Veteran lock Eben Etzebeth has been sensationally dropped from the Springbok starting line-up for Saturday’s crucial Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks, as coach Rassie Erasmus opts for youth over experience in the Freedom Cup decider.
The double World Cup-winning lock, who started alongside Ruan Nortje in last week’s 24-17 defeat at Eden Park, is a notable absentee from the match-23 entirely as Erasmus implements a rotation policy to prevent player burnout.
“You can’t play a guy like Eben every week because he’ll burn out,” explained assistant coach Duane Vermeulen. “We still want him to play for a few years, so one needs a little bit of rotation.”
Erasmus has made seven personnel changes to his starting XV, headlined by Ethan Hooker earning his first Test start on the wing. The new-look backline features Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at halfback, Damian Willemse and Canan Moodie in midfield, with Cheslin Kolbe and Aphelele Fassi completing the back three.
In the pack, Lood de Jager partners Nortje at lock, while Jasper Wiese returns at No. 8 after completing his four-match suspension. Siya Kolisi returns as captain, resuming his flanker role alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit.
The fourth-round Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounter at Sky Stadium will determine which team claims the Freedom Cup, with the Springboks desperate to bounce back from last week’s error-strewn encounter in the Auckland rain.
“This is a vital match for our Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign,” said Erasmus. “We know where we went wrong last week and what we must fix. There’s no doubt that we have to deliver a proper 80-minute performance.”
The match kicks off at 09:05 SA time and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Springbok team:
Backs: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach
Forwards: 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen
All Blacks team:
Forwards: 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Scott Barrett, (captain) 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 6 Simon Parker, 7 Ardie Savea, 8 Wallace Sititi Backs: 9.Noah Hotham, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Leroy Carter 12 Jordie Barrett, 13 Billy Proctor, 14 Will Jordan, 15 Damian McKenzie,
Replacements: 16 Brodie McAlister, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Fabian Holland, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Quinn Tupaea, 23 Ruben Love
