Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus on Thursday named a new-look starting team for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour Test against Italy at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Saturday at 14:40 (SA Time), which will again be led by inspirational captain Siya Kolisi, with the Bok coach making 11 changes to his run-on side and one on the replacements bench from last week’s 32-17 victory against France.
The players who retained their places in the starting team are Boan Venter (prop), Kolisi (flanker), Kurt-Lee Arendse (wing) and Damian Willemse (fullback), while Erasmus opted for the same bench except for Kwagga Smith (loose forward), who returns to the squad in place of Johan Grobbelaar, who was promoted to the starting lineup.
RG Snyman (replacement lock) is in line to earn his 49th Test cap, leaving him only one match short of joining the select group of players who have racked up a half-century of Test caps.
The Bok coach named a fresh front row of Venter, Grobbelaar and Zachary Porthen (who made his Test debut against Japan in London), while Jean Kleyn will feature in his first match since the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final when he pairs up with Franco Mostert in the engine room.
Kolisi retains the No 6 jersey in a loose trio with Ben-Jason Dixon, in what marks his first Test this season, and Marco van Staden, who will start at No 8.
The Bok backline also has a new feel to it, with Morne van den Berg and Handre Pollard dictating play at halfback, while Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe have been selected at wing. Ethan Hooker and Canan Moodie form a physical centre pairing, and Willemse serves as the last line of defence at fullback.
On the bench, Erasmus, who guided the team in his 50th Test as head coach last week, has included props Gerhard Steenekamp and Wilco Louw, locks Snyman and Ruan Nortje, loose forward Kwagga Smith and hybrid Andre Esterhuizen, while the two specialist backline players are Grant Williams (scrumhalf) and Manie Libbok (flyhalf). Van Staden will serve as the backup hooker.
Springbok team to face Italy in Turin:
15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 46 caps, 66 pts (6t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
14 Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 4 caps, 25 pts (5t)
13 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 20 caps, 40 pts (8t)
12 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 6 caps, 0 pts
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 29 caps, 115 pts (23t)
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) - 84 caps, 815 pts (8t, 122 c, 172 p, 5dg)
9 Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 4 caps, 15 pts (3t)
8 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 31 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers) – 5 caps, 5 pts (1t)
6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 100 caps, 70 pts (14t)
5 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 82 caps, 20 pts (4t)
4 Jean Kleyn (Munster) – 7 caps, 0 pts
3 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – 1 cap, 0 pts
2 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 0 pts
1 Boan Venter (Edinburgh) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 13 caps, 5 pts (1t)
17 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 26 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 48 caps, 15 pts (3t)
19 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 15 caps, 0 pts
20 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 26 caps, 20 pts (4t)
21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 60 caps, 55 pts (11t)
22 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 26 caps, 30 pts (6t)
23 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 26 caps, 141 pts (2t, 46c, 13p)
