Jasper Wiese has been ruled out of the French Test. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
Springboks No 8 Jasper Wiese has been ruled out of Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series Test against France due to concussion and has been replaced by Kwagga Smith, South African Rugby’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said on Friday.
Wiese, 27, failed the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocols after taking a knock during last week’s loss to Ireland and will miss Saturday’s game with Les Bleus in Marseille.
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Smith, 29, is promoted from the bench with Deon Fourie starting among the replacements.
“We’d hoped Jasper would pass all the criteria, HIA set of rules,” Erasmus told reporters.
“Kwagga has done really well for us at eight,” he added.
The Boks go into the game on the back of a 19-16 loss to Ireland, while France edged Australia 30-29 last weekend.
Kick-off on Saturday is 10pm SA time.
Thomas Ramos; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Yoram Moefana; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Gregory Alldritt, Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch; Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki; Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille. Bench: Peato Mauvaka, Reda Wardi, Sipili Falatea, Romain Taofifenua, Bastien Chalureau, Sekou Macalou, Maxime Lucu, Matthieu Jalibert
Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian Willemse, Faf de Klerk, Kwagga Smith, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Bench: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Marvin Orie, Deon Fourie, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi