Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has decided to adhere to the principle of consistency when forming the squad for the third test match in the series against the All Blacks. In the upcoming match, which will take place on Saturday at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, only four changes and one positional swap in the starting lineup will be made.
The changes to the match-23 squad include the return of Ox Nche, Vilko Lou, and Malcolm Marx to the starting front line. Gerhard Steenkamp, Thomas du Toit, and Deon Fourie have been moved to the bench. There was also a forced change due to the injury of versatile defender Damian Willemse, resulting in Cheslin Kolbe moving to fullback, and Kurt-Lee Arendse being included in the starting lineup as a winger.
Erasmus noted that initially, greater continuity in player combinations was planned for this series. He emphasized that players who performed well last week demonstrated composure and successfully followed the previously established plan.
The coach added that Damian Willemse sustained an injury in the first half and could not participate in this weekend's game, as could Handre Pollard. Therefore, by sticking to these combinations and making one substitution with Cheslin at fullback, they considered it the best decision for this match.
Rassie Erasmus expressed satisfaction with the return of Kurt-Lee Arendse, who was unable to play last week after Cheslin recovered from his indisposition. He called Arendse a quality player, noting that his 25 tries in 33 matches demonstrate his class.
Erasmus expected the All Blacks to approach the game with high motivation, as despite the Boks winning 33-26 in Johannesburg, the series remained level, leaving both teams with two more matches to play. He stated that knowing what happened after the first match in Johannesburg strongly motivates the team, and they will surely put forth maximum effort to win this test match before the final series match in the USA next week.
The match is scheduled for 17:10 and will be broadcast on SuperSport. The Springbok vs All Blacks starting lineup at the FNB Stadium includes: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Kobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vilko Lou, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Reserves: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenkamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lud de Jager, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Mani Libbok.