Rassie Erasmus has once again named a new-look side for the Nations Championship clash in Durban.
Wing Jaco Williams and flyhalf Vusi Moyo will be on debut this weekend. Picture: Steve Haag – Nations Championship/ Getty Images
Jaco Williams (wing), Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), Ruben van Heerden (lock), and Carlu Sadie (prop) will all make their Test debuts for the Springboks when they take on Wales in the third Nations Championship fixture in Durban on Saturday.
Coach Rassie Erasmus has picked a team with plenty of experience but there are also a few players who’ll be on debut or getting a rare chance to show what they can do.
Besides the four players who’ll make their first Bok appearance, Andre Hugo-Venter (hooker) will earn just a second Bok cap, while Herschel Jantjies (scrumhalf), on the replacements bench, is back in the mix after several years on the sidelines, having last played a Test in 2023.
Paul de Villiers will earn a third cap and Cobus Wiese a fourth cap this weekend.
For the third Test in a row the Boks will have a different flyhalf with Moyo starting.
Manie Libbok started against England while Handré Pollard started against Scotland last Saturday.
Also, the starting scrumhalf position has also been rotated between Grant Williams (England), Embrose Papier (Scotland) and now Cobus Reinach.
Eben Etzebeth (lock), Franco Mostert (utility forward), Andre Esterhuizen (centre and flanker), Canan Moodie (utility back), and Ox Nche (prop) and Pollard (flyhalf) were all unavailable for selection as they continue to recover from injuries.
“We told the players from the start of the season that if everything played out well, we would give everyone in the squad a chance to play in the competition, and we are excited to see what the uncapped players, as well as those who have not been in the mix for a while, bring to the team,” said Erasmus.
“This squad shows an exciting mix of youth and experience, and while we are under no illusions about the threat Wales poses, we are looking forward to seeing what these players can do.
“Wales put up a good fight in their Six Nations matches against Scotland and Ireland, and they defeated Italy in their final match of the tournament.
“They also beat Fiji in the Nations Championship before going down against Argentina in a competitive match last week, so they are on the rise and will come out with a point to prove this weekend.”
Regular captain Siya Kolisi is still out of the mix, while the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Ethan Hooker miss out this week.
Pieter-Steph du Toit will captain the side for the third match in a row this July Test window.
Springbok team to face Wales in Durban:
Aphelele Fassi, Jaco Williams, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Vusi Moyo, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit (capt), Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, Cobus Wiese, Carlu Sadie, Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp. Bench: Andre-Hugo Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Herschel Jantjies, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse
