Willemse one of seven changes
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus made seven changes to the starting 15 for the team that will face England at Twickenham on Saturday.
No European-based players were considered for selection for the first of four year-end outings, because the match falls outside the international Test window.
The Boks will also face France, Scotland and Wales.
Damian Willemse is set to make his starting debut for the Springboks at fullback.
Willemse has made three appearances off the bench already and he comes into the starting team in place of Willie le Roux.
There are three changes to the backline.
Apart from Willemse for Le Roux, Sibusiso Nkosi returns to right wing in place of Cheslin Kolbe.
Ivan van Zyl, who made his only start against Wales in June in Washington and has made three Springbok appearances altogether, gets the nod at scrumhalf in Francois de Klerk.
Duane Vermeulen and Warren Whiteley both return to the Springbok starting team and together with Siya Kolisi (captain) they will form a new-look loose forward combination.
The reshuffled loose trio now consists of Whiteley at No.8 and Vermeulen at blindside flank, while Kolisi retains his spot on the openside.
This means a return to lock for Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has played mostly in the No.7 jersey so far this year.
Whiteley has recovered from the groin injury which ruled him out of the Boks’ last two Tests, against the Wallabies in Port Elizabeth and the All Blacks in Pretoria, while Vermeulen missed the entire Rugby Championship campaign after he played a pivotal role in South Africa’s two-one series win over England in June.
Du Toit fills the vacant position of Franco Mostert and resumes his provincial second row partnership with Eben Etzebeth, who is the most experienced player in the team with 73 Test appearances.
The front row of Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx and Frans Malherbe have been retained for the London fixture.
With the experienced Tendai Mtawarira sidelined due to a neck injury, Thomas du Toit has been included on the bench.
Meanwhile, Lode de Jager is also included amongst the replacements and he is set to make his first Springbok appearance of 2018. The big lock has missed all the Springbok matches played so far this year as a result of a lengthy injury layoff.
Erasmus said the Twickenham showdown will be a huge test of character for his side.
“England will be desperate to win this one at Twickenham and they will select a formidable side,” said Erasmus.
“This match will be a huge tactical affair with much of the outcome depending on how you handle the set phases and kicking game.”
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Rudolf Snyman, 20 Lodewyk de Jager, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 André Esterhuizen.
Date: Saturday, November 3
Venue: Twickenham, London
Kick-off: 15.00 (17.00 SA time)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garcès (France), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Olly Holmes (Ireland)
