BOK TEAM: Rassie Resists Making Sweeping Changes For RGR Series Finale

Rassie Erasmus has shown that the Springboks well and truly value earning bragging rights in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series by resisting the temptation to revamp his team for the fourth and final Test against the All Blacks in Baltimore on Saturday.

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With the Boks being in a position of power following their back-to-back wins after losing the opening Test, it was expected that Erasmus would ring the changes and provide playing time to members of the wider South African squad this weekend.

Instead, he’s opted for continuity in a major sign of what winning the inaugural Greatest Rivalry series means to him and his charges.

The only two changes to the match 23 who triumphed 29-24 at FNB Stadium last weekend see Morne van den Berg rotate with Cobus Reinach at scrumhalf and Damian Willemse return at fullback to fill the void left by the injured Cheslin Kolbe.

“We feel that the team is well settled and all the players delivered in their respective roles in the last two matches, so we believe selecting the same matchday squad, and naming Damian back in his regular position, makes sense for the closing match of the series,” said Erasmus.

“These players also know exactly what to expect from a very determined All Blacks team, who will give everything to draw the series this weekend.”

With the All Blacks desperate for a win to square the series, Erasmus expects another big battle.

“We have faced the All Blacks three weeks in a row, and just like us, they are a proud team who showed last week that they will never stop fighting until the final whistle, so we are under no illusions about the magnitude of the challenge ahead this weekend.

“That said, we are equally determined to finish the series strongly and give everything to lift the trophy, and the players are excited about the match.

“We have no doubt that it’s going to be another epic encounter that will require a full-blown 80-minute effort on attack and defence, so we will manage the players well this week to ensure that they are ready physically and mentally for Saturday.”

Once the dust has settled after the series decider, the group will make the journey directly from the USA to Australia for the one-off Test against the Wallabies at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, 27 September.

Fast facts:

•  Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most-capped Bok player of all time to 146 caps when he takes the field.
  
• The loose trio of Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese will extend the record they set last week to overtake Francois Louw, Willem Alberts, and Duane Vermeulen (17) as the loose trio with the most Test starts to 19 matches.
  
• The Boks have only played three Test matches in the USA in history where they defeated the USA 38-7 in 1981 and 43-10 in 2001, while they suffered a narrow 22-20 defeat against Wales in Washington DC in 2018, which was Erasmus’ first Test in charge as head coach.
  
•  This match will mark the first Bok Test in history to be played in Baltimore.
  
• Jasper Wiese requires only one more Test match appearance after this encounter to join the group of players who have earned 50 Test caps.
  
• The Boks have won seven of the last nine matches against the All Blacks dating back to August 2023.
  
• The 2031 Rugby World Cup will be hosted in the USA.
  
• The total Test caps in the Bok starting line-up is 927. There are 327 caps in the backline, with 600 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 277 caps.
  
•  The average caps per player in the backline is 47, the forwards 75, while the players on the bench average 35.

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 André Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok.