Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse will become the 36th set of Springbok brothers to play together, while Cameron Hanekom is set for his debut against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
The Hendrikses – the 36th set of Springbok brothers – have been paired at halfback for the season’s final Test at the Principality Stadium.
Vodacom Bulls loose forward Hanekom is set to become the 12th Springbok to make his Test debut this season after being named on the replacements’ bench by Bok coach Rassie Erasmus in a match-23 that shows seven personnel changes to the team that beat England 29-20 in London on Saturday.
Jaden (scrumhalf) and Jordan (flyhalf) Hendrikse are the first set of brothers to appear together since Dan and Robert du Preez featured against Wales in Washington DC at the start of the 2018 season.
The last time a set of brothers were included in the starting team, was in the Rugby World Cup pool match against Scotland in 2015, when front rowers Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis ran out in tandem in Newcastle.
The Hendrikse’s inclusion are the only changes in the backline, while there are five changes in the starting pack: Johan Grobbelaar starts at hooker (after last featuring in a match-23 against Australia in Perth) while Thomas du Toit returns at tighthead prop, with Ox Nche retaining the No 1 jumper.
The team also features a new lock combination of the fit-again Jean Kleyn (who last appeared in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final) and Franco Mostert, while the only change in the loose trio is at flanker, where Elrigh Louw replaces Pieter-Steph du Toit (who is nursing a shoulder niggle) and will start alongside captain Siya Kolisi and hard-running No 8 Jasper Wiese.
Erasmus opted for six forwards and two backs on the bench, with the same replacement front row of Malcolm Marx (hooker), Gerhard Steenekamp, and Vincent Koch (both props), while Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman, who started in the engine room on Saturday, are rotated to the bench.
The two backline players among the replacements are the double World Cup-winning duo of Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf) and Handre Pollard (flyhalf).
Springboks — 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Ox Nche.
Subs: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Handre Pollard.
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
The post Hendrikse bros, Hanekom get Bok shot appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Src: sarugbymag.co.za
