Jaco Williams (wing), Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), Ruben van Heerden (lock), and Carlu Sadie (prop) will all make their Test debuts in the Springboks’ third Nations Championship fixture against Wales in Durban on Saturday in a quality team named by national coach Rassie Erasmus.
Erasmus struck a fine balance between naming a strong team, while staying true to his word to give every player in his expanded squad a chance to prove what they could do at the highest level of the game in his match-day squad, which also features Andre Hugo-Venter (hooker), Herschel Jantjies (scrumhalf) on the replacements bench.
Moyo and Williams will both have the honour of making their Test debuts at their home ground for the Hollywoodbets Sharks, alongside the tight forward duo of Van Heerden, who has left the DHL Stormers for France, and Sadie, who plays for Investec Champions Cup champions Bordeaux Begles.
Venter, meanwhile, will earn his second Test cap should he take the field off the replacements bench after making his debut in 2024 against Portugal, while Jantjies last played in the green and gold jersey against Argentina in 2023.
Eben Etzebeth (lock), Franco Mostert (utility forward), Andre Esterhuizen (centre and flanker), Canan Moodie (utility back), Handre Pollard (flyhalf), and Ox Nche (prop) were all unavailable for selection as they continue to recover from injuries.
Moyo will dictate play from flyhalf alongside experienced scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, while Williams will form an exciting back three with fellow wing Kurt-Lee Arendse and fullback Aphelele Fassi, with Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel manning the midfield.
In the forward pack, Sadie will pack down in the front row with Gerhard Steenekamp and Malcolm Marx, with Van Heerden and Cobus Wiese steering the engine room, while Paul de Villiers, Pieter-Steph du Toit (who will again lead the team), and Jasper Wiese forming the loose trio combination.
Erasmus opted for five forwards and three backs on the bench, where Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, and Wilco Louw will serve as the replacement front row, and Ben-Jason Dixon and Marco van Staden will provide lock and loose forward cover, respectively.
The three backs on the bench are Jantjies, Manie Libbok (flyhalf), and Damian Willemse (utility back).
“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.”
The Bok coach was thrilled to see the four uncapped players get their opportunity to play and said: “They all played very well for their franchises this season, and have been working extremely hard at training, while waiting patiently for a chance to play, so we are delighted for them.
“Building squad depth has always been one of our pillars since 2018, and to have such an exciting group of players coming through is fantastic as we continue to build our squad for the future.
“We have full faith in their abilities, and I’m sure the senior guys around them will assist in keeping them calm on the field, so they can show the talent that earned them a place in the squad. Hopefully, we can make it a memorable occasion for them and our loyal supporters this weekend.”
Springbok team to face Wales in Durban:
15 Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba) – 16 caps, 35 pts (7t)
14 Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – uncapped
13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 89 caps, 110 pts (22t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 98 caps, 55 pts (11t)
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars) – 31 caps, 120 pts (24t)
10 Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – uncapped
9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 51 caps, 95 pts (19t)
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 45 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain, Toyota Verblitz) – 97 caps, 70 pts (14t)
6 Paul de Villiers (DHL Stormers) – 2 cap, 0 pts
5 Ruben van Heerden (Montpellier) – uncapped
4 Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 0 pts
3 Carlu Sadie (Bordeaux Begles) – uncapped
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 88 caps, 135 pts (27t)
1 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 17 caps, 10 pts (2t)
Replacements:
16 Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers) – 1 cap, 5 pts (1 t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps, 10 pts (2t)
18 Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers) – 30 caps, 10 pts (2t)
19 Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers) – 9 caps, 10 pts (2t)
20 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 34 caps, 15 pts (3t)
21 Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne) – 24 caps, 25 pts (5t)
22 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 29 caps, 145 pts (2t, 48c, 13p)
23 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 51 caps, 76 pts (8t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)
Stats and facts:
Springbok record against Wales:
Played 44; Won 36; Lost 7; Drawn 1; Points for: 1 230; Points against; 683; Tries scored: 145; Tries conceded: 57; Highest score: 96-13; Biggest win: 83 points; Win %: 81,8%.
Miscellaneous:
- After Saturday’s clash, Damian de Allende will require only one more Test appearance after this match to earn his 100th Test cap, while Pieter-Steph du Toit will only require two more to achieve that remarkable milestone.
- Cobus Reinach requires only one more try to move to 100 Test points in the green and gold.
- Pieter-Steph du Toit will lead the Boks for the third time in as many weeks in this weekend’s encounter.
- Should the Springboks register a victory, it will mark their 11th Test win in a row.
- The teams have met only once in Durban in 2014 – a game the Springboks won 38-16.
- The last time the teams crossed paths in South Africa was in 2022, when the Springboks won two of their three matches.
- The total Test caps in the Springbok starting line-up are 537.
- There are 285 caps in the backline, with 252 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 188 caps.
- The average caps per player in the backline is 41, the forwards 32, while the players on the bench average 24.
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