By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has named his team for the first Test of the season against Wales in Pretoria on Saturday.
Damian Willemse will get a chance to continue what was interrupted on the 2021 end of year tour when he lines up as the starting fullback when the Springboks face Wales in the first test of the three match series that starts their international season in Pretoria on Saturday.
In what might also be described as a surprise selection in the starting team, Elton Jantjies, and not Handre Pollard, will get to wear the No10. It is not known if the usual first choice and team vice-captain, Pollard, is injured. Nienaber is set to explain his selections at a press conference shortly, but the switch is probably down to Pollard having joined the squad late this week due to his involvement in the French final at the weekend.
There are no new caps in the Bok starting team but there are two on the bench, with DHL Stormers lock Salmaan Moerat and Vodacom Bulls No8 Elrigh Louw being rewarded for their good form in the recent United Rugby Championship with first caps should they get onto the field.
Louw’s selection is interesting in the sense that he is included ahead of the URC Player of the Season Evan Roos, but it needs to be remembered that there are three tests in this series. Louw is also included on a bench that includes six forwards and two backs alongside Kwagga Smith, who is a regular No8. So it could be that Louw might come onto the field as a blindside flank, a position he has played often before, though Smith is also a useful opensider and was at blindside flank for the Boks the last time they played.
It will be recalled that Willemse, who has been in outstanding form for the Stormers recently though mostly as an inside centre so that Warrick Gelant could weave his magic from fullback, wore the No15 the last time the Boks played Wales, which was the first test of the end of year tour in Cardiff. Nienaber said at the time that the plan was to give Willemse an extended run there as he prepares for life after Willie le Roux, but that plan was scuppered by the 10th minute injury that forced Willemse onto the sidelines for the rest of the tour.
Le Roux is still in the match day squad as the outside bench backup, effectively stepping into the role that was previously designated to the now injured Cheetahs veteran Frans Steyn. With Willemse able to switch to centre, flyhalf or even wing should it be necessary, he is the man likely to cover that utility role should it be necessary, although Nienaber would most likely prefer to see him play as long as possible at fullback.
The return of Willemse to the fullback position and Jantjies to flyhalf are two of seven changes to the side that last started for the Boks, which was in the narrow loss to England at Twickenham in the last match of 2021. It will be remembered that Cheslin Kolbe and Faf de Klerk were both out injured then, but they have returned for this first test of the international season for Jesse Kriel and Cobus Reinach (injured anyway) respectively.
Tighthead prop Frans Malherbe, like De Klerk, missed the last part of the 2021 international season, from the final Castle Lager Rugby Championship test against the All Blacks onwards, but returns now for Trevor Nyakane. The latter is not in the match day squad, with World Cup finalist Vincent Koch fulfilling the same role he did in Yokohama in 2019 and in London the last time the Boks played.
Smith played blindside flank against England but Nienaber has reverted to the more traditional mould of No7 for this game in the form of Franco Mostert. Pieter-Steph du Toit is of course injured, as he was for the remained of the last international season subsequent to the second test against the British and Irish Lions. Mostert played as the starting blindside flank in the deciding test of that series and for most of the Rugby Championship.
When it comes to player milestones, lock Eben Etzebeth will move to 98 in this weekend’s game and looks on course to play his 100th in the final test against Wales, which fittingly will be in his old home city of Cape Town. He is now of course a Cell C Shark.
Springbok team: Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.