Boks eye Wales incoming series victory

Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber has named a strong line-up for their final match of the Wales Incoming Series set for Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.

The three-match Series will be settled after Wales bagged their first ever victory over the Boks on South African soil at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein last weekend.

Nienaber named a rotated side for that clash, with no less than six players being handed their international debuts - Evan Roos (number-8), Ntuthuko Mchunu (front-row), Ruan Nortje (second-row), Deon Fourie (back-row), Grant Williams (scrum-half) and Kurt-Lee Arendse (wing).

However, with plenty at stake in Cape Town, Handre Pollard (fly-half) and Jaden Hendrikse (scrum-half) are the only pair who retain their placed with the likes of Damian Willemse (full-back) Cheslin Kolbe (wing), Makazole Mapimpi (wing) and Damian de Allende (inside centre) and Lukhanyo Am (outside centre) returning to complete the back-line.

œWe selected a team and player combinations that we think will be the best for this specific game. We had an honest discussion with the players telling them what we require from them this weekend and what we would like to see in terms of their performance, and hopefully they can produce the goods and we can get the desired result," Nienaber commented.

"We have high standards as a team, and we would like to maintain that and build momentum with a challenging season lying ahead."

Eben Etzebeth and Bongi Mbonambi are both set for 100th and 50th test cap milestones respectively, with Siya Kolisi reclaiming the captaincy with Pieter-Steph du Toit (flanker) and Jasper Wiese (No 8) in the loose trio.

Lood de Jager pairs up with Etzebeth, while Trevor Nyakane and Frans Malherbe complete the front row on either side of Mbonambi.

"We are very proud of Eben and Bongi for their achievements, although it would be remiss of us as a team for that to overshadow the fact that we need to win on Saturday to seal the series against Wales," said Nienaber.

"Wales have shown over the years, and in the last two matches, that they are real fighters and it will require a top-class performance from us on Saturday to register a victory and ultimately clinch the series.

"That said, Eben and Bongi have been true stalwarts to Springbok rugby, and we hope that we can make this a special occasion for them. No one wants to remember losing their 100th or 50th Test, so we need to do everything we can to win the match."

Springbok team to face Wales in Cape Town:

15 - Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) - 17 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)

14 - Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon) - 19 caps 18pts, 50pts (10t)

13 - Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) - 27 caps, 25 pts (5t)

12 - Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) - 59 caps, 35 pts (7t)

11 - Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) - 26 caps, 100 pts (20t)

10 - Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) - 61 caps, 613 pts (6t, 83c, 131p, 4d)

9 - Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) - 3 caps, 5 pts (1t)

8 - Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) - 12 caps, 0 pts

7 - Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) - 59 caps, 25 pts (5t)

6 - Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) - 64 caps, 30 pts (6t)

5 - Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) - 57 caps, 25 pts (5t)

4 - Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) - 99 caps, 15 pts (3t)

3 - Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) - 47 caps, 5pts (1t)

2 - Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) - 49 caps, 50 pts (10t)

1 - Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) - 55 caps, 5pts (1t)

Replacements:

16 - Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) - 48 caps, 55 pts (11t)

17 - Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) - 60 caps, 5pts (1t)

18 - Vincent Koch (Wasps) 33 caps, 0 pts

19 - Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) - 52 caps, 5pts (1t)

20 - Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) - 20 caps, 5 pts (1t)

21 - Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) - 1 cap, 0pts

22 - Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) - 37caps, 25pts (5t)

23 - Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) - 73 caps, 60 pts (12t)