Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber on Tuesday surprised by dropping scrumhalf Faf de Klerk from his “first team” for Saturday’s series finale against Wales at Cape Town Stadium.
Nienaber made 11 changes to the starting XV - seen as the Boks’ “B team” - that lost the second Test 13-12 to the Welsh in Bloemfontein last weekend.
The changes were expected after the coach gave 14 of his fringe players a start following their 32-29 win at Loftus Versfeld in the first Test.
With the series tied at 1-1, Nienaber then brought back the big guns for the decider - with De Klerk being the big omission from the starting XV. Instead, Jaden Hendrikse will continue in the No.9 jersey.
The coach explains: “We all saw Jaden’s performance last week and as coaches and selectors we thought he performed well.
“If you look at our squad, there’s a lot of competition for places. For the established players [like De Klerk], it’s key to focus on their performance week in, week out.
“If the other guys [fringe players] perform well, they will get their chance. Jaden [Hendrikse] will know that Faf [de Klerk] will come hard for him to get his spot back, because he’s a fighter. His [Hendrikse’s] challenge is now to put on consistent performances like he did on the weekend.”
Flyhalf Handre Pollard is the only other backline player who keeps his place in the starting XV, while Eben Etzebeth, who will play in his 100th Test match, and Trevor Nyakane complete the quartet of starters who ran on in Bloem.
Malcolm Marx, meanwhile, is the only player who kept his place on the bench.
🏉 Boks make 11 changes for #CastleIncomingSeries decider against Wales as @EbenEtzebeth and @BongiMbonambi reach special milestones in Cape Town - team announcement: https://t.co/Taxb7WEVH4#StrongerTogether #StrongerForever pic.twitter.com/QDGsNROWE2
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 12, 2022
Springboks: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Trevor Nyakane.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Elrigh Louw, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Willie le Roux.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za