Rassie Erasmus has opted for experience and continuity, naming a seasoned matchday 23 for Saturday’s Nations Championship opener against Italy in Turin that features just one player making his first appearance in green and gold this season. The Springbok coach clearly isn’t interested in experimentation against the Azzurri.
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The only fresh face in the squad is lock Salmaan Moerat, who returns after missing both the first leg of the Nations Championship and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand due to neck and toe injuries. The Western Province stalwart’s recall provides much-needed second-row cover and experience as he partners the hard-working Ruan Nortje in the engine room.
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It’s a physical forward pack designed to steamroll Italian resistance. Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit and Malcolm Marx form a fearsome front row that should give the Springboks scrum dominance, whilst captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese complete a loose trio combining breakdown mastery with ball-carrying grunt.
Settled backline to dictate terms
Behind the scrum, Erasmus has stuck with what works. Halfbacks Morne van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will dictate play, offering a blend of service and game management that’s served the Springboks well. The experienced midfield pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel provides defensive solidity and attacking nous in equal measure, whilst the back three of Ethan Hooker, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse promises electric counter-attacking threat.
It’s a backline that balances youth and experience, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s development continuing alongside established campaigners who’ve delivered under pressure countless times.
Bomb squad returns
Erasmus has reverted to his favoured 6-2 split on the replacements bench, loading the forward reserves with game-changing impact. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp and Wilco Louw will provide front-row reinforcements, whilst Lood de Jager offers lock cover. Cameron Hanekom and Paul de Villiers complete the forward complement, a sextet capable of swinging momentum in the final quarter.
Grant Williams and Manie Libbok provide backline support, with Libbok’s playmaking ability offering tactical flexibility should Erasmus need to shift gears late.
The 6-2 bench has become synonymous with Springbok success, particularly when finishing off tiring opposition in the final 20 minutes. Expect Italy to feel the squeeze as fresh legs inject renewed physicality.
Top of the standings
The Springboks currently top the Southern Hemisphere standings, tied on 15 points with New Zealand but holding pole position courtesy of superior points difference. Saturday’s clash in Turin represents the opening salvo of a brutal European leg that includes France in Paris on Friday, 13 November, and Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, 21 November.
Those fixtures carry infinitely more weight than the Italian opener, but Erasmus won’t tolerate complacency. Italy have improved significantly under Gonzalo Quesada and possess the tools to make life uncomfortable if the Springboks aren’t switched on.
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Turin test awaits
Saturday’s encounter in Turin shouldn’t present major problems for a Springbok side operating at full strength. But Erasmus knows better than anyone that international rugby forgives nothing. Drop your standards even fractionally and opponents pounce.
Moerat’s return adds valuable depth to the second row, whilst the settled nature of the side suggests Erasmus believes this combination can deliver the sort of statement performance that lays down a marker before facing France and Ireland.
Italy will scrap, they’ll compete and they’ll make life difficult in patches. But this Springbok side possesses too much firepower, too much experience and too much depth to stumble in Turin.
The real tests arrive afterwards. For now, the focus is simple: win convincingly, build momentum and emerge unscathed.
Springbok team to face Italy:
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok
