Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has named 11 adjustments to his squad to face Eire on the Aviva Stadium, with RG Snyman incomes his fiftieth Check cap for South Africa.
With many of the gamers being rested final week in opposition to Italy to make sure that Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus may area a contemporary crew to match the hosts’ vitality, he reverted to his tried and examined mixtures for his or her conflict in opposition to Eire, who they final defeated on house soil in 2012.
Snyman will change into the third squad member to realize a big milestone on the Fort Lager Outgoing Tour, following Siya Kolisi and Erasmus sharing the special day of incomes their one centesimal Check caps as a participant and fiftieth as the pinnacle coach in opposition to France.
The 2 personnel adjustments to Erasmus’ squad see Ruan Nortje being promoted from the replacements bench to the beginning lineup rather than Lood de Jager, whereas Kwagga Smith returns to the crew on the bench in his place.
The one different change to the squad is within the backline, the place Canan Moodie switches from centre in opposition to Italy to wing to fill the void left by Kurt-Lee Arendse, who has returned to South Africa after struggling a concussion final week.
De Jager and fellow lock Franco Mostert weren’t thought-about for choice on account of their disciplinary appeals and hearings this week to keep away from the outcomes of these choices impacting on the crew’s preparations for the match.
Cheslin Kolbe (wing) and Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf) will each characteristic of their forty ninth Check matches, leaving them just one recreation wanting becoming a member of Snyman and several other different teammates on 50 caps.
Props Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit will kind the entrance row with hooker Malcolm Marx; Eben Etzebeth and Nortje will begin at lock; with Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese finishing a strong ahead pack.
Within the backline, Reinach will reunite with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at halfback, with Kolbe and Moodie on the wings, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel pairing up within the midfield, and Damian Willemse at fullback.
Erasmus’ bench consists of the back-up entrance row of Johan Grobelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Wilco Louw, whereas Snyman will present cowl at lock, Smith at free ahead, hybrid Esterhuizen in a position to cowl flanker and centre, and two specialist backs in Grant Williams and Manie Libbok.
“Nearly all of this crew have been rested final week to make sure that they recuperate from the bodily taxing match in opposition to France, and it was at all times our plan to call an skilled outfit in opposition to Eire,” stated Erasmus.
“Most of those gamers have confronted Eire in Dublin, in addition to within the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and Fort Lager Incoming Collection, in order that they perceive the magnitude of this problem and what to anticipate from the hosts. So, we imagine that is the best group of gamers for this match.”
The Bok coach was stuffed with reward for Snyman, who will mark this special day in the identical metropolis during which he plies his commerce for Leinster, and stated: “We’re thrilled for RG and we’ll do all the things we will to hopefully make this an important day for him. He’s an awesome participant and crew man, and had it not been for accidents alongside the best way, he would have in all probability earned 50 caps some time in the past. He deserves this achievement, and it speaks volumes concerning the high quality of the participant he’s.”
Trying on the match, Erasmus stated they’re anticipating a bodily and testing encounter.
“Eire have been among the many top-ranked groups in the previous few years, and they’re a drive to be reckoned with at house,” he stated.
“They’ve an excellent stability of skilled and thrilling younger gamers of their squad, they usually pose threats up-front and with their proficient backs, so it’s going to require a large effort to beat them.
“This group of gamers have by no means gained a match in Eire earlier than, so we all know how powerful it’s going to be to win right here, and that can actually inspire us. It would take a colossal effort, however we’re excited concerning the problem, and we all know that we’ve got to be razor sharp in all departments to get the specified end result.”
The match kicks off at 19h40 (SA time) and will probably be broadcast stay on SuperSport.
Springbok crew to face Eire in Dublin:
15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 47 caps, 66 pts (6t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)
14 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 20 caps, 40 pts (8t)
13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 86 caps, 100 pts (20t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 95 caps, 55 pts (11t)
11 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 48 caps, 126 pts (21t, 3c, 5p)
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 17 caps, 137 pts (6t, 34c, 13p)
9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 48 caps, 90 pts (18t)
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 41 caps, 10 pts (2t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 94 caps, 70 pts (14t)
6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 101 caps, 70 pts (14t)
5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 16 caps, 0 pts
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 139 caps, 35 pts (7t)
3 Thomas du Toit (Tub) – 31 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 86 caps, 135 pts (27t)
1 Boan Venter (Edinburgh) – 7 caps, 5 pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 6 caps, 0 pts
17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 14 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 27 caps, 5 pts (1t)
19 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 49 caps, 15 factors (3t)
20 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 61 caps, 55 pts (11t)
21 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 27 caps, 20 pts (4t)
22 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 27 caps, 35 pts (7t)
23 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 27 caps, 145 pts (2t, 48c, 13p)
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
