Rassie Erasmus makes 2 changes ahead of France clash
Ten players who helped the Springboks defeat France in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final have been included in the squad for Friday’s clash.
Coach Rassie Erasmus has made two changes to the Springbok match 23 for Friday night’s (November 13) Nations Championship clash against France in Paris, reports SA Rugby Magazine.
Wilco Louw will start at tighthead prop ahead of Thomas du Toit, who moves to the bench, while scrumhalf Cobus Reinach replaces Grant Williams among the replacements.
Lood de Jager and Ruan Nortjé will again partner in the second row after Erasmus was forced to make a late change in Turin last week following the withdrawal of Salmaan Moerat due to back spasms experienced during the warm-up.
The Bok coach also retained the split of six forwards and two backs on the bench.
Sixteen players in the match 23 featured in the Boks’ 32-17 victory over France in Paris last year, including the entire starting forward pack with the exception of Nché, as well as five of the backs in the run-on team – Feinberg-Mngomezulu, De Allende, Kriel, and Willemse.
Ten players in the group were members of the team that defeated France 29-28 in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final in Paris.
Springboks: Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morné van den Berg, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Ruan Nortjé, Lood de Jager, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché.
Bench: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Franco Mostert, Cameron Hanekom, Paul de Villiers, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok.
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