‘I CHANGED MY MIND’

SPRINGBOK coach Rassie Erasmus pulled another haas uit die hoed after selecting captain Siya Kolisi at No.8 for Saturday’s opening Test of the Rugby Championship against Australia at Ellis Park.

The run-on team sports eight changes from the one that klapped Georgia 55-10 in Nelspruit last month.

In the backline, Jesse Kriel returns to the starting line-up at outside centre in the place of Canaan Moodie, who will play off the bench.

Erasmus revealed Bok ysters Cheslin Kolbe (wing) and Damian de Allende (centre) were not picked because of injuries, but that they could be back for the second Test inne Kaap next week.

However, Erasmus rang the changes up front, with Marco van Staden returning to the starting lineup in the No.6 jersey, while Kolisi moves to No.8.

Lood de Jager replaces Ruan Nortje as Eben Etzebeth’s lock partner, while Erasmus went with experience in the front row as the trio of Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx and Ox Nché start.

But the big question posed to Erasmus was why Kolisi at No.8? This after the Bok baas said earlier this year that his captain is a No.6, with Kolisi playing a handful of games at No.8 for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship.

Of how Kolisi changed his mind, but also being utilised as a roaming loosie, Erasmus wysed: “We actually changed our mind there, the more we practiced, we realised the only position where a guy really plays at eight is during a scrum - which happens 13 to 14 times in a game.” 

Springbok team v Australia: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nché Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Canan Moodie, 23 Damian Willemse