Springboks make 13 changes for Australia test in Perth

22 Sep 2026, 09:13 · CNA · Join

Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool B - South Africa v Tonga - Orange Velodrome, Marseille, France - October 1, 2023 South Africa's Andre Esterhuizen in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

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Sept 22 : South Africa have made 13 changes to their starting XV for the one-off test against Australia in Perth on Sunday, including a return to flyhalf for double World Cup winner Handre Pollard.

The team will be captained by centre Andre Esterhuizen and also sees a return for scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies.

• Esterhuizen, who becomes the 68th Springbok captain, will partner Canan Moodie at centre, with wings Ethan Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe and fullback Aphelele Fassi making up the back three.

• Johan Grobbelaar starts at hooker with props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Zachary Porthen either side.

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• Eben Etzebeth, who extends his Springbok record number of caps to 147 tests, will be in the second row with Franco Mostert.

• Marco van Staden starts at number eight with Paul de Villiers and Elrigh Louw the two flankers.

• South Africa beat New Zealand 3-1 in the recent Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.

• "Australia poses a completely different threat to New Zealand in the way they play, so we believe these combinations would be best suited for the challenge that we will face against them," coach Rassie Erasmus said. Team: 15-Aphelele Fassi, 14-Edwill van der Merwe, 13-Canan Moodie, 12-Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11-Ethan Hooker, 10-Handre Pollard, 9-Herschel Jantjies, 8-Marco van Staden, 7-Elrigh Louw, 6- Paul de Villiers, 5-Franco Mostert, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Zachary Porthen, 2-Johan Grobbelaar, 1- Jan-Hendrik Wessels Replacements: 16-Malcolm Marx, 17-Ox Nche, 18-Wilco Louw, 19-Lood de Jager, 20-Jasper Wiese, 21-Morne van den Berg, 22-Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23-Quan Horn.

Springboks make 13 changes for Australia test in Perth

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