Du Toit to lead Boks against Wales at Twickenham
The game is the first since their triumphant Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand in October last year.
FILE: South Africa's flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit (C) is tackled by France's number eight Gregory Alldritt (L) during the France 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between France and South Africa at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on 15 October 2023. Picture: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT/AFP
JOHANNESBURG - Flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit will lead the Springboks in their first Test of the year when the world champions play Wales on Saturday.
The game is the first since their triumphant Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand in October last year. Ten players who were part of the matchday squad in that game against the All Blacks are in the 23 to face the Welsh this weekend, while coach Rassie Erasmus has also included four uncapped players.
"Pieter-Steph has been a key figure in our system for several years now and he’s a player who leads by example on the field. We have a strong core of senior players in this group, and we had a few options for captain, but we feel Pieter-Steph will be the right man to lead the team this week," said Erasmus.
Wing Edwill van der Merwe and flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse are the two uncapped players named in the starting XV, while lock Ben-Jason Dixon and utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have been named on the bench, which features the traditional 5-3 split.
"This is an exciting playing squad and travelling group, and we are looking forward to seeing how the uncapped players step up at top international level and how we execute what we’ve been working on at training in the last few days and at the alignment camps. The likes of Edwill, Jordan, Ben-Jason, and Sacha have really impressed us at training, and we believe they have what it takes to make their presence felt against a quality team such as Wales," said Erasmus.
Hooker, Malcolm Marx, who suffered a tournament-ending knee injury in training at the World Cup, is making his return to the team and will start ahead of fellow World Cup winner Bongi Mbonambi. The game, which will be played at Twickenham in England, will also see prop Vincent Koch playing in his 50th international for the Boks.
Thirty players will travel to London on Wednesday night, with those outside of the matchday squad being Manie Libbok (flyhalf), RG Snyman (lock) – both RWC winners – Neethling Fouche (prop), Phepsi Buthelezi (loose forward), Ethan Hooker (centre), Quan Horn (fullback), and Andre-Hugo Venter (hooker).
Springbok team to face Wales at Twickenham:
15 – Aphelele Fassi
14 – Edwill van der Merwe
13 – Jesse Kriel
12 – Andre Esterhuizen
11 – Makazole Mapimpi
10 – Jordan Hendrikse
9 – Faf de Klerk
8 – Evan Roos
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain)
6 – Kwagga Smith
5 – Franco Mostert
4 – Eben Etzebeth
3 – Vincent Koch
2 – Malcolm Marx
1 – Ox Nche
Replacements:
16 – Bongi Mbonambi
17 – Ntuthuko Mchunu
18 – Frans Malherbe
19 – Salmaan Moerat
20 – Ben-Jason Dixon
21 – Grant Williams
22 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
23 – Damian de Allende