Two changes, and one of them was forced
Rassie Erasmus kept it simple. The Springboks coach named his side last night for Saturday’s fourth and final Test against the All Blacks in Baltimore, and only two names moved.
Damian Willemse comes in at full-back. He replaces Cheslin Kolbe, who left the field injured at the FNB Stadium in Soweto last weekend and stayed behind in South Africa when the squad flew to the United States. Five other players stayed with him.
The second switch is at scrum-half. Morne van den Berg starts, Cobus Reinach drops to the bench. Van den Berg came on last weekend and changed the tempo, and Erasmus rewarded him for it.
“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,” Erasmus said.
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A trophy on the line at M&T Bank Stadium
South Africa lead the series 2-1. New Zealand took the opener. The Springboks have won the two since, the most recent of them built on a scrum that pinned the All Blacks for long stretches in Soweto.
Win in Baltimore and South Africa lift the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry trophy. Lose and the series finishes level at 2-2, with New Zealand salvaging a draw on American soil after three weeks of losing ground.
Willemse’s return matters more than a straight swap suggests. He started the first two Tests of the series and missed Soweto only because of a hamstring niggle. Erasmus said he would have played otherwise.
“Damian started the first two Tests and had it not been for a niggle last week, he would have also started that match,” the coach said. “He is a quality player, and he knows the guys around him very well.”
No rest after Baltimore
The Springboks do not fly home afterwards. They travel from the United States straight to Australia for a one-off Test at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, September 27. Erasmus said his staff will manage the players carefully this week with that trip in mind.
Karl Dickson takes charge on Saturday, kick-off at 17:10 local time in Baltimore, 22:10 in the United Kingdom. Erasmus is bracing for a reaction rather than a fade.
“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,” he said.
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