By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Aphelele Fassi has replaced veteran fullback Willie le Roux in the Springbok team to face Australia in their Rugby Championship match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
Fassi will wear the No 15 jersey after Le Roux was forced to withdraw due to a niggle injury at training earlier this week.
Le Roux recently became the eighth Bok to reach 100 caps, and his experience at the back, especially in the expected wet conditions, would have been a major asset to the world champions.
Fassi had a strong first half in Johannesburg but, like many of his teammates, struggled to contain the Wallabies in the second half of the 38–22 loss.
The exciting fullback will look to deliver a stronger performance and will be particularly tested under the high ball by the Wallabies. He was drafted straight into the starting XV, with Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus opting to keep the versatile Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu on the bench as part of a six-two Bomb Squad split.
South Africa finds itself with its back against the wall for this crucial clash and will now have to engineer a turnaround without the experience of Le Roux.
Springboks – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jean-Luc du Preez, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Lood de Jager, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.