Nienaber made 11 changes to his starting lineup for the workforce’s Incoming Series decider towards Wales in Cape Town on Saturday as Eben Etzebeth earns his 100th Bok Test cap and Bongi Mbonambi his 50th.
Once once more, there’s place for Elton Jantjies within the aspect, with the 31-year-old having final featured within the first Test earlier than being changed at half-time after an error-strewn efficiency that after once more drew the ire of supporters throughout South Africa.
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With the Bok persevering with to go for a six-two forwards-to-backs break up on the bench, Nienaber has admitted it received’t be that straightforward for Jantjies to get extra game-time within the fast future.
“He probably misses out because we’re going with 6/2 splits. If we were going 5/3, Elton would probably be in the mix,” mentioned Nienaber.
“That’s unfortunately where we are, and that’s why I thought it was so important for us to give him some game time with Handre only arriving on that Sunday. It was the ideal opportunity for us, and he’s been working with us.
“He’s got 40 minutes, and I think the conservative way of selection from our coaching group would have been to go with the 5/3 split. But if we did that, we probably wouldn’t have seen Damian Willemse play No 10, so we decided to stick with the 6/2 split and that’s just where we are. I guess that is the way it is.”
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Meanwhile, in a range that stunned many, the Bok coach opted to reward Jaden Hendrikse with a second successive begin at scrumhalf, whereas World Cup winner Faf de Klerk will play off the bench.
Speaking on the workforce’s swanky lodge, Arabella, close to Hermanus within the Western Cape, Nienaber defined that they wished to reward Hendrikse for his spectacular efficiency final weekend, whereas constructing competitors at scrumhalf.
“We all know what Faf brings and what a world-class player he is,” Nienaber commented. “However, we also saw Jaden’s performance (last Saturday) and thought he played really well. There is lots of competition and players knocking hard on the door.
“For established players who have been here before, won a World Cup and a Lions series, there will be a key focus on performing (well) week in and week out. But we also want to reward players who are knocking on the door (like Hendrikse).
“Jaden will now know that Faf will come hard at him to get his spot back, and the challenge for him will be to keep putting in consistent performances.”
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Bok workforce to face Wales in Cape Town, with Hendriske at 9:
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 17 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon) – 19 caps 18pts, 50pts (10t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 27 caps, 25 pts (5t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 59 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 26 caps, 100 pts (20t)
10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 61 caps, 613 pts (6t, 83c, 131p, 4d)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 3 caps, 5 pts (1t)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 12 caps, 0 pts
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 59 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 64 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 57 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 99 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 47 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 49 caps, 50 pts (10t)
1 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 55 caps, 5pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 48 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 60 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) 33 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 52 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 20 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0pts
22 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 37caps, 25pts (5t)
23 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 73 caps, 60 pts (12t)
Bok report towards Wales:
Played 39, Won 31, Lost 7, Drawn 1, Points for 990, Points towards 627, Tries scored 115, Tries conceded 52, Highest rating 96, Biggest win 83 Points, Win % 79.
Milestones:
- Saturday’s Test towards Wales will mark solely the second between the 2 sides in Cape Town.
- The Springboks want to attain 11 factors to achieve 1000 factors towards Wales.
- Eben Etzebeth will play in his 100th Test match for South Africa and Bongi Mbonambi his 50th.
- Handre Pollard is the present report holder for many penalty targets towards Wales (19), in simply seven appearances. Percy Montgomery scored a second better of 10 penalty targets in his 9 appearances towards Wales.
- Pollard is considered one of solely three Springboks to tug off a drop purpose in a Test match towards Wales. He kicked a drop purpose at Twickenham in London in 2015 (within the RWC quarter-final), whereas the opposite gamers have been Hansie Brewis in 1951 in Cardiff, and Lionel Wilson in 1964 in Durban.
Miscellaneous:
- The complete Test caps for the Springbok beginning line-up is 654.
- There are 212 caps within the backline with 442 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are an extra 99 caps.
- The common caps per participant within the backline are 30, the forwards 55, whereas the gamers on the bench common 40.