Bok shocks for Scotland clash

Regular captain Siya Kolisi will start off the bench when the Springboks kick off their end of year tour against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus surprised by naming Kolisi and fellow loose forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese among the substitutes.

The last time Kolisi was named among the Bok substitutes was in their Rugby World Cup 2019 pool match against Namibia at the City of Toyota Stadium.

That was in his 45th Test and this will be his 45th since he was last required to sit on the bench from the start.

While Eben Etzebeth will captain the Springboks for the 14th time, Marco van Staden takes the No.6 jersey as the Boks seek to disrupt Scotland at the breakdown. Van Staden was a vital cog in their victory over Scotland in their RWC pool match in Marseille last year.

Also in the back row is trusty workhorse Kwagga Smith who will earn his 50th Test cap.

Locks Franco Mostert and RG Snyman return to the green and gold jumper after long spells on the sidelines due to injury.

The 31-year-old Smith, who made his Springbok debut against Wales in Washington in 2018 and went on to win two RWC winner’s medals, will start at No.8.

Mostert returns to the team for the first time since recovering from the broken leg he suffered against Ireland during the incoming series and Snyman returns from a foot injury sustained in Australia in the build-up to the first Test against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship.

Erasmus opted for a seven/one bench split and made 11 changes to the starting team that defeated Argentina in their closing Rugby Championship clash in Mbombela in September. There are 14 returnees in the squad that did duty that day.

There are 12 survivors in the 23 from the squad that last faced Scotland (in the pool stages of last year’s Rugby World Cup) — Mostert, Snyman, Etzebeth (lock), Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi (both hookers), Kolisi, Du Toit, Marco van Staden (all flankers), Jasper Wiese (No.8), Ox Nche (prop), Grant Williams (utility back) and Willie le Roux (fullback).

Joining Smith and Van Staden in the back row is Elrigh Louw, while Mostert partners Etzebeth in his record 129th Test.

The team features a completely new backline to the triumphant Rugby Championship match-day team in Mbombela, with only Jaden Hendrikse retaining his place among the starting backs.

Veteran fullback Willie le Roux will take one more step towards reaching the exclusive group of Springbok centurions when he runs on at fullback in what will be his 98th Test match, while Makazole Mapimpi and Canan Moodie have been named as the wings, outside the midfield duo of André Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am.

Hendrikse, meanwhile, will partner with the experienced Handré Pollard in an exciting halfback pairing.

Erasmus loaded his bench with experience with the seven forwards being the front row of Marx, Vincent Koch and Gerhard Steenekamp, with Snyman providing lock cover and Kolisi, Du Toit and Wiese set to give the team a boost at loose forward.

Williams, in turn, who provides cover at scrumhalf and wing, is the only backline player among the replacements.

“This is a seasoned and quality team and adding to that 21 of the 23 players have won a Rugby World Cup title, with some having won two, so they know what it takes to perform at this level,” said Erasmus.

“Many of these combinations have also played together this season, which will be valuable against a quality team such as Scotland.

“We are expecting an extremely physical match, so we opted for a seven-one split of forwards on the bench, and this was aided by the fact that we have such versatile players in the backline, who can cover different positions if necessary.”

Springbok team to face Scotland

Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, Lukhanyo Am, André Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Handré Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse; Kwagga Smith, Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden; Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth; Thomas du Toit, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche.

Substitutes: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese, Grant Williams.