Bok team to face Tonga: Five takeaways, including Kolisi’s 50th Test as captain

The Springbok team to face Tonga in the their final Pool B game at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France was named on Wednesday evening.

The match takes place at 9pm on Sunday. A bonus-point win by 37 points will secure the Boks a place in the quarter-finals, irrespective of what happens between Ireland and Scotland in their final pool game.

Here are the biggest takeways from the Bok team that will face Tonga.

Pollard’s return

The 2019 World Cup winning flyhalf, Handre Pollard, is back in the green and gold, after returning to the Bok set-up following the injury withdrawal from the squad of Malcolm Marx. Pollard missed out on initial selection because of a knee injury.

With 67 Test caps, Pollard’s experience will be big for the Boks. He last played for the national team in late August last year, in a losing cause against Australia in Adelaide.

Hooker

The Boks will go into the match without a recognised hooker, following the decision to rest Bongi Mbonambi.

The situation has come about following the team management’s decision to replace the injured Marx with Pollard, and not call up a hooker, like Joseph Dweba.

Deon Fourie, who played hooker in his earlier days at the Stormers but is now only a flank, will wear the No 2 jersey against Tonga, with Bulls flank Marco van Staden his back-up on the bench.

Three scrumhalves

The Boks opted to play all four of their scrumhalves in the match against Romania, but on this occasion they have decided to use just three with Faf de Klerk rested for the match.

But, it is still something of a No 9 bonanza, with Cobus Reinach starting the game against Tonga and Jaden Hendrikse providing cover from the bench.

Grant Williams will play on the right wing, as he has done previously for the Boks; his selection out wide coming about because Canan Moodie will again play outside centre, alongside Andre Esterhuizen.

Kolisi’s 50

The Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, continues to shine as team leader and following his remarkable recovery from a serious knee injury. He has performed brilliantly in the No 6 jersey up to now and won the hearts of fans all over France.

On Sunday when he leads his team out on the field in Marseille, where the Boks kicked off their campaign with a match against Scotland, Kolisi will earn his 50th cap as team leader, in a Bok career of 78 Tests. He has scored 10 tries so far in his career.

Other interesting facts

It is the first time heavyweight loose-forwards Jasper Wiese (eighthman) and Duane Vermeulen (No 7 flank) will start a Test together, with Kolisi at No 6; Vincent Koch will make a first Bok start since the pool match against Canada at RWC 2019, and Willie le Roux will earn a 90th Bok cap.

The Boks and Tonga have clashed just twice before, their last meeting being in 2007, also in France at the World Cup, when Jake White’s team won a tight game 30-25.

Springbok team:

Willie le Roux, Grant Williams, Canan Moodie, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi (c), Marvin Orie, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Deon Fourie, Ox Nche. Bench: Marco van Staden, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Jaden Hendrikse, Jesse Kriel, Manie Libbok