Kolisi back, but Brits skippers Springboks in World Cup warm-up
Get Carter: All Blacks legend settles Bledisloe nerves
JOHANNESBURG: Coach Rassie Erasmus said Siya Kolisi, who is recovering from a knee injury, may be substituted during the first half in Pretoria and chose veteran hooker Schalk Brits as skipper.
Number eight Duane Vermeulen (twice) and lock Eben Etzebeth (once) captained the Springboks during the Rugby Championship campaign in which they beat Australia and Argentina and drew with New Zealand.
At 38 years and three months, Brits will become the second oldest captain of the Springboks after retired lock Victor Matfield, who had the honour when 38 years and 172 days.
“I have asked Siya to empty his tank and go hard for as long as he can,” Erasmus said after making 15 changes to the side that triumphed 46-13 in Argentina last Saturday to win the Rugby Championship.
“I told him he might even come off in the first half as he has played less than 50 minutes of Currie Cup rugby in the last 12 weeks.
“But I need him to have a taste of Test rugby again before we leave for Japan,” referring to the absence of Kolisi from the team since a loss in Wales last November.
While Kolisi is guaranteed a place in the 31-man World Cup squad to be named on Monday August 26, many of those who will face the Pumas at Loftus Versfeld are fighting for seats on the flight to Tokyo.
“Some of these players will know they are on the plane but for others it is make or break — and even if they do not make the plane there will be six standby roles to be identified,” said Erasmus.
“I am really excited to see what they can do on Saturday, to prove their own cases, and also show just how strong South African rugby is.”
In the backline, full-back Warrick Gelant, centre Andre Esterhuizen and winger Dillyn Leyds, are marginal cases for inclusion in the squad.
Props Thomas du Toit and Vincent Koch and loose forwards Rynhardt Elstadt and Marcell Coetzee are in similar positions.
South Africa face defending champions New Zealand on September 21 in their opening World Cup Pool B match, then play Canada, Italy and Namibia. South Africa (15-1)
Warrick Gelant; Sibusiso Nkosi, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Dillyn Leyds; Elton Jantjies, Cobus Reinach; Marcell Coetzee, Rynhardt Elstadt, Siya Kolisi; Lood de Jager, RG Snyman; Vincent Koch, Schalk Brits (capt), Thomas du Toit
Replacements: Scarra Ntubeni, Lizo Gqoboka, Wilco Louw, Marvin Orie, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Francois Steyn Coach: Rassie Erasmus (RSA). Meanwhile, the All Blacks have drafted in legendary fly-half Dan Carter to calm any nerves among the faltering world champions ahead of this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup decider against Australia.
A shock 47-26 loss to the Wallabies has rattled the All Blacks, calling into question their experimental strategy of fielding two playmakers in Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga.
Assistant coach Ian Foster said Carter joined the New Zealanders at training in Auckland on Tuesday to offer advice to Barrett and Mo’unga.
The 37-year-old, who retired from internationals in 2015, has a wealth of experience after a stellar 112-Test career that included winning two World Cups and three World Rugby player of the year awards.
“I’m actually keen to get him in to chat to our playmakers,” Foster told allbacks.com.
“He’s got a lot of World Cup experience and I just wanted to really have him around, again to talk to the likes of Beaudy and Richie about what it’s like driving a team through a World Cup campaign where expectations are high.
“Who better to tell that story than him.” Foster has talked up the need for discipline if New Zealand are to retain the Bledisloe Cup for a 17th year and defeat Australia again at an Eden Park venue where the Wallabies have not won since 1986.
Scott Barrett’s red card for a shoulder charge cost the All Blacks any chance of victory in Perth and saw the lock suspended for three weeks.
Despite that setback, former All Black Ian Jones called for fire and brimstone from the men in black in Auckland, saying they had to prove a point by muscling up to the Wallabies.
“They’ve got to physically go straight and knock these guys around and get into that zone,” Jones told Radio Sport.
“(Show them) this is the fortress, this is All Black rugby, this is how we’re going to beat these Wallabies up, and just smack them around in that regard.” The 79-Test veteran said New Zealand could not expect Eden Park’s intimidation factor to affect the fired-up Australians.
“They can’t just rely on this wonderful Eden Park factor, they’ll have to front up to themselves,” he said.
“Do I expect the Wallabies to be able to perform at the level again? Yes... we have to dampen that, we have to physically get into them, knock them around and show them who’s boss.”