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Erasmus stays consistent with just two changes for Springboks in Baltimore


Damian Willemse of South Africa arrives at the stadium with his teammates before the 2026 Nations Championship match between South Africa and Wales at Kings Park Stadium on July 18, 2026 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Johan Rynners - Nations Championship/Nations Championship via Getty Images)
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13 Comments

The Springboks have named their 23 to play the All Blacks in Baltimore, sticking firm with most of the starting team that secured a 2-1 lead at FNB Stadium.

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Damian Willemse comes back into the starting team at fullback to replace Cheslin Kolbe, who was forced off early in the third Test. Willemse himself came off in the second Test with a hamstring issue.

Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg has been handed a start in the halves next to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with Cobus Reinach moving to the bench.

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Damian McKenzie chats to reports after the All Blacks 24-29 defeat to the Springboks in Soweto

Video Spacer

Damian McKenzie chats to reports after the All Blacks 24-29 defeat to the Springboks in Soweto

The forward pack remains unchanged with Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw in the front row, Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje in the second row and captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese in the back row.

Springboks team for the fourth Test in Baltimore:

15. Damian Willemse
14. Kurt-Lee Arendse
13. Jesse Kriel
12. Damian de Allende
11. Ethan Hooker
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9. Morne van der Berg
8. Jasper Wiese
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
6. Siya Kolisi (c)
5. Ruan Nortje
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Wilco Louw
2. Malcolm Marx
1. Ox Nche

Reserves
16. Deon Fourie
17. Gerhard Steenekamp
18. Thomas du Toit
19. Lood de Jager
20. Andre Esterhuizen
21. Cameron Hanekom
22. Cobus Reinach
23. Manie Libbok

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Comments

13 Comments
M
Mzilikazi 13 hours ago

Arguably a stronger back three with Willemse back. He and Hooker are a formidable aerial threat. Kolbe out is a blow though….his remarable goal kicking has been an unexpected element, I would think.

W
Wayneo 14 hours ago

Happy for Krappies (which means "little crab") to make a start, thoroughly deserved after his performance last week.

u
unknown 10 hours ago

Agree. Williams wasn’t very good in the first test. Moenie Van den Berg has been very good when coming on and Reinach is a great option for the bench.

G
GS 18 hours ago

Could get very ugly for the ABs - this is a stronger team than what rolled out last Saturday with the inclusion of Damian Willemse, who is just a class player.


Hopefully De Groot is back for the ABs and can stablize the scrum, otherwise very easy to see Bok side running away with it, in the 2nd half vs some very new combinations.


If we see a score blow-out, all the hard work that the ABs have done this year will be negated in large part and really setting up a super tough back end of the season - especially when our best player in Savea is probably gone till next year.

K
Kia koe 11 hours ago

Improvement is there. AB still growing. I don’t think de groot will solve the scrum actually.

W
Wayneo 14 hours ago

Not so mate, you blokes are showing incredible improvement from last year. I for one am looking forward to the Autumn just to watch the blowouts when the NH teams fail to contain this ABs attack.

c
cnw 19 hours ago

If it aint broke… They will be humming.

J
JD 22 hours ago

I’d like to have seen Manie starting. Very good news that Damian Willemse is back. On form, he’s a genius.

K
Kia koe 19 hours ago

Continuity… nice


Is Williams injured?

J
Johan 21 hours ago

Agreed, when Manie is on - the outside backs get the ball without it being from 50/50 high balls. First two test matches only saw the ball get passed to the wings once. Sasha is very exciting, but out of form and too individualistic…

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