South Africa’s rugby mastermind Rassie Erasmus has gone with the strongest side he can manage to face New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday, with Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Eben Etzebeth all starting the Rugby Championship clash.
After losing to Australia in their opening fixture three weeks ago, the defending champion Springboks will have to call on all their experience in Auckland, at a venue that has not been kind to them over the years (the Boks last won there in 1937!) Helped in facing that task is fullback Willie le Roux, who will run on for his 101st cap.
“We selected the best possible team we could for the match, knowing that this is going to be an epic encounter against the All Blacks at Eden Park, and many of these players have done the job for us before against them,” said Erasmus.
“This is obviously going to be a completely different challenge to what we’ve faced against them in the last two years, with the match being hosted in New Zealand, and also at a venue where they hold a fantastic record.
“That said, we’ve been working hard on the detail we wanted to iron out following the matches against the Wallabies since arriving in Auckland, so it’s now up to us to implement our plans and deliver a performance that we can be proud of.”
The choice to stick with Jesse Kriel as captain, instead of handing the proverbial armband back to Kolisi, was nothing more than a logistical one, Erasmus explained.
“Siya was touch and go for the match earlier in the week after picking up a niggle a few weeks ago, and we didn’t want to risk him unnecessarily, but with Jean-Luc du Preez having picked up a niggle at training this week, Siya was the obvious choice to slot in at No 8.
“At that stage, Jesse had already been told he would be the captain, and it was only fair for us to keep things that way. He’s a great leader and one of the core players in our team. His communication with the referee and his teammates is good, and he leads by example in the way he plays, so he deserves this opportunity.
“It will also be a big occasion for him to captain the team against the All Blacks for the first time, so we are proud of Jesse, and we know he’ll carry this responsibility with great pride.”
South Africa have won their last five encounters against the All Blacks, and Erasmus is aware of the overall importance of this match, not least in getting more Rugby Championship points on the board.
He added: “The history and rivalry between the sides speaks for itself, and with all the permutations attached to this match, it makes it particularly noteworthy, so we are expecting it to be a proper grind.
“There are records on the line for both teams, and there’s no doubt that this game will be important in trying to win the competition, especially given how close the standings are at this stage. It’s definitely going to be a special match, and both teams will give everything they out there.
“Matches between the Springboks and All Blacks are always intense, and we know neither team will hold back.
“They’ve announced a quality team with a strong forward pack and exciting backs, so we are under no illusion about the challenge ahead.
“There have been a few big scores between the sides in the past, but also many tight battles, so the most important aspects for us will be to execute our game plan as well as we can, fight fire with fire, and be effective in every aspect of our game.
“Every point will count in this match, so we need to be sharp mentally and physically, and ensure that we leave nothing out on the field.”
Springboks team:
Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Grant Williams, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje, Eben Etzebeth, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Boan Venter, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker
