Jantjies on the fly at Newlands

Flyhalf Elton Jantjies will have a chance to impress coach Rassie Erasmus after being named in the starting lineup for the third test against England at Newlands tomorrow.

There are five changes to the starting team, while 37year-old hooker Schalk Brits earns a place on the bench.

Warrick Gelant at fullback‚ Jesse Kriel and Andre Esterhuizen in the midfield‚ Jantjies at flyhalf and hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle are the changes to the team that won the second test 23-12 in Bloemfontein.

After winning the first test 42-39 in Johannesburg, the Boks have secured the series‚ which has given Erasmus some freedom to experiment.

Jantjies is preferred to Handre Pollard this weekend, even though he has only played four minutes in the series.

He was not even selected for the second test‚ but Erasmus says that Jantjies’s role in the squad has been clearly defined.

“It’s seldom that I change a flyhalf in the game because he is the key decision-maker‚” Erasmus said. “Even if he is making mistakes‚ I really like to keep the flyhalf on the field.

“The calculated risk last week‚ not to have a flyhalf on the bench‚ was that there were a lot young players such as wings S’Bu Nkosi and Aphiwe Dyantyi‚ and Gelant.

“The wings were camping late on in the game in the first test and I just felt Jesse Kriel could cover 13 and wing from the bench.

“Elton is playing behind a very good pack now‚ an excellent scrumhalf and an outside back who he is familiar with‚ so this is a fair chance for him.

“No one is out of the team because of a lack of form‚ the changes are due to our longterm planning for next year’s Rugby World Cup as we continue to build squad depth and capacity‚” Erasmus said.

It’s seldom I change a flyhalf in the game because he is the key decision-maker