Willemse Shifts To Fullback For Boks Against Argentina

The two-time World Cup-winning Bok coach has made just two alterations to the starting XV who ran rampant in Wellington and condemned the All Blacks to a record 43-10 defeat in the previous round.

Damian Willemse, who started that Test at inside centre and emerged as the Man of the Match, shifts to fullback, where he replaces the injured Aphelele Fassi, with Damian de Allende coming back into the side in his familiar No. 12 jersey. The only change in the pack is also injury enforced, as Eben Etzebeth comes in for Lood de Jager at lock.

Meanwhile, the bench sees three changes, although it is once again made up of five forwards and three backs. Back in the fray are Boan Venter as one of the back-up props, Jan-Hendrik Wessels as the replacement hooker, and Morne van den Berg, who’s the back-up scrumhalf in place of Grant Williams, who is nursing a niggle.

“We were very pleased with the way the team rose to the challenge against the All Blacks in Wellington, and looking at the Pumas team and their strengths, we believe this would be the best team for this specific match,” said Erasmus.

“The make-up of this team not only allows us consistency in selection, but we’ll also have the vast experience of Eben and Damian de Allende in the starting team, who are excited to get back on the field again.

“On the bench, Jan-Hendrik covers prop and hooker equally efficiently, so Boan gets another chance along with Morne,” he added.

Fast facts:

• The Springboks have won 10 of their last 12 matches against the Pumas dating back to 2018, with their only two defeats being in Argentina, in Santiago Del Estero (last season) and in Mendoza (in 2018).
  
• The teams have crossed paths in Durban three times, and it was in 2015 – the first time they played in KwaZulu-Natal – that the Pumas registered their first victory over the Boks (by 37-25), with the hosts winning the other two.
  
• Springbok flanker Siya Kolisi will play his 97th Test match, leaving him only three matches short of becoming the ninth Springbok centurion in the history of the game.
  
• Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok of all time to 137 Tests when he takes the field on Saturday.
  
• Four players in the Springbok team boast over 90 Test caps – Etzebeth (136), Kolisi (96), Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende (both on 91 caps).
  
• The total Test caps in the Springbok starting line-up is 782. There are 256 caps in the backline, with 526 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 189 caps.
  
• The average caps per player in the backline is 37, the forwards 66, while the players on the bench average 24.

South Africa:
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements:
16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen.