Kolisi boost as Boks raise eyebrows with front row selection

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber has revealed his team to face the British and Irish Lions in the first Test in Cape Town on Saturday.

It is a strong line-up led by Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siyamthanda Kolisi, with 21 players in the matchday23 having featured in the Springboks’ triumphant campaign in Japan in 2019.

Kolisi, Makazole Mapimpi (wing) and Retshegofaditswe Nché were the last group of players to report for duty at the Springbok camp in Cape Town on Monday morning after completing their mandatory self-isolation in Johannesburg, and they were all cleared to return to the field on Monday - following medical screening.

Nienaber was confident that all the players named in the side had the temperament and passion to give their all in this important Test.

The entire pack of forwards, the halfback pairing of Handre Pollard and Francois de Klerk (scrumhalf) and Willie le Roux (fullback) started the Test against Georgia which the Springboks won 40-9 a little over two weeks ago, meaning the team will enter the match with some valuable game time and continuity in selection.

Pollard will be playing his 50th Test for the Springboks.

The changes to the starting XV that ran out against Georgia were on the wings where Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe will be on duty, and in the midfield, where Damian de Allende will partner up with Lukhanyo Am – the same combinations that ran out in the World Cup Final.

The only two changes among the replacements were at loose forward where Rynhardt Elstadt replaces Jasper Wiese and Lodewyk de Jager takes over from Marvin Orie.

"We have played three matches in the last few weeks with the Springboks facing Georgia and South Africa ‘A’ lining up against the British & Irish Lions and the Bulls, and the first two matches, in particular, allowed us to settle a few player combinations that haven’t played since the Rugby World Cup final," said Nienaber.

"We planned our team selections carefully, which is why it was important for us to play a third match after the second Test against Georgia was cancelled, and we know what the players we selected can do.

"The fact that most of the players participated in the Rugby World Cup means they know one another well on and off the field, and as coaches we know what they have to offer after having worked with most of them for several years."

Nienaber allayed concerns that introducing players who had recovered from COVID-19 could place his team at a disadvantage as they prepare to face the best of the best in the northern hemisphere.

"Some of the players didn’t have COVID-19 symptoms at all, they have been managed according to their individual needs, and they have really impressed me with their intensity and enthusiasm at training," he said.

"The well-being of our players is of paramount importance, so we have been working closely with the medical team to work out what would be the best course of action for each player over the three-Test Series."

Nienaber expected a brutal battle against the British and Irish tourists, who have matched their physicality with enterprising play by the backs so far on their tour to South Africa.

"The forward battle is going to be as tough as it gets, so it’s important that we pitch up physically and ensure that we make our presence felt in the set pieces and at the contact points," added the Bok coach.

"This, combined with their hard-running backs, will test our defensive system, but we have been looking forward to these matches since the Rugby World Cup concluded and we have done our homework, so it is a case of doing everything at 100% and sticking to our structures."

With the SA ‘A’ matches having concluded, Nienaber also reduced his squad to 37 players, with Yaw Penxe and Rosko Specman (wings), Wandisile Simelane (centre), Sanele Nohamba (scrumhalf), Dan du Preez (loose forward), Jean-Luc du Preez (utility forward), Coenie Oosthuizen and Lizo Gqoboka (props), Scarra Ntubeni and Fez Mbatha (hookers) released back to their franchises and clubs.

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Albertus Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nche.

Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 19 Frans Malherbe, 19 Lodewyk de Jager, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Damian Willemse.

Date: Saturday, July 24

Venue: Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 18.00 (17.00 BST; 16.00 GMT)

Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)

Assistant referees: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand), Mathieu Raynal (France)

TMO: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)