Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made three changes to his beginning workforce that ran out for their remaining Test in opposition to Wales for their opening Rugby Championship fixture in opposition to New Zealand in Nelspruit on Saturday, the place Malcolm Marx will earn his fiftieth Test cap.
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Marx will run out at hooker rather than Bongi Mbonambi, whereas Faf de Klerk is available in at scrumhalf in a rotational change with Jaden Hendrikse. The solely injury-enforced change is on the correct wing, the place Kurt-Lee Arendse will earn his second Test cap rather than Cheslin Kolbe, who’s recovering from a damaged jaw.
Both Mbonambi and Hendrikse will play off the replacements bench, the place the one different change is the inclusion of Salmaan Moerat (lock) within the place of Elrigh Louw (unfastened ahead).
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“One of the changes to the starting team were injury-enforced with Kurt-Lee coming in for Cheslin, and with Malcolm, we feel it is a big occasion to play one’s 50th Test so it will be good for him to start, while we believe Faf’s experience and style of play will complement our game against the All Blacks,” stated Nienaber.
“These changes resulted in direct swaps to the bench for Bongi and Jaden, and with Salmaan covering lock we can either use Franco (Mostert) at lock or flanker, and we have Kwagga (Smith) who can also provide cover in the loose trio and even on the wing if needs be.”
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Nienaber added: “We played two Tests with a similar team in the Castle Lager Incoming Series, and we feel this is the right squad for this specific challenge against New Zealand.
“The All Blacks are strong all around and they will come to Nelspruit desperate to avenge their series defeat against Ireland and to prove that they remain one of the powerhouses in world rugby, so we believe experience and physicality will be vital in this Test.”
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Nienaber spoke extremely of Marx as he faces the necessary profession milestone of fifty Test caps.
“We are very proud of Malcolm’s achievement, and we wish him all the best for the game. He is a true warrior, and he epitomises what we stand for as the Springboks.
“But as we said with the recent milestones of Eben (Etzebeth) and Bongi (Mbonambi), we are preparing for a challenging Test which will be vital in setting the tone for our Rugby Championship campaign this year and that is our focus.
“The occasion will be so much more special for Malcolm if we win the Test, and the entire team need to do their best so that he can look back at this occasion with good memories.”
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Nienaber anticipates the All Blacks to come back out weapons blazing of their opening two matches on the Mbombela Stadium (Saturday, 6 August) and at Ellis Park in Johannesburg (13 August) and stated they’re anticipating an equally large onslaught to that which they confronted in opposition to them up to now.
“The Springboks and All Blacks have a unique rivalry, and we always bring the best out of one another,” stated Nienaber.
“They will play a different style of rugby to Wales, and we have been preparing for that, and like many of the northern hemisphere teams, their set pieces are strong, and they have fantastic skills in their backline, so we’ll have to be at our best to register a win.
“That said, we had our review of the Wales Tests and we know where we need to improve, and last week’s training camp in Hazyview allowed us to focus on those areas of our game.
“This week our focus is more on New Zealand and the areas of the game that we feel will be vital to give us the best possible chance to start the series on a positive note, and we’ve been working hard on that, and we will continue doing so in the build-up to the match.
“New Zealand have always tested us to the limit, and it will be no different in the next two weeks.”
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Springbok workforce to face New Zealand in Nelspruit
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 18 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)
14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 pts
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 28 caps, 25 pts (5t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 60 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 27 caps, 100 pts (20t)
10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 62 caps, 633 pts (7t, 86c, 138p, 4d)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 38 caps, 25pts (5t)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 13 caps, 0 pts
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 60 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 65 caps, 35 pts (7t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 58 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 100 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 48 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 49 caps, 55 pts (11t)
1 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 56 caps, 5pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 50 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 61 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) – 34 caps, 0 pts
19 – Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers) – 1 cap, 0 pts
20 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 53 caps, 5pts (1t)
21 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 21 caps, 5 pts (1t)
22 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 4 caps, 5 pts (1t)
23 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 74 caps, 60 pts (12t)
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