Springbok stalwarts return for Argentina rumble

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will make their first appearance of the season for the Boks when they take to the field against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named a host of returning stalwarts in his match 23 for their one-off Test against Argentina at the Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires on Saturday night, including captain Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. In the announcement released on Tuesday a slew of other players also returned from injury, includingscrumhalf Morne van den Berg, who will play off the bench, as well as Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie, and Handre Pollard.

The starting teamshows 13 changes to the side that ran out against Wales in the Boks’ last Test in Durban. Seven players who featured in the 43-0 victory over Wales in Durban retained their places in the match-23, only two of whom are the in the starting lineup in Aphelele Fassi (fullback) and Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf). The other five players – Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese (all utility forwards), and Gerhard Steenekamp (prop) – have been named on the replacements bench.

The starting team includes a completely new pack, with Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit packing down in the front row with Johan Grobbelaar, while Etzebeth will join forces with De Jager at lock, with Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, and Cameron Hanekom taking over the reins in the loose trio. In the backline, Reinach and Feinberg-Mngomezulu are the halfbacks, while Esterhuizen will partner Canan Moodie in the midfield. Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe, and Fassi form an exciting back three.

[paywall]

“This match is the perfect occasion for players like Siya, Eben, Lood, Sacha, Morne and the other players returning from injury to get a tough Test under the belt and get back into full swing at international level, as Argentina are a formidable team, who will push us to the limit,” said Erasmus. “The guys have been working very hard to return from injury and there is no better test to measure where they are than facing thePumas in Argentina. “The other players in the squad also all deserve their places and have been waiting patiently as we tested combinations in the last few matches, and one can sense the excitement in the group to get back onto the field.” Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Thomas du Toit, Johan Grobbelaar, Boan Venter

[/paywall]