Andre Esterhuizen to captain Springboks as Rassie Erasmus makes 13 changes for Australia Test

Andre Esterhuizen will become the 68th player to captain South Africa after Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to the Springbok starting XV for their one-off Test against Australia in Perth.

Jasper Wiese will also reach a major milestone, earning his 50th Test cap from the replacements bench, while Eben Etzebeth is set to extend his record as the most-capped Springbok to 147 Tests.

Only Etzebeth and wing Ethan Hooker retain their starting places from the team that beat the All Blacks 43-28 in Baltimore just over a week ago to clinch the inaugural Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry title.

The Springboks face the Wallabies in Perth, with kick-off at 11:45 SA time and the match broadcast live on SuperSport.

Andre Esterhuizen named Springbok captain

Esterhuizen will start at inside centre alongside Canan Moodie and lead the Springboks for the first time.

Erasmus believes the 35-Test Bok has earned his opportunity.

“He captained the Hollywoodbets Sharks, and he has brought so much to our squad off and on the field, both at centre and in the loose trio, and he thoroughly deserves this opportunity.

“It will also help build our leadership core even more within the team with several players having captained the side over the last few seasons, and we trust that he is the right man to take over the captaincy in this match.”

Esterhuizen’s appointment makes him the 68th Springbok captain.

Rassie Erasmus makes 13 changes

Erasmus has named a new front row of props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Zachary Porthen, with Johan Grobbelaar at hooker.

Etzebeth partners Franco Mostert at lock, while Paul de Villiers and Elrigh Louw start on the flanks and Marco van Staden wears the No 8 jersey.

There is also a new halfback combination.

Herschel Jantjies starts at scrumhalf alongside Handre Pollard, who has recovered from the niggle that kept him out during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.

Esterhuizen and Moodie form the midfield combination, with Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe and Aphelele Fassi completing the back three.

“Each player in this squad has been working hard at training over the last few months and have had a chance to play in either the first leg of the Nations Championship or RGR, or both, while guys like Handre and Canan have recovered from injury, and they are all quality players, so we are pleased to give them a run and we are excited to see this team in action,” said Erasmus.

“Australia poses a completely different threat to New Zealand in the way they play, so we believe these combinations would be best suited for the challenge that we will face against them.”

Jasper Wiese set for 50th Springbok Test

Nine players in the match-day 23 featured in the final Test against the All Blacks in the USA.

Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche and Wilco Louw provide front-row cover, while Lood de Jager covers lock.

Wiese will provide loose forward cover and earn his 50th Test cap when he takes the field.

He made his international debut against Georgia at Loftus Versfeld in 2021.

Morne van den Berg, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Quan Horn are the three backs on the replacements bench.

Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende released

Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende have been released from the Springbok camp and given a break following their recent workload.

“They had a heavy workload in the last few months, and they deserve a break, but at the same time we decided from the outset that if everything went according to plan, we would rest them for this match, so it made sense to send them home to spend time with their families.”

Springbok team to face Australia

15 Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba) – 18 caps, 35 pts (7t)
14 Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 7 caps, 30 pts (6t)
13 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 25 caps, 45 pts (9t)
12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 35 caps, 30 pts (6t)
11 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 13 caps, 10 pts (2t)
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) – 87 caps, 832 pts (8t, 130c, 175p, 5dg)
9 Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne) – 25 caps, 30 pts (6t)
8 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 37 caps, 20 pts (4t)
7 Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 15 caps, 10 pts (2t)
6 Paul de Villiers (DHL Stormers) – 4 caps, 5 pts (1t)
5 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 84 caps, 20 pts (4t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 146 caps, 45 pts (9t)
3 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – 7 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 10 caps, 0 pts
1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 14 caps, 10 pts (2t)

Replacements:
16 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 93 caps, 145 pts (29t)
17 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 52 caps, 0 pts
18 Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers) – 35 caps, 10 pts (2t)
19 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 77 caps, 25 pts (5t)
20 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 49 caps, 20 pts (4t)
21 Morne van den Berg (10bet Lions) – 10 caps, 32 pts (6t, 1c)
22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 24 caps, 191 pts (9t, 48c, 15p)
23 Quan Horn (10bet Lions) – 2 caps, 7 pts (1t, 1c)

Springboks vs Australia: Key stats

• South Africa and Australia have faced each other 97 times, with the Springboks winning 53, losing 41 and drawing three.
• The Boks have won five of their last six Tests against Australia dating back to September 2022.
• Their only defeat during that run was a 38-22 loss against the Wallabies in Johannesburg during last season’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
• The teams have met 10 times in Perth, with four victories each and two draws. Their most recent meeting in the city was in 2024, when South Africa won 30-12.
• The Springbok starting XV selected for this Test has a combined 527 caps, with another 342 Test caps on the bench.

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