Rugby
Springbok Watch: Players in the Spotlight v Italy at Loftus
Quintin van Jaarsveld identifies five Springbok players who’ll be in the spotlight in Saturday’s Test against Italy in Pretoria.
Wilco Louw
Asenathi Ntlabakanye had a satisfactory first outing in the Green and Gold in last weekend’s 54-7 win over the Barbarians. However, Rassie Erasmus is upping the ante for the first Test of the season by unleashing Louw on the Azzurri.
A human bulldozer, Louw is the most destructive scrummager in the game today and was utterly dominant for the Bulls on their road to this year’s United Rugby Championship grand final.
The 138kg juggernaut will look to set the benchmark for the Test season and lay the platform for Italy’s annihilation on his home ground.
Tshituka To Make Test Debut As Veterans Return For Boks
Vincent Tshituka
After taking his opportunity with both hands and scoring a brace of tries against the BaaBaas, Tshituka will make his Test debut on Saturday.
It’s just reward for the Congolese-born loose forward, who refused to give up on his Bok dream, and with clear conditions expected in the Jacaranda City, a stark contrast to the stormy weather the Qatar Airways Cup was contested in, Tshituka is set to shift into high gear.
With his speed and athleticism, the 26-year-old will be a real handful.
Morne van den Berg
Van den Berg was one of the unfortunate few who didn’t have a good game against the Barbarians. For all his potential, the Lions ace couldn’t get going and was off the mark with his box kicks, twice fly-hacking the ball almost straight up in the air.
Perhaps a tad nervous, he’ll have the ideal halfback partner this weekend in veteran Handre Pollard, whose calm demeanour should put the inexperienced Van den Berg at ease.
The 27-year-old deserves another opportunity to start given his excellent United Rugby Championship season and one can only hope that “Krappie” comes good at Loftus.
Jesse Kriel
What a journey it’s been for Kriel. A fringe player for the longest time, Kriel kept at it and continued to hone his craft in the hopes of taking his game to the next level.
When serious injury befell incumbent outside centre Lukhanyo Am in 2023, Kriel filled the void and exceeded expectations. The supremely conditioned and mature midfielder silenced his critics and made the No. 13 Green and Gold jersey his own from that point on, and on Saturday, he’ll earn the honour of captaining the Boks for the first time in a Test.
He looked comfortable in the role in the non-capped contest against the BaaBaas and with Siya Kolisi sidelined due to the niggle he picked up in training last week, Kriel will officially become the 67th Bok skipper this weekend.
Damian Willemse
Saturday’s showdown will see the multi-talented Willemse return to the Boks for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final after a series of injuries curtailed his 2024 season, while a suspension for a dangerous tackle saw him miss the outing against the Barbarians.
The youngest double World Cup winner in history, the 27-year-old is a special talent. A dynamic difference maker adept at flyhalf, centre and fullback, he’ll start in the No. 15 jersey in what will be his 40th Test match.
With Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Aphelele Fassi having shone in his absence, “Gazza” gets the opportunity to remind South African rugby lovers what a prodigious player he is.