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Rugby World Cup | Springboks Change 13 Ahead of Canada Clash

Siya Kolisi (c) during the South Africa Captain's Run at the Kobe Misaki Stadium Monday 7th October 2019 (Mandatory Byline Steve Haag Sports Hollywoodbets)

The Springboks have made 13 changes to their starting XV for Tuesday’s match against Canada in Kobe to manage the four-day turnaround between Rugby World Cup matches.

Photo Copyright Steve Haag Sport – Hollywoodbets 


Captain Siya Kolisi and centre Damian de Allende reappear for a second successive start while five of the replacements from the victory over Italy (49-3) on Friday are promoted to the starting line-up. They are: centre Frans Steyn, looseforward Francois Louw, locks Franco Mostert and RG Snyman and prop Vincent Koch.

Nine of the team that defeated Namibia 57-3 in City of Toyota in the preceding match regain a starting place while Damian Willemse – who arrived as an injury replacement from the UK on Thursday – goes straight into the starting line-up at fullback.

There are also first starts at the Rugby World Cup for prop Thomas du Toit and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach.

A win with a bonus point would almost certainly secure a place in the quarterfinals for the Springboks.

“A four-day turnaround between Tests is a challenge but we had planned for it and will be well prepared,” said Rassie Erasmus, South Africa’s director of rugby.

“This match is just as important as the three that we have already played – it has the same number of log points available and the same impact on our chances of qualifying and we have to now complete the job.

“There are a number of new combinations in our team but we have been together for several weeks now and everyone understands our gameplan and strategies. The nice thing is that at the end of the match every member of the squad will have started a Rugby World Cup match.

“But the first thing we have to focus on is winning the match and securing a place in the semi-finals.”
There are a number of positional changes in the backline with Sbu Nkosi switching to the left wing, Warrick Gelant starting on the right flank and De Allende being given a start at outside centre.
The versatile Thomas du Toit starts at loosehead prop while Francois Louw is at No 8 with Schalk Brits returning to his more usual No 2 jersey after appearing at the back of the scrum against Namibia.

A powerful looking bench includes five of the starting XV from the victory over Italy in Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux. 

Rested completely from the Italy squad are prop Tendai Mtawarira, hooker Bongi Mbonambi, centre Lukhanyo Am and wings Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi – who had featured in all four matches in Japan – as well as Lood de Jager, Duane Vermeulen and Faf de Klerk.

“Our preparations for the match have been shortened by the turnaround time but we are giving Canada the same attention we applied in the three previous matches,” said Erasmus.

The match kicks off at 12h15 (SA time) and is available on SuperSport channel 201 or SABC radio.

The Springbok team to play Canada in Kobe on Tuesday is:


15. Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) 5 caps – 0 points
14. Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Bulls), 8 caps – 10 (2t)
13. Damian de Allende (DHL Stormers), 43 – 20 (4t)
12. Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France), 63 – 136 (10t, 7c, 21p, 3d)
11. Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks) 9 – 35 (7t), 9 – 35 (7t)
10. Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions), 36 – 265 (2t, 54c, 49p)
9. Cobus Reinach (Northampton, England), 13 – 15 (3t)
8. Francois Louw (Bath, England), 72 – 50 (10t)
7. Kwagga Smith (Emirates Lions), 5 – 0
6. Siya Kolisi (captain, DHL Stormers), 46 – 30 (6t)
5. Franco Mostert (Gloucester, England), 35 – 5 (1t)
4. RG Snyman (Vodacom Bulls), 19 – 5 (1t)
3. Vincent Koch (Saracens, England), 17 – 0
2. Schalk Brits (Vodacom Bulls), 14 – 10 (2t)
1. Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks), 11 – 0

Replacements:

16. Malcolm Marx (Emirates Lions), 29 – 25 (5t)
17. Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), 43 – 5 (1t)
18. Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), 34 – 0
19. Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), 82 – 15 (3t)
20. Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers), 52 – 25 (5t)
21. Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), 7 – 20 (4t)
22. Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) 44 – 410 (6t, 70c 76p, 4d)
23. Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz, Japan), 58 – 60 (12t)

Statistical Notes

Canada have been playing international rugby since 1932 and have competed in every Rugby World Cup tournament since 1987.

South Africa’s first Test match against Canada, also known as the Canucks, was during the Rugby World Cup in South Africa in 1995. The Springboks won the match at the Boet Erasmus Stadium in Port Elizabeth 20-0.

Five years later, the second Test between the two teams took place at Waverley Park in East London when the Springboks were again the victors, the score 51-18. 

The Test match on Tuesday will feature only one Springbok who played in the Test in East London, but this time as the director of rugby of SA Rugby, Rassie Erasmus.

The complete South African record against Canada is as follows:

Played  Won      Lost       Drawn  PF          PA          TF          TA          Win %
2            2            0            0            71          18          10          2            100

Individual match records against Canada are:
Most points in a Test match – 11 (4c, 1p) – Braam van Straaten – 10 June, 2000 in East London.
Most tries in a Test match – 2 – Adriaan Richter – 3 June, 1995 in Port Elizabeth and both of Breyton Paulse and Robbie Fleck on 10 June, 2000 in East London.

Most conversions in a Test match – 4 – Braam van Straaten – 10 June, 2000 in East London.

Overall top scorers for South Africa against Namibia:
Most points in a match: 35 by Percy Montgomery in 2007
Most tries in a match: 3 each by Juan Smith and Schalk Burger in 2007
Most conversions in a match: 12 by Percy Montgomery in 2007
Most penalty goals in a match: 2 by Percy Montgomery in 2007

Miscellaneous:

The franchise representation for this squad is DHL Stormers 8; Vodacom Bulls 4; Emirates Lions 3 and Cell C Sharks 2. Six players are contracted to overseas clubs.
The total test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 396.
There are 177 caps in the backline with 219 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 349 caps.
The average caps per player in the backline is 25, the forwards 27 while the players on the bench average 44.
The average age of the starting fifteen is 27.
The tallest player in the squad is RG Snyman (2.06m) and the shortest is Herschel Jantjies (1.67m). The heaviest players are Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe (both 125kg) and the lightest player is Herschel Jantjies (75kg).
Record Watch
Handré Pollard is the Springbok record holder for most penalty goals (26) in RWC tournaments.
He is now also the new record holder for a Springbok with most points (115) in RWC tournaments.
He surpassed the record of Percy Montgomery (111) in the Test against Italy on Friday.
Match officials
The referee is Luke Pearce of England. This will be his 25th Test match as a referee.
He has officiated in only two of those Test matches of which one match was won and one lost.
The Assistant referees are Angus Gardner of Australia and Andrew Brace of Ireland while Rowan Kitt from England, will be the TMO.

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