Springboks team v England: Shocks aplenty as Rassie Erasmus ...

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has recalled his big hitters for their Autumn Nations Series fixture with England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday.

In a surprising move, Wilco Louw comes into the XV and will play his first Test match since 2021 in a side that shows 12 changes to the team which beat Scotland.

Only Eben Etzebeth (lock), Ox Nche (prop) and Bongi Mbonambi (hooker) keep their starting shirts from Murrayfield in a 23 that includes a whole new backline.

Erasmus has made eight personnel changes in total as the Springboks head coach took steps to negotiate a six-day preparation week ahead of the England match.

“The turnaround between the Scotland and England Tests is short, so we had to be smart in our selection to enable us to field a fresh squad with only six days between two tough Test matches,” said Erasmus.

“It obviously has a knock-on in effect in the sense that we’ve made 12 changes to the starting line-up, but we have been rotating our squad all season.

“Over and above that most of these players know each other really well having played together for the last few seasons, as well as in the Rugby World Cup, the Castle Lager Incoming Series, and the Rugby Championship, so we are pleased with the quality of the team we’ve been able to name.”

On the starting Louw, he returned to the Springbok set-up as a late injury call-up for the tour, after playing the last of his 14 Tests behind closed doors against Argentina in Port Elizabeth three years ago.

The inclusion of the Bulls prop is one of five changes in the pack with RG Snyman (lock) and loose forwards Siyan Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese brought into the starting line-up.

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Behind them is a whole new backline with six players recalled (after sitting out last week), and scrum-half Grant Williams promoted from the bench.

Returning to the backline are Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse (both wings), Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel (both centres), Aphelele Fassi (full-back) and Manie Libbok (fly-half), who were rested as part of his rotation system last week.

However, the squad includes 15 players who battled it out against the hosts in the Rugby World Cup semi-final in France last year.

In the five-three split in favour of the forwards on the bench, Cobus Reinach (scrum-half) is also recalled in partnership with Handre Pollard and Lukhanyo Am as backline cover, along with forward regulars Malcolm Marx (hooker), props Gerhard Steenekamp and Vincent Koch, while Elrigh Louw and Kwagga Smith (who earned his 50th Test cap last week), will provide an impact as the replacement loose forwards.

Erasmus said the reversion to the traditional five-three split was a response to the challenge he expected England to pose.

“England poses a completely different challenge to Scotland, and we selected our squad based on what we would like to do in the match and also what we think will be best to counter the challenge England poses,” said the Bok coach.

“Fortunately, we have quite a few players who can switch positions if necessary, so we feel we have adequate depth throughout the team, which allowed us to select this group of replacements.

“England come off two narrow defeats, but the quality of their performances was good in both matches, so we size of the challenge.

“We lost narrowly to Ireland and France in back-to-back matches in 2022 and a year later were world champions so we know we shouldn’t read anything into the last two results.”

South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 RG Snyman, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am

Date: Saturday, November 16
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Kick-off: 17:40 GMT
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Chris Busby (IRFU), Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

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