Libbok starts at flyhalf for Springboks, while Kolbe and Willemse hit 50
· Citizen
Manie Libbok has been backed to start at flyhalf, while wing Cheslin Kolbe and fullback Damian Willemse will play their landmark 50th game for the Springboks, when they take on England in their Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named an experienced team for the inaugural competition opener, opting for tried and tested combinations for the clash, with flanker Siya Kolisi leading South Africa for the 72nd time in a Test in the first outing between the sides at Ellis Park since 2018, which was also his first Test as captain.
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The familiar starting lineup will be supported by an exciting replacement bench.
Two players in the pack, Kolisi and Eben Etzebetha, are Test centurions. Completing the loose trio are Jasper Wiese and Pieter-Steph du Toit, while Ruan Nortje has been named in the middle row.
The 2025 World Rugby and SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year, Malcolm Marx will pack down between experienced props Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit.
Kurt-Lee Arendse will complete the back three with Kolbe and Willemse, while Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende will man the midfield, and Libbok and Grant Williams will form the halfback pairing.
Bench
Erasmus opted for a split of five forwards and three backs on the bench, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Zach Porthen serving as the back-up front row, along with the duo of Marco van Staden and Cameron Hanekom, back in the squad for the first time since November 2024, as the other two forwards.
The three backline players are Cobus Reinach, Andre Esterhuizen, and Canan Moodie, who are all utility players in their own right.
Erasmus revealed that Franco Mostert and Lood de Jager were not available for selection this week due to a niggle and illness, while Riley Norton has been released from the camp after picking up an injury.
Ethan Hooker will join the squad in Johannesburg on Monday after recovering from the shoulder injury that has sidelined him since April.
“England are a quality outfit, and we are expecting them to give everything they have in this match, so it was important to select a squad with experience combined with a few younger players, who have proved that they have what it takes to perform at this level,” said Erasmus.
“The players have worked very hard at training, and they know what it takes to perform against a side of this calibre with a good coaching team, so we hope they can transfer that effort onto the field on Saturday.
Great run out
“It was great to have a run against the Barbarians and Zimbabwe last week because it afforded some of our players some valuable game time, but this weekend will be a different prospect altogether.
“England are a settled team, they come off a Six Nations campaign earlier in the season, and, similarly to us, they will also want to have a good start to this exciting new competition, so we are expecting it to be a bruising encounter.”
The Bok coach was delighted for Kolbe and Willemse on achieving this special milestone in their careers and said: “They have both been stalwarts for us over the years, and as a team we would like to make it a memorable day for them. It’s not every day you have two players playing their 50th Test, so that will certainly add to our motivation this week.
“That said, England will come to Johannesburg as determined as ever, so it’s going to be a hard grind of a match, which will require us to be accurate in every facet of the game, and convert the opportunities we create into points, but they will have the same mindset, so we need to hit the ground running if we want to do well.”
Springbok Starting XV
Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Manie Libbok, Grant Williams, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Ruan Nortje, Eben Etzebeth, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche
Bench: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zach Porthen, Marco van Staden, Cameron Hanekom, Cobus Reinach, Andre Esterhuizen, Canan Moodie