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Springboks drop big names for Wallabies clash
By Jack Davies
Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira and Handre Pollard have been dropped to the South Africa bench as Rassie Erasmus makes six changes for Saturday's Rugby Championship clash with Australia.
The Springboks were beaten 32-19 by Argentina in Mendoza last time out, having opened their campaign with a 34-21 victory over the same opponents in Durban.
Marx and Mtawarira make way for Bongi Mbonambi and Steven Kitshoff in the front row, while Pollard is replaced by Elton Jantjies at fly-half.
Captain Siya Kolisi returns to the number six jersey, allowing Pieter-Steph du Toit to start at seven and Warren Whiteley to keep his place at the base of the scrum.
Damian de Allende is given his first start of 2018 at centre as he and Jesse Kriel come in for Andre Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am.
"We are looking for a good response on Saturday against the Wallabies and I am sure that this side will be up to the task," said coach Erasmus.
Despite Erasmus' confidence in his new-look side, opposite number Michael Cheika - whose side head into Saturday's clash in Brisbane on the back of a pair of heavy defeats to New Zealand - admitted his surprise at the selection.
"Now, obviously I saw that the coach was looking to rest players against us," Cheika said.
"I hope we haven't become a team that the opposition can rest all their best players.
"I was a bit surprised to see that, to be honest. But we'll be doing our best no matter who we’re playing against."
South Africa XV to face Australia: Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Warren Whiteley.
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Francois Louw, Embrose Papier, Handre Pollard, Cheslin Kolbe.
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Latest Comments
I didn't mean to sound down on Dmac. Just looking hard at the bench sub's role of providing impact. I don't think he can do that at 15, and the bench is not really about injury cover anymore (you need to maximise it's use more than that).
He's my first choice of any New Zealander for the 10 jersey with the All Blacks.
Go to commentsAgreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
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