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Wales to make minor changes, Boks to again overhaul team for decider
While Wales will only make injury-enforced changes, the Springboks are set to pick a fully changed team once again.
Wales wing Alex Cuthbert is out of the final Test against the Springboks. Picture: Charle Lombard / Gallo Images
As Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber prepared to once again make wholesale changes to his side for the third and final Test against Wales in Cape Town on Saturday, his Wales counterpart Wayne Pivac looked set to only tweak his winning combination from the Bloemfontein Test.
Nienaber was set to name a changed and full-strength side once again on Tuesday, following picking what many said was a “B” team for the second Test in Bloemfontein last Saturday — a match his side lost at the death to give Wales their first win on South African soil.
The “A” team edged Wales in the first Test in Pretoria to ensure the Cape Town match on Saturday is a series decider.
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With a squad of over 40 players the Bok coach is set to recall the majority of the players who featured in Pretoria, with only Andre Esterhuizen, a starter at No 12 in Bloemfontein, the only unavailable player. There were also some doubts about flyhalf Handre Pollard, who captained the side in Bloemfontein, but didn’t feature in Pretoria, but the Bok squad is hopeful the 2019 World Cup winner will be fit to play on Saturday.
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Wales meanwhile will be without winger Alex Cuthbert who after being recalled for the second Test in Bloemfontein last weekend, lasted only 17 minutes before being replaced by Josh Adams, who set up a dramatic 13-12 victory by scoring a late try.
Adams is now set to start in Cape Town.
There are also some concerns about Wales captain Dan Biggar, who hurt his shoulder in Bloemfontein and was replaced by Gareth Anscombe, who’s 79th minute touchline conversion won the Test for Wales.
Tighthead prop Dillon Lewis, who also didn’t finish the match in the Free State capital in a good state, with his arm in a sling, is also a doubt for the deciding Test.
Should Lewis be ruled out, Sam Wainwright, who made his Test debut off the bench last weekend, could make the starting line-up with uncapped 21-year-old Harri O’Connor the only other available tighthead.
Nienaber will name his team on Tuesday afternoon, with the Wales side to be announced by Pivac on Thursday.
