The Nienaber selection South Africa fans do not get
Despite the loss to the All Blacks in round two of the Rugby Championship, South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber has only made two changes to his starting XV for the Test against Australia this Saturday in Adelaide.
One of the two changes is enforced following Jesse Kriel’s head injury against New Zealand, with Warrick Gelant replacing him on the wing. The other change sees Faf de Klerk return to the team after being knocked out within seconds of the first All Blacks Test.
One decision that has raised a few eyebrows is concerning the No2 shirt, with Nienaber opting to start Malcolm Marx on the bench. Marx started in the first Test against the All Blacks and was immense, but was demoted to the bench in the second Test in place of Joseph Dweba, who had a shaky half hour before being replaced. In light of that game, Bok fans are surprised that Nienaber has gone with the same starting front row. However, as is the case with how the ‘Bomb Squad’ are used, Marx could end up playing more than half the match in Adelaide. South Africa have proven over the past few years that the starting front row is not necessarily the best.
A quick look on social media will show plenty of Bokke fans questioning this decision. That a look:
👉 De Klerk and Gelant to start in Adelaide on Saturday
🦘 Big challenge await the Boks against the Wallabies
🗣️ “Australia are always a tough force at home”
🔗 Team announcement: https://t.co/QUbooAYbSc#StrongerTogether #StrongerForever #AUSvRSA #CastleRugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/YESHym1eQv— Springboks (@Springboks) August 22, 2022
Springbok team to face Australia in Adelaide:
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 20 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)
14 – Warrick Gelant (Racing 92) – 10 caps, 15 pts (3t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 30 caps, 30 pts (6t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 62 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 29 caps, 105 pts (21t)
10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 64 caps, 662 pts (7t, 90c, 144p, 5d)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles) – 39 caps, 25 pts (5t)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (Ulster) – 62 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 62 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 67 caps, 35 pts (7t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 60 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 102 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 50 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers) – 3 caps, 0pts
1 – Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks) – 11 caps, 0pts
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 51 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 63 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) 36 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 55 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 23 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)
22 – Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes) – 45 caps, 329 pts (2t, 65c, 62p, 1d)
23 – Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs) – 74 caps, 150 pts (11t, 7c, 24p, 3d)
