Steyn to start at fly-half for Springboks in clash against Argentina
Title contenders South Africa have chosen veteran Francois Steyn at fly-half for their final round Rugby Championship match against Argentina in Durban on Saturday.
The 35-year-old utility back, a World Cup winner with the Springboks in 2007 and 2019, starts ater Handre Pollard, Elton Jantjies and Damian Willemse were ruled out.
First choice Pollard is injured, Jantjies was dropped from the squad last week ater reports of an alleged affair with the team dietician, and Willemse is recovering from concussion.
That let Steyn, who can perform at full-back, centre or fly-half, as the only option for head coach Jacques Nienaber.
It is a rare start for Steyn in the green and gold shirt ater playing a key role in the 2019 World Cup triumph in Japan as one of only two backs on the bench.
Instead of deploying the traditional five forwards and three backs as replacements, the Springboks went for a six-two split with Steyn covering every backline position except scrum-half.
This meant South Africa could change six of the eight forwards, which oten gave them an edge in fitness against tiring opponents in Japan.
In the only other change to the starting lineup from the side that beat the Pumas 36-20 in Buenos Aires last Saturday, flanker Pieter-steph du Toit replaces Francois Mostert.
Former World Rugby Player of the Year Du Toit had struggled to make an impact in recent months ater a long injury layoff and did not travel to Australia recently or Argentina.
“We were pleased with the calmness Francois brought at fly-half when Damian was forced to leave the field in Argentina last weekend,” Nienaber told reporters.
“The energy and enthusiasm Pieter-steph has been showing at training has also been great, and we know what he is capable of in this loose trio, so I am sure he will make an impact.”
There are five changes to the Buenos Aires bench, including the return of fit-again hooker Bongi Mbonambi in place of Deon Fourie.
Prop Vincent Koch, No. 8 Duane Vermeulen and winger Kurt-lee Arendse come in and Mostert drops down from the starting line-up. South Africa and New Zealand, who play third-placed Australia in Auckland before the match in Durban kicks off, are level on 14 points entering the final round.
SPRINGBOKS RECALL AR END SE, N KO SI: WINGERS Kurt-lee Arendse and Sibusiso Nkosi have been recalled by South Africa ahead of a final round Rugby Championship match.
An ankle injury kept Nkosi out of the squad since the Springboks season began in July while Arendse has completed a four-match ban ater being sent off against New Zealand last month.
Utility back Warrick Gelant, hooker Joseph Dweba, lock Salmaan Moerat and loose forward Elrigh Louw have been released from the squad.
The Springboks returned home on Monday ater the victory over Argentina at the weekend set up a potentially thrilling climax to the Championship.
South Africa and New Zealand have 14 points each, Australia 10 and Argentina nine in the closest title race since the competition was launched 10 years ago.
New Zealand have dominated the southern hemisphere tournament, winning seven of the nine editions that involved all four teams with Australia and South Africa successful once each.
Coachjacquesnienaberwillnamethespringboks matchday 23 on Tuesday for the match against the Pumas at Kings Park stadium.
South Africa emerged from Buenos Aires as New Zealand’s main rival for the Rugby Championship ater Argentina was beaten by a comfortable-inthe-end 36-20 on Saturday.
Pollard is injured, Jantjies was dropped ater reports of an alleged affair with the team dietician, and Willemse is recovering from concussion. That let Steyn as the only option for head coach Nienaber