[WATCH] Bokke koppe rol: Coach makes nine changes for Oz
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has wielded the axe for the second Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday, making nine changes to his starting XV.
Of the team that lost 25-17 to Australia in Adelaide last weekend, only six players held on to their jerseys - captain Siya Kolisi, wing Makazole Mapimpi, centre Damian de Allende, locks Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth and prop Frans Malherbe, while Damian Willemse was moved from fullback to flyhalf.
According to the Bok camp, their hand was forced with this move with both pivots Handre Pollard and Elton Jantjies out injured.
Pollard, Lukhanyo Am and Pieter-Steph du Toit all have knee injuries, while Jantjies has a hand injury.
While wing Warrick Gelant, Faf de Klerk, Duane Vermeulen, Joseph Dweba and Ox Nche all lost their places in the starting XV, there was a first call-up for 19-year-old Canan Moodie.
Moodie will become the second-youngest Bok since readmission to start a Test - the youngest still being Frans Steyn, who is on the bench, at 19 years and 181 days when he made his debut against Ireland in 2006.
Of Moodie’s call-up, Nienaber says: “We are excited to get him in the mix…
“He’s been with us for a month and we’re happy to see his progress within the team. He is a coachable guy, he’s got the skills and you won’t say he’s 19 when you work with him. He is mature for his age and has a very good rugby brain on him.”
Moodie is joined in the starting XV by seven other newcomers in fullback Willie le Roux, centre Jesse Kriel, scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse, No.8 Jasper Wiese, blindside flank Franco Mostert, hooker Malcolm Marx and loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff.
🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 Eight new players in the Bok starting team for Sydney, where Moodie will make his Test debut
— Springboks (@Springboks) August 30, 2022
🗣️ “We let ourselves down in the last two games and we are determined to rectify that”
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Springboks: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Kwagga Smith, 20 Duane Vermeulen, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Warrick Gelant.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za