@Springboks
Eben Etzebeth will become the most capped Springbok of all time when he runs out against Argentina in the title-deciding match in Mbombela on Saturday.
Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, also named Manie Libbok and Jaden Hendrickse as the starting half-backs for the first time.
SA Rugby said the three were promoted from the bench in a match-23 showing six personnel changes from the team that went down 29-28 against the same opposition in Santiago del Estero on Saturday.
Erasmus made nine changes and one positional switch to the starting line-up, recalling six double Rugby World Cup winners to the starting XV in Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Frans Malherbe (prop), Pieter-Steph du Toit (flanker), Cheslin Kolbe (wing), Damian de Allende (centre), and Siya Kolisi (flanker) who resumes as captain after watching from the coaches’ box in Argentina.
Eben Etzebeth will become the most-capped Springbok of all time in Nelspruit on Saturday - team announcement: https://t.co/7il888zjh3 4?????????#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/Cdl0l4vrL4
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 24, 2024
The changes meant that Erasmus named the same starting pack that defeated New Zealand 18-12 in Cape Town and the same five forward replacements while reverting to a five-three split in favour of the forwards on the bench.
The Springboks need only a point from the match to guarantee their first Castle Lager Rugby Championship title since the abbreviated version in 2019 and their first full tournament title since 2009, while they will also clinch the title if Argentina wins the match without a bonus point based on competition points.
Springbok team to face Argentina in Nelspruit:
15 – Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 8 caps, 20 points (4t)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 37 caps, 96 points (15t, 3c, 5p)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 76 caps, 85 points (17t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 84 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 21 caps, 85 points (17t)
10 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 17 caps, 94 pts (1t, 28c, 11p)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 17 caps, 12 pts (2t, 1c)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 30 caps, 5 points (1t)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 83 caps, 45 points (9t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 88 caps, 60 points (12t)
5 – Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 0 points
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 127 caps, 30 points (6t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 75 caps, 5 points (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 74 caps, 75 points (15t)
1 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 36 caps, 0 points
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 72 caps, 100 points (20t)
17 – Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 7 caps, 0 points
18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 57 caps, 0 points
19 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 9 caps, 0 points
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 48 caps, 45 points (9t)
21 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 36 caps, 70 pts (14t)
22 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 76 caps, 749 points (7t, 102c, 165p, 5dg)
23 – Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 39 caps, 35 pts (7t)
