Three two-time World Cup winners return to Springboks’ starting side

Double Rugby World Cup winners Eben Etzebeth, Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux have been recalled to the Springboks’ starting side ahead of the team’s Freedom Cup decider against the All Blacks on Saturday evening.

The Springboks haven’t held that Cup since 2009 but they’ll truly believe they can create history at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium. South Africa did the job last weekend against the same foe in Johannesburg, winning a thriller 31-27 at Emirates Airline Park.

Coach Rassie Erasmus has made seven changes to the starting side, which includes two positional, for the blockbuster Test. Erasmus has opted to go with experience at flyhalf with Pollard returning to the run-on side while Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu drops to the bench.

Halfback Grant Williams will combine with Pollard in the halves after earning his first Test start of 2024. Also in the backs, Canan Moodie has been given the nod on the right wing as a replacement for Kurt-Lee Arendse who is unavailable.

Moodie joins 96-Test veteran le Roux in a new-look outside backs trio. Another two-time Rugby World Cup winner, Cheslin Kolbe is the other outside back with the speedster shifting from the right wing to the left for this Test.

In the forwards, Etzebeth is another significant inclusion to the Springboks First XV with the towering lock set to combine with Ruan Nortje in the second row.

That change has opened the door for Pieter-Steph du Toit to return to the backrow. Du Toit joins captain Siya Kolisi and Jasper Wiese in a powerful loose forward trio that certainly packs a punch.

“This match is going to be massive,” coach Rassie Erasmus said in a statement.

“New Zealand a world-class outfit and we know that they’ll be desperate to bounce back after leading in the second half last week.

“They’ll also be fully aware of the fact that a victory could give them a huge boost on the Castle Lager Rugby Championship standings, and they’ll be playing to retain the Freedom Cup, which they’ve held since 2010. It’s going to be an epic encounter.

“They’re a quality team with a lot of pace and several players who have a great X-factor. We also saw last week what they can do if they get a strong start, while they have proven time and time again that they are a team that can close out games under a lot of pressure in the last 20 minutes, so it’s going to take a huge team effort to register a victory against them.”

After last weekend’s Test at Emirates Airline Park, Springboks skipper Kolisi struggled to drink water from a bottle due to a suspected facial fracture. Coach Erasmus made some jokes at the captain’s expensive, which was met by laugher by journalists in attendance.

But that injury had the potential to be far more serious leading into the Freedom Cup decider. There was a bit of doubt over Kolisi’s availability for this Test but those concerns have been put to rest with the Boks confirming their side.

“Siya is a world-class player and captain, and he adds immense value to the team with the way he leads by example and galvanises the team when the pressure is on,” Erasmus added.

“Similarly to the call we made with Eben last week, our team policy is that if a player trains on a Monday and gets through training during the week pain free, they can be selected for the weekend, and Siya did just that.

“Honesty from the players about whether they can play and deliver fully on what we expect form them is a key part of our team culture, so have full faith in Siya to give everything on the field.”

Springboks team to take on All Blacks in Cape Town

First XV

1. Ox Nche
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Frans Malherbe
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Ruan Nortje
6. Siya Kolisi (captain)
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
8. Jasper Wiese
9. Grant Williams
10. Handre Pollard
11. Cheslin Kolbe
12. Damian de Allende
13. Jesse Kriel
14. Canan Moodie
15. Willie le Roux

Replacements

16. Malcolm Marx
17.  Gerhard Steenekamp
18. Vincent Koch
19. Kwagga Smith
20. Elrigh Louw
21. Jaden Hendrikse
22. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
23. Lukhanyo Am