INJURIES to the players is one of the factors that led the Springboks coach, Rassie Erasmus, to make ten changes to the team that will start the second game of the Nations Championship against Scotland.
The Springboks will face Scotland at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, on Saturday, at 5.40 pm.
USiya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Andre Esterhuizen no-Ethan Hooker, bonke abakalulami.
Only five players who started on Saturday, when the local team defeated England 45-21, will start again in Scotland, namely Jesse Kriel, Damian Willemse, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Paul de Villiers and Ruan Nortje.
“We have many players in our team. It will be a good practice game. We told the players that we will try to give them opportunities in these games while we continue to take care of those affected,” said Erasmus.
“It was important that we keep some of the players who played last week so that we don’t lose the spirit of the team, but we also include others who we believe are ready to face Scotland.
“They played well in the Six Nations and they just beat Argentina, we know they are looking forward to this game.
“They are a high-level team and will give us a hard time in different parts of the game. It is always difficult to face Scotland. I remember many games where the difference was small. We have to be determined from the beginning to the end of the game.”
The Springboks team to face Scotland
Starters: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (ukaputeni), 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter.
Benchers: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zach Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Vincent Tshituka, 21 Elrigh Louw, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Quan Horn.