Rassie sticks to his first choices, selects five forwards on the bench for Japan clash
Rassie Erasmus stayed true to his first-choice players for Sunday's World Cup quarter final game against Japan, but it means that an in-form player such as RG Snyman will have to sit on the bench, while Cobus Reinach was left out completely and Bongi Mbonambi is still preferred over Malcolm Marx in the starting line-up.
The Springboks have reverted to the starting XV and replacements that recorded a 49-3 victory over Italy a fortnight ago for the do-or-die Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Japan in Tokyo on Sunday.
It means 13 changes to the starting XV from the one which concluded the Boks’ pool campaign with a 66-7 demolition of Canada in Kobe last Tuesday.
Only Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and Damian de Allende – who switches from outside centre back to the more familiar inside centre position – are retained from the Kobe XV.
They are joined in the line-up by the balance of the starting XV from the seven-try-to-nil overwhelming of Italy in what has become a familiar ‘senior’ line-up.
“We were satisfied with the performance against Italy and want to build on that. We have been improving and building momentum this season and we will be looking for further improvements this weekend. Japan are a well-coached team and have deservedly climbed to seventh in the world rankings. It’ll be a good challenge but we’re definitely up for it,” said the Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus.
Front rankers Tendai Mtawarira and Bongi Mbonambi, as well as Lood de Jager retain their places in the starting line-up, having been elevated to the XV from the one which lost against New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament.
The team to meet Japan contains five players with 50 or more caps in Willie le Roux, Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth and centurion Beast Mtawarira. There are another four players in the 40s in Kolisi, De Jager, De Allende and Handré Pollard.
Twelve of the starting XV – and 21 of the 23 – were in the team that overcame Japan six-tries-to-one (41-7) in Kumagaya, Japan, six weeks ago. The only absentees are Trevor Nyakane (prop) and Jesse Kriel (centre), who have both been invalided out of the tournament.
Erasmus again announced a six-two replacement split in favour of the forwards (rather than the traditional five-three), as was successfully deployed against the Azzurri.
The Springboks are aiming to reach the Rugby World Cup semi-finals for the fifth time in seven appearances while, for Japan, it is their first appearance in the play-off rounds at the ninth attempt.
The winner will play the victor in the France v Wales match in Yokohama on Sunday, 27 October.
South Africa’s quarter-final with Japan kicks off at 12:15 (SA time).
The Springbok team to play Japan in Tokyo on Sunday is: 15. Willie le Roux, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 13. Lukhanyo Am, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Handré Pollard, 9. Faf de Klerk, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6. Siya Kolisi (captain), 5. Lood de Jager, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Bongi Mbonambi and 1. Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Steven Kitshoff, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. RG Snyman, 20. Franco Mostert, 21. Francois Louw, 22. Herschel Jantjies and 23. Frans Steyn.
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