Esterhuizen, Kriel in Bok midfield

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Rassie Erasmus has made five changes to the Springbok starting lineup for Saturday’s Test against the Wallabies in Port Elizabeth.

André Esterhuizen and Jesse Kriel will start in the Bok midfield, having replaced the injured Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am respectively. Kriel started on the right wing against the All Blacks two weeks ago.

With S’bu Nkosi having only recently returned from injury and Makazole Mapimpi still sidelined, Cheslin Kolbe will make his first Test start, in the No 14 jersey, having come off the bench in Brisbane and Wellington.

There are two changes to the pack, with Beast Mtawarira regaining the No 1 jersey from Steven Kitshoff, who moves to the bench, and Sikhumbuzo Notshe replacing Warren Whiteley at No 8. Whiteley suffered a groin injury at training earlier this week.

On the bench, Marco van Staden takes the place of Francois Louw, who is back with his club Bath, while Embrose Papier is preferred to Ross Cronjé.

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‘Cheslin has been very impressive since he joined the squad a few weeks ago and now he gets a deserved opportunity to start in a big Test,’ said Erasmus. ‘The same applies for Notshe, who did very well in the role of impact player during the English series. He has kept on working hard and he deserves his opportunity in the starting team.

‘The inclusion of Beast in the front row is a straight swap for Steven and Jesse returns to outside centre, a position where he has played most of his Test rugby, next to André, who started in four Tests already this year.’

Springboks – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Stephen Kitshoff, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Damian Willemse.

SUPERBRU: Springboks by 7-15

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

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