Rassie Erasmus has dismantled the Bok Bomb Squad for Eden Park’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship showdown against the All Blacks. It is a shock, writes Mark Keohane.
Erasmus has selected his most conservative match 23 in the context of how previous selections this season and selections against the All Blacks in the past two years.
He went with a 7-1 bench split at Twickenham, England pre the 2023 World Cup and the Boks won 35-7. He also went with a 7-1 split in the 2023 World Cup final in Paris and the Boks won 12-11.
This is the stock standard conventional five forwards and three backs substitute’s bench. It is no Bomb Squad.
Erasmus has made four changes to the starting XV that won 30-22 in Cape Town against the Wallabies, with veteran Willie le Roux starting at fullback, Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit back from injury and concussion respectively, and Eben Etzebeth promoted from the substitute’s bench to start ahead of RG Snyman, who does not make the match 23.
Kolisi starts at No 8, but will not captain the side. Erasmus explained this as Kolisi being doubtful earlier in the week and Jesse Kriel internally confirmed as captain.
Snyman’s omission is the biggest surprise, although he has not transferred his superb season at Leinster to the Boks in 2025.
Snyman was named Leinster’s Player’s Player of the Year in 2024/25 and also the Leinster Fans’ Player of the Year award.
Kwagga Smith, a late injury replacement starter at No 8 for Jean-Luc du Preez in Cape Town, drops to the bench, with Du Preez not in the match 23 because of continued struggles with injury.
Grant Williams, who started both Tests at No 9 against Australia, starts in Auckland and there is no place in the match 23 for double World Cup winner Faf de Klerk. Cobus Reinarch is the reserve scrum half, with Sharks utility back Ethan Hooker the biggest surprise on among the substitutes.
Hooker, the Sharks Player of the 2024/25 season, has been with the Boks all season, but his game time has been just the last 20 minutes in the second Test win against Italy.
Thomas du Toit has also kept his place at tighthead in a front row that only caused Australia problems at the scrum when Wilco Louw was introduced in the 63rd minute in Cape Town.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels will provide support at hooker and loosened prop.
RASSIE EXPLAINS HIS MATCH 23 SELECTIONS
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Substitutes: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Ethan Hooker.
RATING THE FOUR SPRINGBOKS WINS IN 25 TESTS IN NEW ZEALAND SINCE 1994
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has tweaked his run-on XV that lost 29-23 to the Pumas in Buenos Aires. There is a change in the back three, the loose-forwards and lock. Scrumhalf Finlay Christie starts because of injuries to Cam Roigard and Cortez Ratima, having been in the match 23 for both Tests in Argentina.
Robertson has also opted for a traditional 5-3 substitute’s split.
He has resisted changing the midfield and Billy Proctor gets another opportunity at No 13, while Rieko Ioane gets one more chance to rekindle his form at left wing.
The loose-trio is rejigged with Wallace Sititi starting at No 8, Adrie Savea on the flank in his 100th Test and Simon Parker at No 6. Tupou Vaa’i, who played No 6 against Argentina reverts to lock alongside captain Scott Barrett.
Kyle Preston, reserve scrum half, is the only uncapped All Black in the 23. The front row replacements scream power.
ALL BLACKS – 15 Will Jordan, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot. Substitutes: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Fabian Holland, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Quinn Tupaea, 23 Damian McKenzie.
The All Blacks are unbeaten in 50 Tests at Eden Park, dating back to 1994.
This is who they have played in the 31 years
Australia 20 wins
South Africa 5 (four wins and one draw)
England 5 wins
France 5 wins
Ireland 4 wins
British and Irish Lions 3 (two wins and one draw)
Argentina 2 wins
Scotland 2 wins
Samoa 1 win
Wales 1 win
Tonga 1 win
Canada 1 win
The All Blacks have lost 14 Tests in New Zealand in the last 31 years and are unbeaten at home in 2025
1994 vs France (Auckland)
1998 vs South Africa (Wellington)
1998 vs Australia (Christchurch)
2000 vs Australia (Wellington)
2001 vs Australia (Dunedin)
2003 vs England (Wellington)
2008 vs South Africa (Dunedin)
2009 vs France (Dunedin)
2009 vs South Africa (Hamilton)
2017 vs British and Irish Lions (Wellington)
2018 vs South Africa (Wellington)
2022 vs Ireland (Dunedin)
2022 vs Ireland (Wellington)
2024 vs Argentina (Wellington)
