In a surprise move, but something they have been considering for some while, the South African coaches have named Cheslin Kolbe at full-back for the first time in Test rugby. Kolbe, whose previous 20 caps have been won on the wing, also makes a return to the Springbok team for the first time since July against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm) after missing the entirety of the Rugby Championship with a jaw injury.
Kolbe’s switch allows head coach Jacques Nienaber to accommodate the Bulls’ speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse on the right wing for just his fourth cap and third Test start along with the prolific Makazole Mapimpi in a dangerous-looking back three.
With Jesse Kriel returning to the team at outside centre in the absence of the injured Lukhanyo Am to partner the former Munster player Damian de Allende, this means that seven of the starting side which started in Ireland’s record 38-3 win over the Boks in 2017 will line up again at the same venue five years later, along with three of the same replacements.
To underline this game’s billing as a meeting between the world’s number one ranked side and the world champions, the Springboks retain 15 of their match-day 23 from their World Cup final win over England three years ago.
I think it’s an exciting [Springboks] back three, that if execution is maybe down on the day, they can create magic
— Jacques Nienaber
A notable point of difference will see Damian Willemse start at out-half, having done so in the Rugby Championship away wins over Australia and Argentina, and he is paired with Jaden Hendrikse at half-back, as Faf de Klerk and Wille le Roux are named on a customary 6-2 Boks’ bench.
Nienaber has opted for Jasper Wiese at number ‘8′ in a loose trio with Pieter Steph-du Toit and Siya Kolisi, who both started the game five years ago, as did Malcolm Marx at hooker, as well as Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager in the second-row.
Kolbe will also provide cover at out-half, as can de Klerk, while Willemse can move to ‘12′ and de Allende to ‘13′ so affording them their 6-2 split.
Nienaber said there were good reasons why Ireland are currently ranked number one in the world after beating the All Blacks in New Zealand.
“They have a well-balanced game. Obviously, everybody sees how well they attack and how they keep the ball, but you know that they are the best defensive side in the world currently and they are conceding the least tries and the least points. I don’t think you can put your finger on one thing.
“That’s why it is such a challenge for us as coaches and players to come and compete against them in Ireland, in the Aviva. It is also a bit of a fortress for them, so it is a nice challenge for us knowing we are going to face them in our pool stages in the World Cup.”
Inevitably, some of the visiting media brought up the name of Johnny Sexton and, specifically, dealing with his astute kicking game.
“He’s 38,” said Nienaber, when actually Sexton is 37. “He’s been around the block so we will have to be smart, and I think it’s quite exciting. I think it’s an exciting [Springboks] back three, that if execution is maybe down on the day, they can create magic.”
The Boks’ head coach was also asked about Sexton’s dialogue with referees, referencing the Leinster-Sharks game which “infuriated South Africans” apparently.
“I think for us we will go off the boil if we start focusing on him,” Nienaber said of Sexton, who he described as a player-coach who can change tactics at any point in a game effectively.
“Yes, he’s a smart player. I’m saying it with all the respect in the world, but I think as one gets older, like Duane [Vermeulen], your athletic abilities do go down, but you obviously make up for this with your experience. You know the short cuts, you’ve seen this picture a thousand times before, and your decision-making on that is just better.
We are more experienced now. I think it’s still going to be a really tough challenge, but hopefully a better day for us
— Lood de Jager
“We must know his attributes and we must have a good profile of him, but you can’t get tied up in that. We’ve got to deal with his rugby ability, and then the referee must deal with him. It’s not our place to deal with him,” said Nienaber of the referee, which was quite ironic given Rassie Erasmus was seated at the back of the room.
There’s a theory about that whenever Leinster and Ireland have struggled, it’s usually been against an uber-physical team with a big pack, and these Springboks certainly fit that mould.
“Look, I would say in the last eight Test matches they lost twice against New Zealand in the first Test and against France, they looked a lot more comfortable when they played England.
“It’s something to look at, it’s something that fits our profile athletically. We’ve got big forwards, big players and we’ve got a physical style we can play. Just as they must handle that, we must handle their agility, speed and quickness.
“That’s why I think it’s going to be such an awesome game. It’s probably a nice Test match between these two unions, we haven’t played here for a while – the last time was 2017.”
Sitting alongside him was Lood de Jager, one of those 10 survivors from five years ago.
“Ja, it’s hard to forget,” he said. “It was a tough day, a low point for us as a team. It was five years ago. We are more experienced now. I think it’s still going to be a really tough challenge, but hopefully a better day for us.”
South Africa (v Ireland): Cheslin Kolbe; Kurt-Lee Arendse; Jesse Kriel; Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Damian Willemse; Jaden Hendrikse; Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx; Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth; Lood de Jager; Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Deon Fourie, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Willie le Roux.
