BOKS SPICE IT UP

SPRINGBOK coach Rassie Erasmus wysed he picked a team that can fire shots after making seven changes to his starting lineup that will face the All Blacks in Saturday’s second Rugby Championship Test match in Wellington.

South Africa will sport a different-looking backline after Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Willie le Roux were dropped.  

Scrumhalf Grant Williams has been kept on as a replacement scrumhalf, swapping with Cobus Reinach who will start alongside Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu as the halfback pairing.

The Bokke have a brand-new midfield with Damian Willemse at inside centre and Canan Moodie moving from left wing to the No.13 jersey.

Cheslin Kolbe keeps his spot on the right wing, while Ethan Hooker will get a first Test start on the left as Aphele Fassi comes in at fullback.

In the forwards, Eben Etzebeth and Marco van Staden have been sacrificed as Jasper Wiese makes his return at No.8 and captain Siya Kolisi moving to his traditional role at openside flank.

Lood de Jager will start at lock alongside Ruan Nortje, as the starting front row of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit remains unchanged.

On the bench, Marnus van der Merwe has been selected as the replacement hooker while Jan-Hendrik Wessels will fill the role as backup loosehead prop. Other new faces on the wood are RG Snyman, Manie Libbok and Andre Esterhuizen.

Asked by the Daily Voice if his selections are not too risky for expected wet conditions at Wellington Regional Stadium, Erasmus did not agree.

Erasmus wysed: "Apparently it will start raining here from tomorrow until Saturday, but we feel Sacha, Cobus, who played in Montpellier [France], Grant and Damian, who are from Cape Town, and Ethan and Fassi, who are used to playing with a sweterige bal [are comfortable in wet conditions]."

BOK TEAM v NZ: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche BENCH: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen