Rassie names 18 World Cup winners to face Wallabies in Rugby Championship opener as Libbok will get nod

In an indication of the rising respect for the Wallabies, Rassie Erasmus has named 18 World Cup winners in his Springboks facet to tackle Joe Schmidt’s males within the Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park on Sunday (1:10am AEST).

After the Wallabies beat the Lions within the third Take a look at within the nation’s newest constructive outcome since their disastrous World Cup marketing campaign, Erasmus left little to probability because the Springboks try and get their championship defence off to the right begin.

With a two-Take a look at tour of New Zealand to comply with, together with a uncommon journey to Eden Park, the Springboks can ill-afford a misstep in what shapes as one of the vital anticipated Rugby Championship tournaments in years.

Manie Libbok will put on the No.10 jersey in opposition to the Wallabies two years after starring in opposition to Eddie Jones’ facet in Pretoria. (Photograph by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Photographs/Getty Photographs)

With Jasper Wiese banned, captain Siya Kolisi wears the No.8 jersey for the primary time for the Springboks and types a back-row that features Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden.

The tight-five is formidable with Lood de Jager becoming a member of Eben Etzebeth within the second-row, whereas Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw kind the front-row.

With Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe out after being eased again to coaching not too long ago, the backline is lacking a few acquainted faces however there’s nonetheless loads of high quality and stability.

Gifted halfback Grant Williams joins Manie Libbok within the halves, whereas Andre Esterhuizen – the hard-running midfielder, who received a Premiership at Harlequins earlier than returning to South Africa – joins Jesse Kriel within the midfield.

Aphelele Fassi is at fullback alongside common tryscorer Kurt-Lee Arendse and newcomer Edwill van der Merwe.

The bench has a mixture of expertise and youth with Bongi Mbonambi the substitute hooker, whereas Lions tight-head prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye is poised to make his debut.

Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith give the Springboks a tough edge, whereas there’s some versatility in Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse.

Rassie Erasmus didn’t miss the possibility to remind the Wallabies of the Springboks’ stranglehold over the lads in gold. (Photograph by Michael Steele – World Rugby through Getty Photographs)

Erasmus, a grasp of thoughts video games, who sprung one other shock by asserting his facet 72 hours earlier than he wanted to and didn’t move up the chance to remind his opponents of their superior report in recent times, stated he had chosen a facet to fight the Wallabies.

“We’ve been experimenting with participant combos throughout the (current) sequence and at our conditioning camp within the final two weeks, and we imagine this crew will permit us to play the kind of rugby we need to play in opposition to Australia,” Erasmus stated in an announcement.

“The Wallabies will probably be decided to vary their win report in opposition to us within the final three seasons, so that they’ll come out weapons blazing, and we’re assured that the gamers we chosen will probably be up for the problem. 

“All the starters apart from Edwill have confronted them earlier than, and we’re assured that he’s prepared for this problem.”

He added: “Australia confirmed that they’re on the fitting trajectory of their final two matches in opposition to the British & Irish Lions and now we have little doubt they may enter this match with confidence and decided to construct on these performances.

“They’re a bodily and well-coached crew, and we’ll definitely not underestimate how a lot these performances, mixed with their motivation to bounce again strongly in opposition to us after the previous few outcomes between the groups, and win their first match ever at Ellis Park, will encourage them.

“That stated, now we have additionally been working laborious to maintain constructing on our sport and enhance, and we imagine our two-week conditioning camp has positioned us in the fitting mind set for the Rugby Championship. So hopefully we will switch that arduous work into our sport to put ourselves in a superb place to defend the title.”

The Wallabies, whose final win at Ellis Park occurred again in 1963, will identify their squad on Thursday night time.

Springboks (1-15): Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Wilco Louw, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Marco van Staden, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Grant Williams, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel, Edwill van der Merwe, Aphelele Fassi

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie, Damian Willemse