9 November 2026
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has opted for continuity and player management, omitting Eben Etzebeth from the matchday 23 against France this Friday at 22:10 SAST.
The veteran lock arrived in France early on Monday morning following a spell on the sidelines due to injury. Erasmus has prioritised preparation time and match fitness, making only two strategic changes to the squad that defeated Italy 66-7 last weekend.
Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert will retain their roles in the second row for the Paris clash. The coaching staff opted for the duo due to their ongoing integration with the squad over the last fortnight. Both players have extensive experience against the physical French pack in high-pressure Test matches.
Commenting on the decision not to name Eben Etzebeth in the squad, Erasmus said: “Eben just arrived in France, and although we know what he brings to the team, we feel it would be better for him to get back into the swing of things this week after some time on the sidelines."
Erasmus added: “Lood and Franco are also very experienced players and they have been training with us for almost two weeks now after arriving in Italy the week prior to last week’s Test match. They’ve both faced France in high-pressure matches and delivered, so we know what we have in them and what they will bring to the team this week.”
The two personnel adjustments to the matchday squad feature a front-row rotation and a tactical change at scrumhalf. Prop Wilco Louw and Thomas du Toit swap roles to maintain freshness in a heavily settled front row combination. Meanwhile, Cobus Reinach is set to make his appearance from the bench, using his extensive experience playing club rugby within the French system to make a difference.
Of the two changes to his matchday team, Erasmus said: “Our front rows are well settled and have all been playing together for a few seasons, so we made a rotational switch with Wilco and Thomas, while Cobus is also very familiar with the French conditions as he played club rugby here, so we thought bringing him into the mix would be good against a quality French outfit.”