Rassie Erasmus has named his Springbok team for the third All Blacks Test, with Cheslin Kolbe moving to fullback for Saturday’s clash at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
The Springbok coach has made four changes and one positional switch to the starting XV that beat New Zealand 33–26 in Cape Town, keeping faith with the bulk of the side that levelled the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series at 1–1.
Kolbe shifts from the wing to No 15 after Damian Willemse was ruled out with a knock sustained in last weekend’s Test. Kurt-Lee Arendse returns to the starting line-up on the wing.
The remaining changes are all in the front row, where Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw return to the run-on side. Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit drop to the replacements bench.
Erasmus said continuity had always been part of the plan for the four-Test series.
“It was always our plan to have a little more continuity in player combinations for this series and we thought that the players who did the job for us last week really showed composure and did well to stick to the plan and what we wanted to achieve,” Erasmus said.
Willemse and Handré Pollard were both unavailable for selection.
Erasmus said Arendse had been unfortunate to miss the Cape Town Test after Kolbe recovered from an injury concern.
“He is a quality player and his 25 tries in 33 matches so far shows the type of player he is.”
All Blacks expected to hit back in Soweto
The Springboks’ victory at DHL Stadium levelled the series with two Tests still to play, and Erasmus expects a fierce New Zealand response in Johannesburg.
“We know how it felt after the first match in Johannesburg, and such a result really galvanises a team, so we have no doubt that they will go full-out to win this Test match before the series finale in the USA next week,” he said.
“They are one of the two best teams in the world and based on experience, they never give up, as we saw last weekend.”
After two Tests in quick succession, Erasmus believes both sides now know exactly what is coming.
“After two games, we are both into hard Test rugby mode, and we have a good idea of what to expect from one another, so it is going to be another grind of a match.”
Front row restored for Johannesburg conditions
Erasmus explained that the Bok coaches had changed their front-row plans ahead of the Cape Town Test because of the weather, but that Nché, Marx and Louw would now start together as originally intended.
“Johannesburg weather is different to Cape Town, so we thought this would be the best decision for us this weekend,” Erasmus said.
He added that Steenekamp, Du Toit and Fourie had all produced significant performances and would bring valuable experience and composure off the bench.
A rare Test at FNB Stadium
Saturday’s match marks only the third meeting between the Springboks and All Blacks at FNB Stadium. The teams met there in 2010 and 2012, with New Zealand winning both, 29–22 and 32–16 respectively.
Erasmus expects a very different atmosphere this time, with a crowd of around 80 000 possible at the Soweto venue.
“With the vuvuzelas and passionate crowd there, we can hardly hear one another on the field, so we are all thrilled about this occasion,” he said.
“But make no mistake, this is going to be another intense battle between the two top teams in the world who are both looking to get an edge in the series.”
The Springboks have won six of their last eight Tests against New Zealand since August 2023.
Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as South Africa’s most-capped Springbok to 145 Tests when he takes the field, while the loose trio of Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese are set to establish a new Bok record with their 18th Test start together.
Kick-off is at 17:10, with live coverage on SuperSport.
Springbok team to face the All Blacks
15. Cheslin Kolbe
14. Kurt-Lee Arendse
13. Jesse Kriel
12. Damian de Allende
11. Ethan Hooker
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9. Cobus Reinach
8. Jasper Wiese
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
6. Siya Kolisi (captain)
5. Ruan Nortje
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Wilco Louw
2. Malcolm Marx
1. Ox Nché
Replacements: Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager, Andre Esterhuizen, Cameron Hanekom, Morne van den Berg, Manie Libbok.
Source: SA Rugby
