South Africa have been dealt a selection boost ahead of this weekend’s Rugby World Cup final with star winger Cheslin Kolbe named by Rassie Erasmus in the starting XV.
Kolbe, one of the Springboks’ best players in Japan, missed the side’s dour semi-final win over Wales last Sunday with an ankle injury but has been passed fit for Saturday’s decider against England.
The diminutive winger has replaced Sbu Nkosi in the number 14 jersey, with Erasmus otherwise sticking with an unchanged 23 for the final.
That means the out-of-form Willie le Roux has kept his place at fullback, although there was never any real danger of him being dropped, and that star front-rowers Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitschoff have remained on the bench, with Tendai Mtawarira and Bongi Mbongambi starting at prop and hooker respectively.
The Boks have received a boost from their bench forwards throughout the tournament, and can expect the same on Saturday night. There are only two backs – Herschel Jantjies and Frans Steyn – in the reserves, with Kitschoff and Marx two of six forwards on the pine.
Springboks team for Rugby World Cup final
1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Frans Malherbe
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Lood de Jager
6. Siya Kolisi (c)
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Faf de Klerk
10. Handré Pollard
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Damian de Allende
13. Lukhanyo Am
14. Cheslin Kolbe
15. Willie le Roux
Bench
16. Malcolm Marx
17. Steven Kitshoff
18. Vincent Koch
19. RG Snyman
20. Franco Mostert
21. Francois Louw
22. Herschel Jantjies
23. Frans Steyn
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Regretful for Boks but he will still have an impact as he is not leave SARU
Phil
Guest
Maybe Willie has been watching Kurtley too much!Hope he gets back to the player he used to be and has a blinder.Has always been one of my favourite Bok players,with tremendous skills,although they seem to have deserted him of late.Strikes me as a top bloke,too.
Phil
Guest
Harry is right,though,FB,you did only score 1 try against the AB's,although he fails to mention the other 2 "close" ones and that the Boks only scored 1 against Wales! Looking forward to a great battle and sometimes it's nice to be a neutral.
Harry Jones
Expert
It’s a very political job. Rassie is masterful at that part. Don’t know if Nienaber can navigate that. Dunno.
but?
Harry Jones
Expert
Very smart guy. But ....
Rusty
Roar Guru
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
FunBus
Roar Rookie
By the time it kicks off, guys, you’ll have both worked yourselves up into full ‘English colonial arrogance’ frenzy.
Harry Jones
Expert
Yes. They score one try against the All Blacks one time and suddenly they think they ARE the All Blacks.
English confidence is growing as we get closer Harry, I suspect a surprise is coming their way.
Harry Jones
Expert
Who was the Boks’ second most successful pilferer/ball-slower in 2015 RWC? Damian de Allende. Am is the best jackal-back in Super Rugby over the last 2 years. So, a clear advantage over Farrell. They’ll arrive before the Pom twin loosies. If our wings tackle a Pom out wide, we can turn them over a couple of times and set Willie or wings free
Harry Jones
Expert
Faf and Cheslin can test May’s tendons and ligaments on the short side; hopefully we can see Kolisi carrying too. He’s great in space.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Interesting
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Great that the " wee man" will play. Hope he gets the ball in space. Dynamite . Actually four very exciting wings in this final.
From earlier interviews yes
Jonty Shonty
Roar Pro
Was always the plan no?
Clyde
Guest
They will try to narrow the Boks defense for sure and then hit out quickly to space on the wings. The problem for England is that they will not dominate the Boks at the breakdowns like they did against the All Blacks so instead they will be kicking plenty of ball possession away to exploit space behind the defense. Imagine that another team playing the same kicking game that was used by the winners of the 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Cup.
I read Nienaber might be his successor
Rusty
Roar Guru
more like stepping up to Director only .. do you think Stick will be brought in? He seems too green for me
Agree with your first one, disagree with the other two. Kolisi is not slow, and de Klerk is a terrier , youtube has some nice clips of him taking out big loosies. Midfield aint going to be that soft either.