The Springboks have been boosted by the addition of the experienced Eben Etzebeth in the matchday squad for Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks.
Etzebeth has been cleared to face the All Blacks after completing all the training sessions so far this week and will feature off the bench at Ellis Park after he was initially left out of the squad on Tuesday.
Etzebeth replaces Marco van Staden on the bench, which offers the team specialist lock cover behind the starting combination of Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ruan Nortje.
Etzebeth will surpass the great Bryan Habana on the Springboks’ most-capped list if he takes the field against the All Blacks. Earning a 125th game in the green and gold in Johannesburg on Saturday will see the lock take one step closer to Victor Matfield’s Springbok Test record of 127 caps.
“Our selection policy has always been that if a player does not train on a Monday he will not play on Saturday, but Eben has made it through training pain-free all week, so we had to make the tough call to name him in the squad at the expense of Marco,” said Erasmus.
“There were back-up options for us at lock in the initial squad, but with Eben on the bench it means we have another specialist in that position in the team.
“We are blessed to have an expanded squad of about 45 players who have all bought into our plans and who understand what’s best for the team, and it’s admirable how Marco accepted the news. It shows the quality of the player and person he is.”
Meanwhile, Erasmus has released four players to their Currie Cup teams to get some valuable game time this weekend.
Steven Kitshoff (prop), Manie Libbok (flyhalf), Canan Moodie and Makazole Mapimpi (both wings) will leave the Bok camp on Wednesday afternoon to get some minutes under the belt with their respective teams.
Springbok team to face New Zealand in Johannesburg:
15 – Aphelele Fassi – 6 caps
14 – Cheslin Kolbe – 35 caps
13 – Jesse Kriel – 73 caps
12 – Damian de Allende – 82 caps
11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse – 19 caps
10 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 6 caps
9 – Cobus Reinach – 34 caps
8 – Jasper Wiese – 27 caps
7 – Ben-Jason Dixon – 3 caps
6 – Siya Kolisi – 86 caps
5 – Ruan Nortje – 2 caps
4 – Pieter-Steph du Toit – 81 caps
3 – Frans Malherbe – 73 caps
2 – Bongi Mbonambi – 72 caps
1 – Ox Nche – 33 caps
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx – 69 caps
17 – Gerhard Steenekamp – 4 caps
18 – Vincent Koch – 54 caps
19 – Eben Etzebeth – 124 caps
20 – Elrigh Louw – 6 caps
21 – Kwagga Smith – 45 caps
22 – Grant Williams – 13 caps
23 – Handre Pollard – 73 caps
@JohnGoliath82