Multiple changes add intrigue to Springboks-All Blacks Test

CAPE TOWN – South Africa and New Zealand square up in a Rugby Championship Test at the Cape Town Stadium on Sept 7, with both teams having made multiple changes in their backlines.

The All Blacks need a win to keep their title hopes alive after losing a thrilling first match 31-27 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg last weekend.

It was their second defeat in the tournament after losing the first of two home matches against Argentina.

The Springboks will take a giant step towards winning the championship if they can secure a fourth successive win. As it stands, they have 14 points, ahead of New Zealand (six), Argentina (five) and Australia (four).

“There are games where you want to grow the team and there are games when you desperately want to win. Trying to win this game would mean a lot in the Rugby Championship,” said South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus in explaining his selection, which includes the recall of Willie le Roux and Handre Pollard at fullback and fly-half.

Captain Siya Kolisi will play despite having suffered what Erasmus said was a broken nose last week.

“Siya wanted the option to play now and get it (his nose) reset in two weeks’ time,” added the coach.

While both packs of forwards remain largely intact, the changes among the backs add an element of intrigue to what shapes as a high-octane clash in front of a capacity crowd of 60,000.

Despite relative newcomers Aphelele Fassi and the exciting Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu having performed well at Ellis Park, Erasmus opted for the World Cup-winning experience of le Roux and Pollard.

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson dropped fullback Beauden Barrett, New Zealand’s most experienced player with 129 caps, to the bench, switching Will Jordan from wing to fullback.

Both teams will start with new scrum-halves with Grant Williams starting for South Africa and Cortez Ratima replacing TJ Perenara for New Zealand.

South Africa’s “bomb squad” of replacements made a significant difference in the first Test and Robertson said he had opted for Barrett and Perenara to add energy and experience from the bench.

“We’ve realised that it’s really important to have experience at the end of games. It’s a great couple of names to put on there with a lot of Tests and a lot of experience,” he added.

With Caleb Clarke, scorer of two tries last week, out because of injury, wings Sevu Reece and Mark Tele’a make up a new-look back three together with Jordan.

The Springboks also have a different back three, with playmaker le Roux linking up with Canan Moodie, who replaces the injured Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Cheslin Kolbe, who switches from right to left wing.

The New Zealand forwards held their own in the scrums against the powerful Springbok pack last week and have made just one change in the pack, with 21-year-old flank Wallace Sititi making his first start in place of the injured Ethan Blackadder.

Eben Etzebeth, who was among the substitutes last week, will start at lock for the Springboks, with Pieter-Steph du Toit moving back to his usual position at flank.

The forward battle is again likely to be intense in the first Springbok-All Blacks Test played at a stadium built for football ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

The quality of the playing surface was criticised when the turf cut up badly during three Tests against the British and Irish Lions in 2021, but a new hybrid surface of grass and artificial turf has stood up well in domestic matches since it was installed in 2023.

Meanwhile, James Slipper is in line to equal Australia’s record for the most Test caps after being picked to play against Argentina in Santa Fe, also on Sept 7.

The veteran prop will win his 139th cap to draw level with former captain and scrum-half George Gregan. AFP, REUTERS