Cobus Reinach hits 50 in settled Bok squad to face Wales

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will earn his 50th Test cap when he takes the field against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday in a settled team named by national coach Rassie Erasmus.

The starting XV for the final match of the outgoing Tour (5.10pm, SA time) features nine changes from the team that beat Ireland 24-13 in Dublin last week.

Several players have returned to their clubs and provincial unions, as the match falls outside the international window, which required Erasmus to make eight personnel changes and one positional switch to his run-on team, while his bench has a new look to it, with three players who played last week being named among the replacements.

With World Rugby Men’s 15 Player of the Year Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit, Boan Venter, Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Grant Williams, Handré Pollard, Manie Libbok, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe and Edwill van der Merwe out of contention for selection, Erasmus drafted several key “Bomb Squad” members into the starting team, alongside seven players who started in Dublin.

The players who retained their places in the starting lineup are lock Ruan Nortje, captain and flank Siya Kolisi, No 8 Jasper Wiese, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, wing Canan Moodie, centre Damian de Allende and fullback Damian Willemse.

Erasmus named the strong front row combination of hooker Johan Grobbelaar and props Wilco Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp – who will start a Test for the first time – with Jean Kleyn and Nortje taking charge of the engine room, while the loose trio of Kolisi, Franco Mostert and Wiese will complete a powerful forward pack.

In the backline, Morne van den Berg and Feinberg-Mngomezulu will dictate play at halfback, while hybrid Andre Esterhuizen will man the midfield with De Allende, Moodie and Ethan Hooker will start on the wings, and Willemse retains the No 15 jersey.

Erasmus opted for a seven-one split in favour of the forwards on the bench, with the replacement front row of hooker Bongi Mbonambi and props Zachary Porthen and Asenathi Ntlabakanye, while Eben Etzebeth will provide lock cover. Utility forwards Marco van Staden, Ben-Jason Dixon and Kwagga Smith cover loose forward and lock. Reinach is the only specialist backline player named on the bench.

“We knew from the outset we would lose players for this match due to their club commitments and we are pleased with the quality of the team we’ve selected,” Erasmus said.

“We’ve been rotating our players throughout the year and this group has been together for close to five weeks, so many of these combinations are fully settled. Others, such as Zachary and Asenathi, have shown what they are capable of this season and we are excited that they will receive another chance to play.

“I’d like to thank the provincial unions and clubs who released these players to represent the country this weekend so we could field a strong side capable of finishing off our November tour on a high note.

“We’ve used a total of 49 players in Test matches this season, which is a testament to the depth we have been developing with an eye on the 2027 Rugby World Cup.”

Erasmus was delighted to see Reinach, who made his Test debut in 2014, reach the 50-Test milestone.

“Cobus is a true team man and he’s been a standout player for us this season and over the years, so we are delighted to see him earn this achievement.”

Commenting on the decision to opt for a seven-one split on the bench for the match, Erasmus said: “The composition of the bench was a combination of the availability of players we had for this match, but also given how well our pack has performed this season, and we believe it will be a key area of the match on Saturday.”

Springbok team to face Wales in Cardiff:

• 15 Damian Willemse (Stormers) – 48 caps, 71 pts (7t, 9c, 4p, 2dg)
• 14 Ethan Hooker (Sharks) – 7 caps, 5 pts (1t)
• 13 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 96 caps, 55 pts (11t)
• 12 Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks) – 28 caps, 20 pts (4t)
• 11 Canan Moodie (Bulls) – 21 caps, 40 pts (8t)
• 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers) – 18 caps, 144 pts (7t, 35c, 13p)
• 9 Morne van den Berg (Lions) – 5 caps, 20 pts (4t)
• 8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 42 caps, 10 pts (2t)
• 7 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 83 caps, 20 pts (4t)
• 6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Sharks) – 102 caps, 70 pts (14t)
• 5 Ruan Nortje (Bulls) – 17 caps, 0 pts
• 4 Jean Kleyn (Munster) – 8 caps, 0 pts
• 3 Wilco Louw (Bulls) – 28 caps, 5 pts (1t)
• 2 Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls) – 7 caps, 0 pts
• 1 Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls) – 15 caps, 5 pts (1t)

Replacements:

• 16 Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks) – 81 caps, 70 pts (14t)
• 17 Zachary Porthen (Stormers) – 2 caps, 0 pts
• 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions) – 2 caps, 0 pts
• 19 Eben Etzebeth (Sharks) – 140 caps, 35 pts (7t)
• 20 Marco van Staden (Bulls) – 32 caps, 20 pts (4t)
• 21 Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)
• 22 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 62 caps, 55 pts (11t)
• 23 Cobus Reinach (Stormers) – 49 caps, 95 pts (19t)

SA Rugby media