The Springboks’ all-new front row will be looking to make a big impression on Rassie Erasmus when the world champions come up against Georgia at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
To Win
Springboks | Draw | Georgia
Handicap
Springboks | Georgia
The Bok coaching staff continues to prioritise depth-building after announcing 15-changes to the matchday 23 that thrashed Italy 45-0 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium a week ago.
As explained by Erasmus in the media recently, the Bok brain trust are aiming to prepare for as many potential injury-enforced scenarios as possible during this World Cup cycle, and in that vein are opting to reward even more promising talents with their first Test caps, bringing the total number of debutants to seven already this month.
Edinburgh loosehead Boan Venter, Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe and Stormers tighthead Neethling Fouche will all become fully-fledged Springboks on the lowveld, and should find worthy opposition in the Lelos, a side well-known for their love of the scrum. As noted by Erasmus this week, they also have a number of Top 14 pros in amongst their forwards, making them an even more dangerous prospect.
Cobus Wiese earns an unlikely pick at eighthman in the absence of his suspended brother Jasper, while Siya Kolisi is back captaining the team at openside. An exciting 9/ 10/ 15 axis of Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Aphelele Fassi will look to excite with ball in hand, while Canan Moodie remains at No 13 and Damian de Allende back at No 12.
There is plenty of insurance on a 5/3 bench split that consists solely of World Cup-winners.
Coached by the uber experienced Richard Cockerill, the Eastern European outfit fell to a 24-20 defeat to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last week, though it must be said that a number of their first-choice personnel didn’t feature prominently. That will change in Mbombela this week, and although they may not have the legs to last 80-minutes against the Boks, they will be eager to target areas like the scrum and burgle as many positive outcomes as they can.
The last time the teams met was back in covid-affected 2021 ahead of the British & Irish Lions series, with the Boks winning 40-9 at Loftus Versfeld. The only other time they faced each other was at the 2003 World Cup in Sydney with the men in green and gold victorious by 46-19.
Verdict: Boks on the minus
The most fascinating aspects of this game by far will be the scrum, but the Bok front row newbies have proven their worth at URC level and should be good enough to lay the platform for another comfortable win.
