Springbok Watch: Players in the Spotlight v Georgia

Boan Venter

Venter was a left-field call-up to the Bok squad in June, necessitated by the injury-enforced retirement of Steven Kitshoff and injuries to Gerhard Steenekamp and Ntuthuko Mchunu.

Having joined Edinburgh from the Cheetahs in early 2021, the 124kg loosehead would have become eligible for Scotland via the five-year residency rule in February 2026 and looked set to follow in the footsteps of WP Nel, Pierre Schoeman, and Duane van der Merwe.

However, someone else who’s kept a close eye on the 26-year-old is Daan Human, and it was the Bok scrum doctor who suggested to Rassie Erasmus that they bring him into the South African fold.

Now included in an all-debutant front row to pack down against the Lelos, Venter will look to make the most of the opportunity.

Boks Name All New Rookie Front Row For Georgia Clash  

Marnus van der Merwe

Like Venter, Van der Merwe first made a name for himself at the Cheetahs, but a move to the Scarlets last year saw him take his game to new heights.

Timing is everything, and with the Boks not having a clear third-choice hooker at the moment, Van der Merwe has an opportunity to make the role his own this season.

He had his first taste of Bok rugby in the season-opening 54-7 win over the Barbarians and didn’t look out of place in the exhibition game. Now set to make his Test debut, he’ll look to show what made him the best hooker in the last United Rugby Championship season.

Neethling Fouche

Fouche completes the all-new rookie front row. He, too, will make his Test debut at Mbombela Stadium after making his first hit-out for his country in the non-capped clash against the BaaBaas.

With first-choice tighthead Frans Malherbe out for the remainder of the season due to injury and the Bok coaches knowing what they have in Wilco Louw and Thomas du Toit, they’ve roped in Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Fouche.

The former started against the Barbarians and came off the bench in last weekend’s 45-0 lashing of Italy. Now it’s the latter’s chance to shine. The Stormers ace is the lightest among the tighthead stocks, yet a powerful scrummager thanks to his tremendous technique.

Siya Kolisi

After niggling injuries kept him out of the game against the Barbarians and the two-Test series against the Azzurri, Kolisi is back for the Boks.

Jesse Kriel and Salmaan Moerat served as skippers in his absence, and while they did commendable jobs, the Boks are a different team when they’re led by their iconic two-time World Cup-winning captain.

Kolisi also tends to play his best rugby when he’s on national duty, which is an exciting prospect considering the stellar United Rugby Championship season he had for the Sharks.

Cobus Wiese

The Boks swap one Wiese for another at No. 8 where Cobus, who made his Test debut off the bench last weekend, replaces Jasper, who’s copped a four-match ban for his head-butt on Danilo Fischetti in the Gqeberha game, which saw the Wiese boys become the 37th pair of brothers to play for the world champions.

Younger brother Cobus is the better pure athlete of the two. He has speed and agility to go along with his size and strength, which enable him to play lock and in the back row, whereas Jasper is an out-and-out powerhouse eighthman.

Cobus’s road to the Green and Gold was full of potholes. First earning an invitation to a Bok camp in 2018, a broken neck he suffered while at the Stormers halted his rise.

Seven years, four of which he spent at the Sale Sharks, later, the Bulls utility forward is finally living his Bok dream and out to prove himself in his first Test start.