The Springboks have reverted to the starting XV and replacements that recorded a 49-3 victory over Italy a fortnight ago for the do-or-die Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Japan in Tokyo on Sunday.
It means 13 changes to the starting XV from the one which concluded the Boks’ pool campaign with a 66-7 demolition of Canada in Kobe last Tuesday, and Rassie Erasmus said the Boks are ready for the challenge.
Only Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and Damian de Allende – who switches from outside centre back to the more familiar inside centre position – are retained from the Kobe XV.
They are joined in the line-up by the balance of the starting XV from the seven-try-to-nil overwhelming of Italy in what has become a familiar ‘senior’ line-up.
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Front rankers Tendai Mtawarira and Bongi Mbonambi, as well as Lood de Jager retain their places in the starting line-up, having been elevated to the XV from the one which lost against New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament.
The starting XV boasts 665 caps – the most in a Springbok team since the 2015 Rugby World Cup – when the squad included three Test centurions in Jean de Villiers, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana.
The team to meet Japan contains five players with 50 or more caps in Willie le Roux, Duane Vermeulen (who wins 50th cap as a No 8 – a Springbok record), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth and centurion Mtawarira. There are another four players in the 40s in Kolisi, De Jager, De Allende and Handré Pollard.
Twelve of the starting XV – and 21 of the 23 – were in the team that overcame Japan six-tries-to-one (41-7) in Kumagaya, Japan, six weeks ago. The only absentees are Trevor Nyakane (prop) and Jesse Kriel (centre), who have both been invalided out of the tournament.
De Jager and prop Vincent Koch – who is on the bench – are the only two players who were not in the match 23 for the victory over Japan.
Erasmus again announced a six-two replacement split in favour of the forwards (rather than the traditional five-three), as was successfully deployed against the Azzurri.
Coach unpacks his team selection for Sunday
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 17, 2019
🇿🇦🇯🇵#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/0lp8nlAj9h
The Springboks are aiming to reach the Rugby World Cup semi-finals for the fifth time in seven appearances while, for Japan, it is their first appearance in the play-off rounds at the ninth attempt.
The winner will play the victor in the France v Wales match in Yokohama on Sunday, 27 October.
South Africa’s quarter-final with Japan kicks off at 12h15 (SA time, 19h15 local) and is available on SuperSport channel 201 and SABC radio.
The Springbok team to play Japan in Tokyo on Sunday is:
15. Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz, Japan), 58 caps - 60 points (12 tries)
14. Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse, France), 12 - 35 (7t)
13. Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks), 12 - 15 (3t)
12. Damian de Allende (DHL Stormers), 44 - 25 (5t)
11. Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), 11 - 55 (11t)
10. Handré Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), 45 - 410 (6t, 70c, 76p, 4d)
9. Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks, England), 27 - 15 (3t)
8. Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Bulls), 51 - 15 (3t)
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers), 52 - 25 (5t)
6. Siya Kolisi (captain, DHL Stormers), 47 - 30 (6t)
5. Lood de Jager (Vodacom Bulls) 42 -25 (5t)
4. Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), 82 - 15 (3t)
3. Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), 35 - 5 (1t)
2. Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers), 33 - 35 (7t)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), 114 - 10 (2t)
Replacements:
16. Malcolm Marx (Emirates Lions), 30 - 25 (5t)
17. Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), 44 - 5 (1t)
18. Vincent Koch (Saracens, England) 18 - 0
19. RG Snyman (Vodacom Bulls), 20 - 5 (1t)
20. Franco Mostert (Gloucester, England), 36 - 5 (1t)
21. Francois Louw (Bath, England), 73 - 50 (10t)
22. Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), 8 - 20 (4t)
23. Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France), 64 - 141 (11t, 7c, 21p, 3d)
Team announcement
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The Springbok Sevens team opened the 2019/2020 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in perfect fashion by claiming the opening tournament of 10 at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on Saturday.
The SA Rugby Sevens Academy claimed the Emirates Airlines Dubai Sevens International Invitational on Saturday, beating The Royal Jesters 28-12 in the final at The Sevens Stadium.
The way the Springboks Sevens team came together over the three days of the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens contributed to their performances and resulted in them winning the tournament, the first of the new HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
While the Toyota Cheetahs plan to enjoy some down time this month over their Guinness PRO14 festive season break, it will be business as usual for the Isuzu Southern Kings, who are determined to build some momentum in the competition.
Follow all the action from Dubai here.
The Springbok Sevens team scored 19 unanswered points against England in their Pool D decider at the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens to clinch top spot with a 19-14 win and will face Argentina in the Cup quarter-finals of the tournament on Saturday.
The Springbok Sevens team scored a 17-12 win over Kenya in their opening Pool D clash of the Emirates Airlines Dubai Sevens, but had to overhaul their fellow Africans to claim the win.
Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux was pleased with the outcomes achieved as the SA Under-19 team wrapped up their two-match tour to Georgia with a 40-33 victory against the hosts at the Shevardeni Rugby Stadium in Tbilisi on Thursday.
The SA Rugby Sevens Academy squad started off strongly at the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens International Invitational tournament at The Sevens Stadium on Thursday, easily winning both their matches.
Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux – who is guiding the SA U19 team on their tour to Georgia – made wholesale changes to his team for their final match against the hosts at the Shevardeni Rugby Stadium on Thursday, with only three players retaining their starting spots.
Springbok Women’s Sevens coach, Paul Delport, named Zintle Mpupha as captain of his Imbokodo squad for next weekend’s HSBC Cape Town Sevens tournament and included Zenay Jordaan as playmaker.
The Springbok Sevens team opened the 2019/2020 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in perfect fashion by claiming the opening tournament of 10 at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on Saturday.
The SA Rugby Sevens Academy claimed the Emirates Airlines Dubai Sevens International Invitational on Saturday, beating The Royal Jesters 28-12 in the final at The Sevens Stadium.
The way the Springboks Sevens team came together over the three days of the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens contributed to their performances and resulted in them winning the tournament, the first of the new HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
While the Toyota Cheetahs plan to enjoy some down time this month over their Guinness PRO14 festive season break, it will be business as usual for the Isuzu Southern Kings, who are determined to build some momentum in the competition.
Follow all the action from Dubai here.
SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY
