[LOOK] Back in the game: Boks pick Handre Pollard at 10 v Tonga
|Published
Adds a kick: Handre Pollard.Picture credit: Steve Haag
Handre Pollard will play his first Test since August 2022 and Marco van Staden will wear the No 16 jersey as replacement hooker for the first time when the Springboks face Tonga in Marseille on Sunday.
In what is a must-win match for the Springboks to make the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals, coach Jacques Nienaber made 12 changes to the starting team from the one which played Ireland.
Siya Kolisi, who will make his 50th appearance as captain, Eben Etzebeth and Jasper Wiese are the only survivors in the starting XV from the team that went down 13-8.
1⃣3⃣ players who featured against Ireland are back for the #Springboks' last pool game of #RWC2023, on Sunday against Tonga in Marseille - more here: https://t.co/29J2VALMLH 🏉#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/1ztizr5wqx
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 27, 2023
Pollard makes his first Springbok appearance since playing against Australia in Adelaide before injury forced him out of the subsequent 16 Tests. The clash against Tonga is his second match in 19 weeks since suffering a calf injury for English club Leicester Tigers in the English Premiership in May. He returned to action last week as a replacement in Leicester’s match against Sale Sharks.
Up front, Deon Fourie will earn his first start in the Springbok jersey at hooker in a front row with props Ox Nche and Vincent Koch, while Etzebeth and Marvin Orie will support them in the second row.
Kwagga Smith: "We have Tonga next, and it’s going to be a physical battle" - more here: https://t.co/C01SQIS3cD 😤#Springboks #StrongerTogether #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/EMu7sVFU5H
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 26, 2023
Koch’s inclusion marks his first start in the Green and Gold jumper since the RWC pool game against Canada on 8 October 2019.
Of facing Tonga, Nienaber says: “This is a strong and physical team, which is exactly what need against a side like Tonga that plays with passion and force.
“Each one of us understands the importance of this match with an eye on qualifying for the quarterfinal, so accurate execution, physicality and doing our basics right will be vital to get the desired result.”
Springboks: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Grant Williams, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Jesse Kriel, 23 Manie Libbok.