Three uncapped players for first England Test

Jun 7 • General News, International, Springboks • 1668 Views • Comments Off on Three uncapped players for first England Test

Debuts for Nkosi, Dyantyi and Snyman
Kolisi to captain South Africa for the first time

S’busiso Nkosi, Aphiwe Dyantyi and RG Snyman will make their Springbok debuts on Saturday when South Africa face England in the opening Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series in Johannesburg.

The exciting wing pair and imposing young lock were included in a revamped Springbok team for the clash at Emirates Airline Park, which starts at 17h05. The Boks will also be skippered by a new captain in Siya Kolisi.

Saturday’ starting team is a completely revamped combination from the side that lost by a narrow margin to Wales last Saturday in Washington, with only Wilco Louw possibly starting again if Trevor Nyakane is not cleared to play.

Nyakane, who is nursing a rib injury, has been bracketed with Louw and will be given until Friday when a call on his inclusion will be made.

Experienced fullback Willie le Roux and lively scrumhalf Faf de Klerk were included in the starting team, while Duane Vermeulen has been named at No 8. Le Roux, who like De Klerk last played for the Springboks in 2016, provides valuable experience to a new-look back trio with Nkosi and Dyantyi.

De Klerk, who had an outstanding season with English Premiership side Sale Sharks, partners Handré Pollard at halfback, while Vermeulen teams up with Jean-Luc du Preez and captain Kolisi in the loose forward combination.

The uncapped Snyman has been a steady force for the Vodacom Bulls this year and he deservedly earns his first Springbok cap as lock partner to the industrious Franco Mostert, while Pieter-Steph du Toit will play off the bench.

Tendai Mtawarira (prop) is now just one Test away from a century of Springbok caps after he was named to start next to Bongi Mbonambi in the front row.

SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, said the Springbok match 23 is an exciting combination.

“We have some good experienced players while there are some really exciting young men who have earned their opportunity to play for the Springboks,” said Erasmus.

“I am especially pleased for the three newcomers, Aphiwe, Sbu and RG, and I am looking forward to see how they will perform in tough Test match conditions against a formidable opponent.”

According to Erasmus his side know what to expect from England, whom he described as a very well-drilled team under the leadership of Eddie Jones.

“England are a top-class, quality side and they will do doubt be very determined to be successful in this series, and with us desperate for success as well it means that the supporters can expect a really good Test match Saturday,” said Erasmus.

“We have prepared as well as we could and the players are looking forward to playing in front of our passionate supporters in Johannesburg.”

The Springbok team to face England in Johannesburg (in order of name, franchise/club, caps and points – tries, penalties, conversions, drop goals):

15.Willie le Roux (Wasps, England, 41, 50 – 10t)

14.S’busiso Nkosi (Cell C Sharks, uncapped)

13.Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks, 1, 0)

12.Damian de Allende (DHL Stormers, 28, 15 – 3t)

11.Aphiwe Dyantyi (Emirates Lions, uncapped)

10.Handré Pollard (Vodacom Bulls, 26, 218 – 3t, 37c, 40p, 3d)

9.Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks, England, 11, 0)

8.Duane Vermeulen (Unattached, 39, 10 – 2t)

7.Jean-Luc du Preez (Cell C Sharks, 10, 10 – 2t)

6.Siya Kolisi captain (DHL Stormers, 28, 20 – 4t)

5.Franco Mostert (Emirates Lions, 18, 5 – 1t)

4.RG Snyman (Vodacom Bulls, uncapped)

3.Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls 36, 5 – 1t) / Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers, 6, 0)

2.Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers, 14, 5 – 1t)

1.Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks, 98, 10, 2 – 1t)

Replacements:

Akker van der Merwe (Cell C Sharks, 1, 0)
Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers, 24, 5 – 1t)
Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers, 6, 0) / Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks, 1, 0)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers, 33, 20 – 4t)
Sikhumbuzo Notshe (DHL Stormers, 1, 0)
Ivan van Zyl (Vodacom Bulls, 1, 0)
Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions, 24, 210 – 2t, 40c, 40p)
Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Bulls, 2, 5 – 1t)

Stats and facts:

The first England rugby team to tour South Africa was John Pullin’s team on their short tour in 1972. They played in six tour games with a solitary Test match against Piet Greyling’s Springboks at Ellis Park (as the stadium was called at that stage) in Johannesburg. The English team shocked the more than 66 000 spectators with an emphatic win of 18-9.
Since that first Test, South Africa hosted England on two more occasions at Emirates Airline Park, winning on both occasions – in 1984 (35-9) and 2012 (36-27).
Since the 1972 tour to date, England have toured South Africa on six occasions. In 1984 (2 Tests), 1994 (2 Tests), 1998 (1 Test), 2000 (2 Tests), 2007 (2 Tests) and in 2012 (3 Tests). South Africa’s record in these five series is: won three, drawn two.
South Africa’s record against England in South Africa is: Played 13; Won 9; Lost 3; Drawn 1; Points for 362; Points against 213; Tries for 36; Tries against 1; Average score 28-16.
The overall record of the Springboks against England is: Played 38; Won 23; Lost 13; Drawn 2; Points for 801; Points against 629; Tries for 74; Tries against 46; Average score 21-17.
South Africa’s biggest win against England was in 2007 in Bloemfontein (58-10) and the biggest loss in South Africa was 15-32 in 1994 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
England’s best performance against South Africa was in 2002 at Twickenham when the English defeated the Springboks 53-3 – the second biggest Springbok defeat in history.

The team:

The following players will make their Test debut for South Africa: S’busiso Nkosi, Aphiwe Dyantyi and RG Snyman, who played for South Africa in a non-Test against the Barbarian in November 2016.
The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is There are 107 caps in the backline with 213 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 87 caps.
The average caps per player in the backline are 15, the forwards 27 while the players on the bench average 11.
The average age of the starting 15 is

Match officials:

The referee is Ben O’Keeffe of New Zealand. He was born on 3 January 1989 in Auckland, New Zealand and made his international debut as a referee on 11 June 2016 in Apia, Samoa in a Test between Samoa and Georgia.
This Test match will be his 10^th Test match and the fourth with South Africa involved. The previous three Tests ended in a win against France, a draw against Australia and a loss against Ireland.
The Assistant referees are Romain Poite of France and Glen Jackson of New Zealand. The TMO will be Simon McDowell of Ireland.