Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has defended making 19 changes to his squad for a possible series-clinching Test in opposition to Wales on Saturday after legend Gareth Edwards referred to as the choice “disrespectful”.
The Springboks took a 1-0 lead final weekend with a last-gasp 32-29 victory in Pretoria after three yellow playing cards left the Dragons with solely 12 gamers on the sphere for a number of minutes in a frenzied finale.
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Usually extremely conservative along with his choices since changing now director of rugby Rassie Erasmus in 2020, Nienaber shocked South Africans by making 14 changes to the beginning line-up for Bloemfontein and 19 altogether.
Only veteran lock Eben Etzebeth, who is ready to win his 99th cap, was retained within the beginning line-up and the captaincy switches from flanker Siya Kolisi to flyhalf Handre Pollard.
The different three Springboks given successive call-ups – utility again Damian Willemse, hooker Malcolm Marx and tighthead prop Vincent Koch – are among the many replacements.
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The timing of the Nienaber transfer caught many off guard, given the assumption that he would first wish to win the sequence, then experiment within the last Test on July 16 in Cape Town.
Nienaber stated: “Many would ask: Why don’t you wrap up the series and then give them (fringe players) a go in the last Test?
“If the players chosen for the second Test are going to face New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup in France next year, they must perform under pressure.
“Should we win on Saturday, the Cape Town Test will become a dead rubber and it does not matter that much whether you win or lose.
“Wales did not come here to compete. They came here to win the series and are now playing for survival. So, we will face a fierce Welsh side.”
Edwards, a superb scrumhalf who was a part of the 1974 British and Irish Lions crew that trounced hosts South Africa 3-0, instructed the Welsh media he was “disappointed” by the 19 Springbok changes.
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“If there had been 5 or 6 changes, you’ll perhaps have raised an eyebrow. But 14 changes is overwhelming.
“I don’t assume it exhibits respect for Wales and, wanting logically, there is just one method to view it and that’s to present them a superb tonking.
“It is a great opportunity to beat them and say: Thank you very much for picking that team. I think it is a great motivation for Wales.”
Current Wales captain and flyhalf Dan Biggar, who kicked 14 factors in Pretoria and was additionally yellow-carded, disagrees with Edwards.
“I believe the team we are playing on Saturday is probably a little bit sharper because they have been playing more,” stated the playmaker.
“If you look at inside centre, for example, Andre Esterhuizen has been the in-form player in the English Premiership.
“They have swapped a World Cup winner in Damian de Allende for Esterhuizen and it certainly does not weaken them.
“There are lots of changes, but I do not believe they weaken the side. We are almost more wary because we are not quite sure what to expect.
“We know more about players like De Allende, Lukhanyo Am, Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi, so we are a little bit more cautious now.”
(*19*)By distinction, Wales made ONE change
While Nienaber made wholesale changes, Wales counterpart Wayne Pivac made just one to his beginning line-up with Alex Cuthbert changing Josh Adams, now a alternative, on the left wing.
There are three changes to the bench with props Wyn Jones and uncapped Sam Wainwright changing Rhys Carre and concussed Tomas Francis, and Owen Watkin dropping out to accommodate Adams.
The Test is the twelfth between the groups in South Africa with Wales dropping the earlier 11 since 1964, together with two in Bloemfontein.
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TEAMS:
South Africa
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Handre Pollard (captain), 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Thomas du Toit
Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Deon Fourie, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Damian Willemse
Wales
15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Alex Cuthbert, 10 Dan Biggar (captain), 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Gareth Thomas
Substitutes: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Alun Wyn Jones, 20 Josh Navidi, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Josh Adams
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