Springboks vs All Blacks: Team selection hints… South Africa will ATTACK!

John Maytham speaks to Layla Arrison, a Sports Broadcaster and Rugby Commentator.

The Springboks will take on New Zealand in their first matchup in this year's Castle Lager Rugby Championship at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday (31 August 2024).

Opting for a 6-2 split on the bench, Erasmus made nine changes to the team that defeated the Wallabies in Perth (30-12), recalling Wiese from suspension and pairing Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ruan Nortje in the second row as a result of injuries to six other locks for the first of two Tests against the All Blacks in South Africa.

However, there are only three changes to the match day squad that opened the series with a 33-7 victory in Brisbane – and two of those forced by injuries to locks.

Eben Etzebeth (back and knee) and Salmaan Moerat (concussion) miss out on the Brisbane combination while Aphelele Fassi gets the fullback’s jersey.

The other locks unavailable for selection are RG Snyman (foot), Franco Mostert (broken leg), Lood de Jager (shoulder) and Jean Kleyn (eye and knee).

The pack shows six changes to the starting line-up that appeared in Perth with a new front row of Ox Nche (promoted from the bench in Perth) and the recall of the rested Frans Malherbe and hooker Bongi Mbonambi.

Pieter-Steph du Toit moves from the side of the scrum to partner Nortje while Wiese is joined in the back row by Springboks captain Siya Kolisi and Ben-Jason Dixon, who has recovered from the knee injury that ruled him out of the Perth Test.

In the backline, Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu reunite at halfback, while Erasmus recalled Damian de Allende to partner Jesse Kriel at centre, with Kurt-Lee Arendse also back in the team, linking up with Cheslin Kolbe and Fassi in the back three.

Erasmus’ bench – which features a split of six forwards and two backs – will see Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp and Vincent Koch in the replacement front row, while Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden and the energetic Kwagga Smith will offer the team solid loose forward cover options.

The two backline players on the bench are Grant Williams and Handre Pollard, who offer an array of options, covering scrumhalf, wing, centre and flyhalf.

The squad features 12 players who appeared in the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris in October (Kolisi, Nche, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Du Toit, Wiese, Arendse, De Allende, Kriel, Kolbe, Smith, and Pollard) as Erasmus balances squad depth while maintaining some consistency.

Arrison says these selections will ensure that the Bokke's attacking game is strong because they will need it against the All Blacks.

"It shows the brand of rugby the Springboks are looking to play. With Sacha and Aphelele, it's going to allow for quite exciting and attacking rugby."

- Layla Arrison, Sports Broadcaster and Rugby Commentator

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.