Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has made three changes, with Jean-Luc du Preez, Franco Mostert, and Ruan Dreyer starting against the All Blacks in Albany this Saturday.
Warren Whiteley and Duane Vermeulen have both been sidelined for lengthy periods. Jaco Kriel recently returned to South Africa after sustaining a serious shoulder injury in the Test against Australia.
The upshot is that the Boks will head into the clash against the All Blacks in Albany with an inexperienced back row. Jean-Luc du Preez will partner Siya Kolisi and Uzair Cassiem in this department. Pieter-Steph du Toit will provide loose-forward cover from the bench.
Other changes to the starting side see Dreyer replacing the injured Coenie Oosthuizen at tighthead prop and Mostert starting ahead of Du Toit at No 5 lock. Dreyer has leapfrogged Trevor Nyakane – who was on the bench last week in Perth – into the starting lineup.
Springboks – 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth (c), 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane,19 Lood de Jager, 20 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Damian de Allende.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
