The Springboks team for the second test against the XV of Wales, Saturday in Bloemfontein, was radically reworked on Tuesday by coach Jacques Nienaber: only four of the 23 players who blew the victory to the Welsh (32-29) last Saturday at Pretoria.
Second row Eben Etzebeth, who will celebrate his 99th cap on Saturday, is the only one to retain his starting position, while hooker Malcolm Marx, prop Vincent Koch and full-back Damian Willemse, author of the victory penalty in the stoppages in Pretoria, are substitutes.
Nienaber called in his starting XV two players with no selection: winger Kurt-Lee Arendse and third line Evan Roos.
Four other novices -- prop Ntuthuko Mchunu, second row Ruan Nortje, third row Deon Fourie and scrum-half Grant Williams -- are on the bench.
“We are delighted that these players have a chance to shine at this level and I believe that if they play as well as their potential implies, they can strengthen our squad in the future
,” said Nienaber, quoted in the press release. of the Federation.
“They are all very excited to wear the green and gold shirt, but they also know what Wales will bring on D
-Day,” he added.
Author of a mediocre performance on Saturday, the usual Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is not in the 23. It is the experienced opening half Handré Pollard who will take over the captaincy.
Scrum-half Faf de Klerk and fly-half Elton Jantjies also bore the brunt of their very average match last Saturday.
Pillar Trevor Nyakane features in the starting XV, while second line Pieter-Steph Du Toit, back after undergoing shoulder surgery, is back.
Composition of the South African squad for the 2nd test against Wales, July 9 in Bloemfontein:
Gelant - Arendse, Kriel, Esterhuizen, Fassi - (o) Pollard (cap.), (m) Hendrikse - P.-S.
Du Toit, Roos, Coetzee - Orie, Etzebeth - Nyakane, Dweba, T. Du Toit
Subs: Marx, Mchunu, Koch, Nortje, Elstadt, Fourie, Williams, Willemse