Springboks change four for England and also add a third sub back

Jacques Nienaber has named a Springboks team to play England this Saturday that shows four changes from the XV that defeated Italy 63-21 in Genoa last weekend. With the fixture in London falling outside the agreed regulation nine player release window, South Africa were always set to make alterations as Cheslin Kolke, Andre Esterhuizen and Jasper Wiese, starters against the Italians, had to be released back to Toulon, Harlequins and Leicester respectively.

Vincent Koch and Cobus Reinach, two of last weekend’s replacements, were also needed back at Stade Francais and Montpellier respectively and with Trevor Nyakane also Racing-bound, Nienaber had called up a half-dozen players on Sunday, five from the SA A team beaten at Munster and Bristol and the fit-again Canan Moodie.

With all that to factor in, Nienaber has now unveiled a starting team that includes Jesse Kriel and Makazole Mapimpi for Esterhuizen and Kolbe at midfield and wing respectively, while in the pack Eben Etzebeth will start at lock for Salmaan Moerat and Evan Roos takes over at No8 for the absent Wiese.

The inclusion of Kriel at No13 sees Damian de Allende move back into his more regular inside centre role, while the return of Mapimpi on the left wing has resulted in Kurt-Lee Arendse moving to No14 where Kolbe played last weekend.

On the bench, last weekend’s six/two forwards/backs split has been replaced by a five-three divide in which the fit-again Moodie has been named as the additional back following the promotion of Roos to the starting XV. Thomas du Toit is this week’s sub tighthead in place of the unavailable Koch, Marco van Staden fills the gap left by the promoted Etzebeth while Jaden Hendrikse is back as sub scrum-half for Reinach.

Springboks (vs England, Saturday)
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 82 caps, 65 pts (13t)
14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 6 caps, 30 pts (6t)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 58 caps, 60 pts (12t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 69 caps, 45 pts (9t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 35 caps, 110 pts (22t)
10 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 26 caps, 30 pts (2t, 4c, 4p)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 45 caps, 30 pts (5t, 1c, 1p)
8 – Evan Roos (DHL Stormers) – 2 caps, 0 pts
7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 62 caps, 15 pts (3t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 74 caps, 45 pts (9t)
5 – Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) – 10 caps, 0 pts
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 109 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 57 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 55 caps, 60 pts (12t)
1 – Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks) – 18 caps, 0 pts

Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 58 caps, 70 pts (14t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 70 caps, 10 pts (2t)
18 – Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks) – 14 caps, 0 pts
19 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 9 caps, 0 pts
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 30 caps, 20 pts (4t)
21 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 11 caps, 12 pts (2t, 1c)
22 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 2 cap, 10 pts (5c)
23 – Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 5 pts (1t)