash that's bound to keep rugby fans on the edge of their seats!
The Springbok team to take on Italy is:
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Willie le Roux.