Rassie Erasmus forced into a late change as Siya Kolisi withdraws with a new Springboks captain named for Barbarians showdown due too…
Springboks centre Jesse Kriel will captain South Africa against the Barbarians following the withdrawal of Siya Kolisi.
SA Rugby confirmed on Friday that double Rugby World Cup-winning skipper Kolisi has withdrawn from the fixture due to a ‘niggle’ and has been replaced in the starting line-up by Bulls flanker Marco van Staden.
Kriel to captain South Africa
The Bulls players as well as Handre Pollard and RG Snyman only linked up with the squad last week following their involvement in the United Rugby Championship and Premiership Finals respectively and as a result, head coach Rassie Erasmus opted to only include utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels in his matchday 23.
He is now joined by his clubmate Van Staden who slots into the number six jersey in Kolisi’s absence.
The remainder of the Springboks team is unchanged with Vincent Tshituka and Jean-Luc du Preez starting in the back-row along with Van Staden while Jean Kleyn and Lood de Jager are the run-on locks.
Uncapped prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been named in the front-row along with Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Morne van den Berg are the starting halfbacks with Kriel and Damian de Allende forming the centre combination.
Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe are the starting wingers with Aphelele Fassi at full-back.
Kriel was initially named as the vice-captain for the fixture but now leads the Springboks for the first time since earning his debut for South Africa in 2015.
Updated Springboks team to face the Barbarians
Springboks (revised): 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jean-Luc du Preez, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Date: Saturday, 28 June
Kick-off: 17:10 (local), 16:10 (UK)
Broadcaster: SuperSport, Sky Sport
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistants: Christopher Allison, Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Egon Segonds
FPRO: Ben Crouse
