Eben Etzebeth is named to start and become the most-capped Springbok, while Jaden Hendrikse and Manie Libbok are paired for the first time against Argentina on Saturday.
They are promoted from the bench for the title-decider of the Rugby Championship at the Mbombela Stadium, in a Bok matchday 23 that shows six personnel changes from the team that lost to Los Pumas in Santiago del Estero last week.
Rassie Erasmus made nine changes and one positional switch to the starting XV, recalling six double World Cup winners in Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende and Siya Kolisi, who resumes the captaincy.
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The changes meant that Erasmus named the same starting pack that beat the All Blacks in Cape Town, and the same five replacement forwards, while reverting to a five-three split on the bench.
The most-capped centre pairing in Bok history in De Allende and Jesse Kriel are reunited, with a back three of Aphelele Fassi and wings Kurt-Lee Arendse and Kolbe.
The experienced Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard and Lukhanyo Am will provide the necessary impact in the backline off the wood.
Springboks – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Subs: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 – Handre Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am.
Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images
The post New Bok halfbacks, Eben to break record appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Src: sarugbymag.co.za
