Boan Winter debuts for the Lions against Leinster in the URC match

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has formed a new squad for the test match against Australia, which will take place in Perth on Sunday. The upcoming match is expected to feature significant moments for player No. 8 Jasper Wiese and hybrid forward Andre Esterhuizen.

Jasper Wiese will earn his 50th international cap off the bench, while Esterhuizen will become the 68th player to captain South Africa at Optus Stadium (the match starts at 11:45).

Erasmus made 13 changes to the starting lineup. Only blocker Eben Etzebeth and winger Ethan Hooker retained their positions in the main team after the 43-28 victory over the All Blacks in Baltimore just over a week ago. This win allowed them to secure the 'Castle Double Malt Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' title.

The changes include forming a new front row with props Jan-Hendrik Vessels and Zachary Porten, as well as hooker Johan Grobbelaar. Etzebeth will join Franco Mostert in the midfield.

The forward pack is completed by Paul de Villiers, Elryke Low, and Marco van Staden in the trio, and Erasmus also selected a new pair of halfbacks: Herschel Jantjes and Handre Pollard.

Pollard returns to his playmaker role after an illness that hindered him during 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry,' while Esterhuizen will partner with Keenan Moody in the midfield. The backline consists of Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe, and Afelele Fassi.

In total, nine players from Erasmus's match-23 squad participated in the last match against the All Blacks in the USA. Reserves in the front row will provide cover: Malcolm Marks, Ox Nche, and Vilko Lou, while Lud de Jager will cover at the block, and Wiese will be in the loose forwards. On the bench are Morne van den Berg, Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Quan Horn.

Erasmus stated: 'Every player in this squad has trained hard over the past few months and had the opportunity to play either in the first stage of the Nations Cup or in the RGR, or both tournaments, while guys like Handre and Keenan recovered from injuries, and they are all quality players, so we are happy to give them a chance, and we look forward to seeing this team in action.' He added that 'Australia presents a completely different threat to New Zealand in terms of playing style, so we believe these combinations are best suited for the challenge we will face against them.'

Lions coach Ivan van Ruyen expressed his belief in Hashim Pead's potential, stating that the player could have a significant impact on the team in the upcoming United Rugby Championship (URC) season.

The Lions made it clear that they view the young Springbok Hashim Pead as a future international player, despite attempts by the Stormers to recruit him. This young midfielder was one of the topics discussed before the start of the new URC season after the Stormers put forward a transfer offer, but 21-year-old Pead decided to stay in Johannesburg.

Lions coach Cash van Ruyen believes there is still much for Pead to reveal and promised him a more significant role in the coming season. Van Ruyen noted: 'I am proud of his first season with us. He joined us after the U20 World Cup and did not participate in our pre-season training. But he has played 15 matches with us, which shows some trust from our side. He is an exceptional player.'

Van Ruyen sees Pead as a player capable of changing the course of a match, rather than just occupying a position. He emphasized: 'We want Hashim to create moments of magic for us. He is that kind of player. I am confident he will get more minutes. I am confident he will get more opportunities. I am confident he can become a Springbok with us.'

The Lions deliberately managed Pead's workload during the Currie Cup, as van Ruyen explained that the goal was to prepare the young athlete for the demands of the URC, not just to provide him with domestic appearances. He added: 'We didn't give him too much time in the Currie Cup. We wanted to prepare him and get him in shape for matches against the All Blacks and for the URC, instead of just giving him Currie Cup games.'

The Lions' strong pre-season preparation, which included a daring 41-35 loss to the All Blacks in Johannesburg, raised expectations ahead of the URC. However, Pead is not the only interesting option at the midfield position. Morne van den Berg has established himself in the Springboks squad and may be absent from the Lions for long periods, making squad depth at this position particularly important.

Nico Stein, who is himself a former junior Springbok, also impressed against the All Blacks. Van Ruyen believes that all three midfielders bring something unique. He observed: 'All three have an exceptional X-factor. All three have very good kicking game. You cannot start a season with only one midfielder. They are all different horses for different tasks, different game plans.'

The team's task will be to satisfy all three players while utilizing their contrasting strengths. Van Ruyen concluded: 'Obviously, all players want to start every game. But we must find a way to use them all wisely.'