Brits to captain Boks at No 8

Schalk Brits will captain a Springbok team that features 13 changes for their second World Cup match against Namibia in Toyota City on Saturday.

Nine players will be making their first appearances in this year’s tournament, with centre Lukhanyo Am and wing Makazole Mapimpi the only two players retained in the starting lineup from the team that lost to the All Blacks.

Six players who started that match, including Siya Kolisi and Cheslin Kolbe, have been named on the bench.

In the backline, Warrick Gelant replaces Willie le Roux at fullback while S’bu Nkosi comes in for Kolbe on the right wing. Frans Steyn partners Am in midfield, while Elton and Herschel Jantjies make up the halfback pairing.

Brits is joined in the loose trio by Kwagga Smith and Francois Louw. Lood de Jager and RG combine in the second row. Vincent Koch comes in at tighthead prop, with hooker Bongi Mbonambi and loosehead Tendai Mtawarira also starting.

Springboks – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 S’bu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Schalk Brits (c), 7 Kwagga Smith, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Steven Kitshoff, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Eben Etzebeth, 19 Siya Kolisi, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Damian de Allende, 23 Cheslin Kolbe.