South Africa have rung the changes for their clash with England as Rassie Erasmus recalls most of his key individuals to his starting side.
Siya Kolisi, RG Snyman and Pieter-Steph du Toit are among those promoted from the bench, while Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Cheslin Kolbe return after being rested at Murrayfield.
Wilco Louw is in line for a rare start at tighthead in the absence of Frans Malherbe, and Manie Libbok is backed ahead of Handre Pollard having been hooked half-an-hour into last year’s World Cup semi-final between these two sides.
The bench, meanwhile, contains a traditional five forwards to three backs split as Erasmus seeks to ensure that he has adequate cover to combat England’s high intensity kicking game and defence.
“England play a really energy-sapping game which will take a toll on our backline, but their blitz defence will also take a toll on them. If we can keep the ball, that will tire them,” Springboks boss Erasmus explained.
“I don’t think England will change their gameplan because of what I say. They tend to go to their kicking game. If your backline don’t have the ability to match that, you do get cramps and tiredness.
“Guys like Jesse, Damian and Cheslin haven’t played in the last five weeks but they have kept really fit. We’ve got Lukhanyo [Am], Handre [Pollard] and Cobus [Reinach] as cover to try to match their speed and running ability.”
Louw has impressed both during a stint in the Premiership with Harlequins and since returning to the South Africa with the Bulls, but has been unable to force his way in on the tighthead since 2021.
But with Malherbe injured, the 30-year-old is preferred to Vincent Koch and Thomas du Toit.
Erasmus puts faith in Libbok, meanwhile, despite an up-and-down year for the playmaker that saw him miss a potentially match-winning kick in a defeat to Argentina.
“We always like to give guys chances again. Manie hasn’t played a lot in the last couple of weeks, so we’ve had to get him going. He had a bit of a break with the Stormers, whereas Handre has kept playing, playing, playing. We’d like to give Manie a second chance, and we know what his skillset is. We’ve got security on the bench with Handre.”
South Africa XV to face England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (Saturday 16 November, 5.40pm GMT): 1 Ox Nche, 2 Bongi Mbonami, 3 Wilco Louw; 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 RG Snyman; 6 Siya Kolisi (capt.), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese; 9 Grant Williams, 10 Manie Libbok; 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Cheslin Kolbe; 15 Aphelele Fassi.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith; 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am.
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