Rugby-Ton up for Le Roux against Italy as Springboks pick three new caps
(Reuters) -South Africa fullback Willie le Roux will earn his 100th cap when he starts in Saturday's second test against Italy in Gqeberha, with Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus also naming three uncapped players among the replacements.
It is a much changed selection from the team that failed to impress in a 42-24 victory over the touring Italians in Pretoria last week.
Le Roux becomes the eighth player to reach 100 caps for the Springboks and makes up a back three that also includes wings Makazole Mapimpi and Edwill van der Merwe.
"Willie has been a stalwart for us in the last few years after making his debut against Italy in Durban in 2013, and he's a fantastic playmaker, so we are thrilled to see him achieve this incredible feat," Erasmus said.
The centre pairing contains Canan Moodie and hybrid player Andre Esterhuizen, who featured as a flanker in the 54-7 win over the Barbarians late last month.
Manie Libbok is at flyhalf and the electric Grant Williams is in the number nine jersey in an exciting half-back duo that suggests a high tempo ball-in-hand game plan from the home side.
Hooker Malcolm Marx starts with props Thomas du Toit and Wilco Louw either side of him, while Salmaan Moerat, captain in the injury absence of Siya Kolisi, partners Ruan Nortje at lock.
There is a return from injury for Pieter-Steph du Toit alongside fellow flanker Marco van Staden, with Jasper Wiese keeping his place at number eight.
Wiese's brother Cobus, a towering second row, is one of three uncapped players on the bench along with prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and utility back Ethan Hooker.
"We said from the outset that we would rotate the team as we have a large and very talented squad," Erasmus said.
"Thirteen players in this squad have won a World Cup before and that shows the depth we have as we continue to build for the next few seasons and ultimately the 2027 Rugby World Cup."
South Africa team:
15–Willie le Roux, 14–Edwill van der Merwe, 13–Canan Moodie, 12–Andre Esterhuizen, 11–Makazole Mapimpi, 10–Manie Libbok, 9–Grant Williams, 8–Jasper Wiese, 7–Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6–Marco van Staden, 5–Ruan Nortje, 4–Salmaan Moerat, 3–Wilco Louw, 2–Malcolm Marx, 1–Thomas du Toit
Replacements:
16–Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17–Ox Nche, 18–Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19–Cobus Wiese, 20–Evan Roos, 21–Cobus Reinach, 22–Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23–Ethan Hooker
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Trump to attend Club World Cup final, FIFA opens office in Trump Tower
U.S. President Donald Trump holds the key to the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 7, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo WASHINGTON/EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will attend Sunday's Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, he said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, as world soccer's ruling body FIFA announced it had opened an office in New York's Trump Tower. The expanded tournament featuring many of the world's best club teams has been widely seen as a dry run for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico with a record 48 national teams taking part. Sunday's Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium will be a preview of next year's championship match, with the home of the NFL's New York Jets and Giants also hosting the 2026 finale. "I'll be going to the game," Trump told reporters. The news came a day after FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the opening of a representative office at Trump Tower, where the Club World Cup trophy will be on display until the final. "We have received such a big support from the government and from the President with the White House Task Force for the FIFA Club World Cup (now) and for the FIFA World Cup next year," Infantino said. Trump has not shied away from sport's super-sized spotlight during his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in February, and in May announcing D.C. as the host for the 2027 NFL Draft from the Oval Office. His immigration crackdown and travel ban on 12 countries have prompted concerns ahead of the 2026 World Cup, however, even as Infantino offered assurances that the world will be welcomed in the U.S. for the quadrennial global showpiece event. A memo obtained by Reuters last month showed that the Trump administration was considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the U.S. (Reporting by Amy Tennery in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Andrea Shalal in Washington, editing by Ed Osmond)
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Ton up for Le Roux against Italy as Springboks pick three new caps
FIEL PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Semi Final - England v South Africa - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - October 21, 2023 South Africa's Willie le Roux celebrates after the match as South Africa reach the final REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo (Reuters) -South Africa fullback Willie le Roux will earn his 100th cap when he starts in Saturday's second test against Italy in Gqeberha, with Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus also naming three uncapped players among the replacements. It is a much changed selection from the team that failed to impress in a 42-24 victory over the touring Italians in Pretoria last week. Le Roux becomes the eighth player to reach 100 caps for the Springboks and makes up a back three that also includes wings Makazole Mapimpi and Edwill van der Merwe. "Willie has been a stalwart for us in the last few years after making his debut against Italy in Durban in 2013, and he's a fantastic playmaker, so we are thrilled to see him achieve this incredible feat," Erasmus said. The centre pairing contains Canan Moodie and hybrid player Andre Esterhuizen, who featured as a flanker in the 54-7 win over the Barbarians late last month. Manie Libbok is at flyhalf and the electric Grant Williams is in the number nine jersey in an exciting half-back duo that suggests a high tempo ball-in-hand game plan from the home side. Hooker Malcolm Marx starts with props Thomas du Toit and Wilco Louw either side of him, while Salmaan Moerat, captain in the injury absence of Siya Kolisi, partners Ruan Nortje at lock. There is a return from injury for Pieter-Steph du Toit alongside fellow flanker Marco van Staden, with Jasper Wiese keeping his place at number eight. Wiese's brother Cobus, a towering second row, is one of three uncapped players on the bench along with prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and utility back Ethan Hooker. "We said from the outset that we would rotate the team as we have a large and very talented squad," Erasmus said. "Thirteen players in this squad have won a World Cup before and that shows the depth we have as we continue to build for the next few seasons and ultimately the 2027 Rugby World Cup." South Africa team: 15–Willie le Roux, 14–Edwill van der Merwe, 13–Canan Moodie, 12–Andre Esterhuizen, 11–Makazole Mapimpi, 10–Manie Libbok, 9–Grant Williams, 8–Jasper Wiese, 7–Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6–Marco van Staden, 5–Ruan Nortje, 4–Salmaan Moerat, 3–Wilco Louw, 2–Malcolm Marx, 1–Thomas du Toit Replacements: 16–Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17–Ox Nche, 18–Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19–Cobus Wiese, 20–Evan Roos, 21–Cobus Reinach, 22–Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23–Ethan Hooker (Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken Ferris)
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Cricket-South Africa complete easy victory over Zimbabwe to win test series
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final - South Africa v Australia - Lord's Cricket Ground, London, Britain - June 13, 2025 South Africa's Wiaan Mulder in action Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (Reuters) -South Africa completed an innings and 236-run victory over hosts Zimbabwe on the third day of the second test on Tuesday to convincingly sweep the two-match series at Queens Sports Club. South Africa, who were put into bat and declared their first innings on 626-5, bowled Zimbabwe out for 220, having enforced the follow-on after skittling out the home side for 170 in their first innings. Zimbabwe were 51-1 in their second innings overnight and, although they added 92 runs in the morning session, they regularly lost wickets and were all out before tea. Seamer Corbin Bosch took 4-38 to clean up the tail, with three wickets for spinner Senuran Muthusamy. Takudzwanashe Kaitano (40), Nick Welch (55) and skipper Craig Ervine (49) offered resistance in a clash best remembered for the decision by South Africa stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder not to chase down the highest score in a test innings. Mulder was 367 not out, 34 runs away from breaking Brian Lara's 21-year-old landmark of 400 for West Indies against England, when he decided to declare the innings at lunch on the second day. With one of cricket's significant milestones in his sights, and plenty of time left in the five-day contest, Mulder's decision not to attempt to break the record was met with astonishment. But the 27-year-old all-rounder, whose test batting average before the match was 26.2, felt it would be inappropriate to dislodge one of the game's greats from the record books. 'Respecting the game is really important and Lara is one of the greatest ever to play the game and deserves to keep that record,' Mulder said at a press conference after play on Monday. His knock, however, was the fifth-highest score in a test and a South Africa record. He also took three wickets and snagged three catches in the match. South Africa rested most of the team that won the World Test Championship against Australia at Lord's last month but still proved far too strong for their neighbours as they also won last week's first test by 328 runs. They have now won 10 successive test matches and nexttake on Pakistan away in October. Zimbabwe's next test outing is a two-match series against New Zealand in Bulawayo that starts at the end of the month. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)
