(Reuters) – Livewire wing Kurt-Lee Arendse returns to the South Africa starting line-up as one of 10 changes for the Rugby Championship test in Argentina on Saturday, but Eben Etzebeth starts on the bench and there is no Siya Kolisi in the match-day 23.
Arendse missed the 18-12 win over New Zealand in Cape Town last time out that moved the unbeaten Springboks to within one victory of claiming a fifth Rugby Championship title and a first since 2019.
Lock Etzebeth will equal Victor Matfield’s South African record of 127 test caps if he comes off the bench as coach Rassie Erasmus switches back to a 6-2 split between forwards and backs among the replacements.
Fullback Aphelele Fassi and wing Makazole Mapimpi make up the back three along with Arendse, while Lukhanyo Am comes into the side in a less familiar inside centre role to partner Jesse Kriel in the midfield.
Handre Pollard keeps his place at flyhalf and will be alongside number nine Cobus Reinach.
Malcolm Marx gets a start at hooker and will have props Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit alongside him, with captain Salmaan Moerat and Ruan Nortje making up the second row.
Jasper Wiese keeps his place at number eight with flankers Marco van Staden and Ben-Jason Dixon also making up the back of the scrum.
“We have a bigger picture in mind, which is to build squad depth with an eye on the 2027 World Cup,” Erasmus said in a media release from South African Rugby.
“The only way we can do that is to expose the younger players to tough opposition under difficult circumstances, and so far, all of them have risen to that challenge.
“We’re excited about this squad and to see what the younger players can do in pretty tough playing conditions with such a passionate support base in Argentina.”
Erasmus had already opted to rest seven players for the trip in Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Malherbe and Bongi Mbonambi.
South Africa team:
15-Aphelele Fassi, 14-Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13-Jesse Kriel, 12-Lukhanyo Am, 11-Makazole Mapimpi, 10-Handre Pollard, 9-Cobus Reinach, 8-Jasper Wiese, 7-Ben-Jason Dixon, 6-Marco van Staden, 5-Ruan Nortje, 4-Salmaan Moerat, 3-Thomas du Toit, 2-Malcolm Marx, 1-Ox Nche
Replacements: 16-Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17-Gerhard Steenekamp, 18-Vincent Koch, 19-Eben Etzebeth, 20-Elrigh Louw, 21-Kwagga Smith, 22-Jaden Hendrikse, 23-Manie Libbok.
(Reporting by Nick Said)
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