Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.
Already a member?
Log in
South Africa will make a solitary change to their starting line-up in their heavyweight Nations Championship contest against France on Friday.
The mouthwatering Test in Paris will see prop Wilco Louw shift from the bench to the starting XV, with Thomas du Toit dropping out.
Two of the three favourites for the 2027 World Cup, with the All Blacks, provide a glimpse into how next year’s tournament down under could unfold.
The Springboks front row is hooker Malcolm Marx, and props Louw and Ox Nche. The replacement front row will see hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels come on with Gerhard Steenekamp and Du Toit.
Lood de Jager and Ruan Nortje remain the lock pairing, with captain Siya Kolisi, `Pieter-Steph du Toit and number eight Jasper Wiese in the `back row. • Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starts again at flyhalf with Morne van den Berg at scrumhalf, and experienced centres Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende.
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach has been brought onto the bench to replace Grant Williams. The Springboks defeated Italy 66-7 in Turin on Saturday.
”We said from the outset `that we would not rotate too much on this tour, so it was always our intention to select a settled squad for this game to build momentum in the competition,” coach Rassie Erasmus said.
The Springboks have won the last five matches between the teams in Paris, dating back to 2013.
Springboks XV vs France
15-Damian Willemse, 14-Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13-Jesse Kriel, 12-Damian de Allende, 11-Ethan Hooker, 10-Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9-Morne van den Berg, 8-Jasper Wiese, 7-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6-Siya Kolisi (captain), 5-Ruan Nortje, 4-Lood de Jager, 3-Wilco Louw, 2-Malcolm Marx, 1-Ox Nche
Replacements: 16-Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17-Gerhard Steenekamp, 18-Thomas du Toit, 19-Franco Mostert, 20-Cameron Hanekom, 21-Paul de Villiers, 22-Cobus Reinach, 23-Manie Libbok.
