Bok Big Guns Back For Ireland Blockbuster

Malcolm Marx and Pieter-Steph du Toit, who are both nominated for the World Player of the Year award, Thomas du Toit, Jasper Wiese, Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel are all back in the starting line-up after being rested in last weekend’s 32-14 win over Italy in Turin.

RG Snyman, meanwhile, will join the select group of players to earn 50 Test caps for South Africa after being included on the bench. Snyman will become the third squad member to achieve a significant milestone on the end-of-year tour, following Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus sharing the special occasion of earning their 100th Test caps as a player and 50th as the head coach against France two weeks ago.

Boan Venter joins Marx and Du Toit in the front row, with Ruan Nortje selected to pair up with Etzebeth in the engine room. Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert were not considered for selection due to their disciplinary appeals and hearings this week to avoid the outcomes of those decisions impacting the team’s preparations for the match.

Siya Kolisi, Du Toit and Wiese reunite in the back row, as do Reinach and Feinberg-Mngomezulu at halfback, and De Allende and Kriel in the centres. Canan Moodie shifts from the midfield to the wing, where he joins Kolbe and Damian Willemse. 

The Bulls trio of Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Wilco Louw are the back-up front row, Snyman provides cover at lock and Kwagga Smith at loose forward. Hybrid Andre Esterhuizen will once again cover flanker and centre, while Grant Williams and Manie Libbok are the two specialist backs.

“The majority of this team were rested last week to ensure that they recover from the physically taxing match against France, and it was always our plan to name an experienced outfit against Ireland,” said Erasmus.

“Most of these players have faced Ireland in Dublin, as well as in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and Castle Lager Incoming Series, so they understand the magnitude of this challenge and what to expect from the hosts. So, we believe this is the right group of players for this match.”

Fast facts:

• RG Snyman will earn the significant achievement of playing 50 Tests when he runs onto the park at the Aviva Stadium after making his debut against England back in 2018.
• The last time the Springboks met Ireland was in the Castle Lager Incoming Series in 2024 – with each side winning a match – while their last game in Dublin was in 2022, where the hosts registered a narrow 19-16 victory.
• Cheslin Kolbe and Cobus Reinach will feature in their 49th Test matches, leaving them one short of joining the 50s club.
• The Springboks have won only four of their last nine matches in Dublin since the game turned professional in 1996. Those victories were in 1998, 2000, 2010 and 2012, when South Africa won 16-12.
• The total Test caps in the Springbok starting line-up are 876. There are 361 caps in the backline, with 515 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 238 caps.
• The average caps per player in the backline is 52, the forwards 64, while the players on the bench average 30.

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach,

8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Boan Venter.

Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Andre Esterhuizen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok.