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Springboks team for Wales decider: Etzebeth to get 100th cap, Hendrikse at 9
The team also includes Jasper Wiese at No 8 and Handre Pollard at flyhalf.
Jaden Hendrikse will play scrumhalf in the third Test against Wales. Picture: Charle Lombard/Gallo Images
Eben Etzebeth is set to earn his 100th Test rugby cap, joining just six other South Africans to achieve this feat. The lock will start for the Springboks on Saturday when they face Wales in Cape Town for the Test series decider.
Jaden Hendrikse has won the race to be the Boks’ current first choice No 9 edging out Faf de Klerk for the starting role, while Pieter-Steph du Toit will start at blindside flank and Trevor Nyakane will wear the No 1 jersey.
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Jasper Wiese is also currently the first choice eighthman, while Handre Pollard, who led the Boks in the second Test loss to Wales in Bloemfontein last weekend, is fit to wear the No 10 jumper. Hooker Bongi Mbonambi will earn his 50th Test cap.
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Coach Jacques Nienaber has also included six forwards on his bench, among them the versatile lock-cum-flank Franco Mostert, and fellow loose forwards Kwagga Smith and Elrigh Louw.
In total, there are 11 changes to the starting side beaten in Bloemfontein.
Etzebeth, who made his Springbok debut in June 2012 against England, will become the seventh player to reach the significant career milestone of 100 Tests, following in the footsteps of Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtawarira, John Smit, Jean de Villiers and Percy Montgomery.
“We selected a team and player combinations that we think will be the best for this specific game,” said Nienaber.
“We had an honest discussion with the players telling them what we require from them this weekend and what we would like to see in terms of their performance and hopefully they can produce the goods and we can get the desired result.
“We have high standards as a team, and we would like to maintain that and build momentum with a challenging season lying ahead.”
Springboks team:
Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane. Bench: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Elrigh Louw, Faf de Klerk, Willie le Roux
