GAZA IS BACK

DAMIAN Willemse will make his sensational return to Test match rugby after getting picked to start at fullback in Saturday’s first game of the incoming tours against Italy at Loftus (5.10pm kickoff).

The back-to-back World Cup winner last played for South Africa in the 2023 World Cup final after a klomp injuries saw him miss out on all 13 Bok games last year.

It has also been more than a month since Willemse played competitive rugby after he got red-carded in the Stormers’ final United Rugby Championship home game against Cardiff and getting banned for four weeks.  

And of Willemse’s return and replacing Aphelele Fassi who started at fullback in last week's 54-7 win against the Barbarians, coach Rassie Erasmus said: “We have a big squad, and we would like to balance the game time within the group, while at the same time maintaining continuity in selection, and we believe this is the team that will be best suited for what we want to achieve against Italy.

“We are also fortunate to have a few experienced players back from injury, who will be keen to make their mark in the game.”

Erasmus made a vrag changes to the team that klapped the BaaBaas after opting for six forwards on the bench and only two backs.

Starting in the backline alongside Willemse, is Handre Pollard who swaps in for the dropped Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at flyhalf, while the rest of the attack remains unchanged.

The big changes are among the forwards as Jasper Wiese and Eben Etzebeth start at No.8 and lock respectively for the injured Jean-Luc du Preez and Jean Kleyn.

Wilco Louw will start at tighthead prop as Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche retain their spots in the front-row.

Meanwhile, Saturday will be a big day for Vincent Tshituka as the Democratic Republic of Congo-born player will make his Test debut after impressing in the friendly against the BaaBaas innie Kaap.

Jesse Kriel will once again lead the Boks in the absence of injured skipper Siya Kolisi.

BOK TEAM v ITALY: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (capt), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche REPLACEMENTS: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Willie le Roux