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Sunday, 29 June 2025
Kleyn ruled out of Springbok squad due to injury

Springbok lock Jean Kleyn has been ruled out of the squad travelling to Johannesburg for the opening match of the Castle Lager Incoming Series after sustaining an injury during the team’s 54-7 victory against the Barbarians on Saturday.

Kleyn, who started the match with lock partner Lood de Jager, will return to Irish club Munster to recover from the injury and undergo the necessary rehabilitation.

The Springboks made the journey from Cape Town to Johannesburg on Sunday to begin their preparations for the opening match of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Italy at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, 5 July.

They will line up against Italy again a week later at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Gqeberha before taking on Georgia at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit in the closing match of the series on Saturday 19 July.

“We feel for Jean,” said Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, “but injuries are part of the game, and we are fortunate to have good depth at lock within the squad, so there is no need for us to replace him at this stage.”

The team had Sunday off to travel and recover from Saturday’s encounter and will begin their on-field preparations for the first official Test match of the season on Monday.

Issued by SA Rugby Communications
 
Speedster said:
His problem has always been kicking under pressure. Kicking well in these situations unfortunately doesn't prove anything.
Click to expand...

Also, his success rate at try conversions has always been significantly better than penalties. Further pushing the kicking/playing under pressure concerns.

Its been a regularly script. WC23 warmup against ABs, was same thing as well, didn't miss a try conversion in the drubbing, but yet, during the actual WC.....
 
bwana said:
Saturday, 28 October 2025
Springbok planning on track, says Erasmus

The Springboks planning for the opening four matches of the international season made a satisfactory start, said Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus after the victory over the Barbarians at a rain-swept DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.

Erasmus said that the selection for the opening phase of the season had been decided some time ago as he looked forward to the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Italy (two Tests) and Georgia. The Boks beat the BaaBaas by 54-7.

“We won’t get carried away with this performance,” said Erasmus.

“Certainly, some of the newer guys showed us that they can do it at this level, but we’ll layer them in.

“We know who is going to play in Italy one and two, and certainly by the end of the Georgia game, which will be a grind, we’ll have a group of 45, 50 that have had some game time.”

The Springboks scored eight tries to one as they opened their season in a match played in rain that intermittently swept across the stadium.

“We came in here to be bold and positive and not let the conditions affect us and keep the ball in hand and I thought we looked dangerous on turnover ball,” said Jesse Kriel, who led the side in the absence of the injured Siya Kolisi, who withdrew on the eve of the match.

“I thought we looked dangerous when we got the ball into guys like Aphelele Fassi, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe’s hands. They’re special rugby players, they can make something out of nothing, and we saw that today.”

Erasmus said that the team were looking forward to the drier conditions that can be expected in Pretoria on Saturday in the first Test against Italy.

“Some of the half gaps and some of the line breaks we made would have stuck if the weather had been drier” he said. “We can’t wait to play on a dry pitch and improve on our attack.

“We want to get better, the next three matches we’ll be trying to focus on us before we hit the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.”

Erasmus deployed inside centre Andre Esterhuizen as a replacement loose forward in what he described as a new hybrid role, that had been in the planning for some months.

“You can have two ways of looking at it,” said Erasmus.

“You have can a forward covering a back position like Kwagga Smith covering wing, and you can have a back covering a forward position, like Andre covering flanker.

“You can call him a hybrid player – but he is a backline player who can also play in the forwards now. He has been training with both the forwards and the backs, and I must say Felix Jones handles his load very well in how much he does with the forwards and how much he does with the backs.

“We started chatting to him about it five months ago, but he is a backline player who can also play forward.”

Erasmus also praised the form of Lood de Jager, making a long-awaited return at lock: “The condition that he had was almost career ending, but when we did the fitness testing three weeks ago, he was exceptional.

“His body might be 32 or 33, but he has had some two or three years ‘rest’ in the last couple of years, and I think that showed. I also thought Jean Kleyn went deep into the game very well. We’re very glad Lood came through it, and we have some nice depth at lock now.

“Overall, it was a satisfying performance. It was a good hit out but now the test matches start next week.”

Issued by SA Rugby Communications
Click to expand...

Funnily enough, this been exactly how my son's senior highschool/club and varsity rugby experience has played out, been interchanging between flanker and centre for around 4-5 years now. Even played both positions in a single match a few times.
 
Tshituka to make Test debut for Boks against Italy

Vincent Tshituka will make his Test debut in an experienced match-23 named by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus for Saturday’s Castle Lager Incoming Series opener against Italy in Pretoria, with Jesse Kriel captaining the side for the first time in a Test.

Erasmus named a squad that feature 13 players who defeated the Barbarians 54-7 in Cape Town, and with regular Springbok captain Siya Kolisi out after picking up a niggle last week, Kriel retains the captaincy, making him the 67th Springbok captain. Eben Etzebeth, who is back from injury, will serve as vice-captain in the clash.

The Test will mark a significant occasion for Damian Willemse, who returns to the Bok fold for the first time since the Rugby World Cup final after a series of injuries curtailed his 2024 season, while a suspension for a dangerous tackle saw him miss the outing against the Barbarians.

To Erasmus’ delight, Faf de Klerk, who last wore the green and gold jersey against Ireland in 2024 before his season was cut short by injury, will also return to the field along with Jasper Wiese.

Erasmus opted for largely the same backline that played against the Barbarians, with the only new players being Rugby World Cup winners Willemse at fullback and Handre Pollard at flyhalf, where the latter will pair up with exciting scrumhalf Morne van den Berg.

Willemse, meanwhile, will form an exciting back three with wingers Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Damian de Allende and Kriel retain their places in the midfield.

There are three personnel changes in the forward pack, with Wiese replacing Jean-Luc du Preez, whose wife is expecting a child, while Etzebeth takes over from the injured Jean Kleyn in the engine room, and Wilco Louw will start at tighthead prop in a front row with Ox Nche and Malcolm Marx.

Erasmus opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench, where experienced hooker Bongi Mbonambi will provide front row cover with props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Vincent Koch, along with lock RG Snyman and utility forwards Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith.

The two backline players on the bench are De Klerk and Willie le Roux, who will earn his 99th Test cap if he takes the field, taking him one Test closer to joining the exclusive club of Springbok centurions.

“We have a big squad, and we would like to balance the game time within the group, while at the same time maintaining continuity in selection, and we believe this is the team that will be best suited for what we want to achieve against Italy,” said Erasmus.

“We are also fortunate to have a few experienced players back from injury, who will be keen to make their mark in the game.”

Commenting on Kolisi’s injury, Erasmus said: “Siya unfortunately picked up a niggle, but Marco did a good job at flanker last week and he is one of the core players in our team, so we are blessed to have such depth in the squad.”

Erasmus added: “If one goes through this team, there are so many leaders, and we were impressed with how Jesse accepted the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband last week. He is a player who leads by example on and off the field, and he thoroughly deserves this honour.”

The Bok coach was also delighted for Tshituka, who delivered a strong performance against the Barbarians last week in which he scored two tries in his first game in the Bok jersey.

“Vincent has fitted into our structures really well and he showed last week that he has the potential to play Test rugby, so we are excited to see what he can do against Italy and to see him make his debut,” said the Bok coach.

Commenting on what he expected against Italy, Erasmus said: “They are a quality team with a strong pack and quality backs, and their passion for the team and their country is incredible, so we expect them to throw everything at us.

“They also play an exciting brand of rugby, so it will be important for us to stick to our structures and deliver a quality performance all around to get the desired result.”

The match kicks off at 17h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.



Springbok team to face Italy in Pretoria:

15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 39 caps, 56 points (4t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 40 caps, 111 points (18t, 3c, 5p)
13 Jesse Kriel (captain, Canon Eagles) – 79 caps, 90 points (18t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 87 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps, 90 points (18t)
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) – 80 caps, 772 points (7t, 109c, 168p, 5dg)
9 Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 2 caps, 0 points
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 34 caps, 10 points (2t)
7 Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – uncapped
6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 25 caps, 10 points (2t)
5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 66 caps, 25 points (5t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 131 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 16 caps, 0 points
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 76 caps, 105 points (21t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 39 caps, 0 points

Replacements:

16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 77 caps, 70 points (14t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 5 points (1t)
18 Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 61 caps, 0 points
19 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 40 caps, 10 points (2t)
20 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 78 caps, 20 points (4t)
21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 51 caps, 45 points (9t)
22 Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 58 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5p)
23 Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 98 caps, 75 points (15t)

Stats and facts:

Springbok record against Italy:

Played 16; Won 15; Lost 1; Points for: 764, Points against: 195; Tries scored 102, Tries conceded 16; Highest score 101-0; Biggest win 101 points. Win % 94%.

Miscellaneous:
  • The Boks have played Italy seven times in South Africa, but this will be the first Test between the sides at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, where the hosts have a 78% win record (32 wins from 41 Tests).
  • Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok to 132 caps when he takes the field.
  • Damian Willemse will play his first match for the Springboks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand, which the Boks won 12-11.
  • Should Willie le Roux take the field, it will mark his 99th Test match for the Springboks, putting him in line to become only the eighth Springbok centurion in history. He made his Test debut against Italy in Durban in 2013.
  • The Springboks have faced Italy 16 times and won 15 of those matches. Their only defeat was in Florence in 2016 where Italy pipped the Boks by 20-18.
  • In the 15 matches the Springboks have won against Italy, they only scored fewer than 30 points on three occasions.
  • The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 738.
  • There are 351 caps in the backline, with 377 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 466 caps.
  • The average caps per player in the backline is 50, the forwards 47, while the players on the bench average 58.
 
bwana said:
Tshituka to make Test debut for Boks against Italy

Vincent Tshituka will make his Test debut in an experienced match-23 named by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus for Saturday’s Castle Lager Incoming Series opener against Italy in Pretoria, with Jesse Kriel captaining the side for the first time in a Test.

Erasmus named a squad that feature 13 players who defeated the Barbarians 54-7 in Cape Town, and with regular Springbok captain Siya Kolisi out after picking up a niggle last week, Kriel retains the captaincy, making him the 67th Springbok captain. Eben Etzebeth, who is back from injury, will serve as vice-captain in the clash.

The Test will mark a significant occasion for Damian Willemse, who returns to the Bok fold for the first time since the Rugby World Cup final after a series of injuries curtailed his 2024 season, while a suspension for a dangerous tackle saw him miss the outing against the Barbarians.

To Erasmus’ delight, Faf de Klerk, who last wore the green and gold jersey against Ireland in 2024 before his season was cut short by injury, will also return to the field along with Jasper Wiese.

Erasmus opted for largely the same backline that played against the Barbarians, with the only new players being Rugby World Cup winners Willemse at fullback and Handre Pollard at flyhalf, where the latter will pair up with exciting scrumhalf Morne van den Berg.

Willemse, meanwhile, will form an exciting back three with wingers Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Damian de Allende and Kriel retain their places in the midfield.

There are three personnel changes in the forward pack, with Wiese replacing Jean-Luc du Preez, whose wife is expecting a child, while Etzebeth takes over from the injured Jean Kleyn in the engine room, and Wilco Louw will start at tighthead prop in a front row with Ox Nche and Malcolm Marx.

Erasmus opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench, where experienced hooker Bongi Mbonambi will provide front row cover with props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Vincent Koch, along with lock RG Snyman and utility forwards Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith.

The two backline players on the bench are De Klerk and Willie le Roux, who will earn his 99th Test cap if he takes the field, taking him one Test closer to joining the exclusive club of Springbok centurions.

“We have a big squad, and we would like to balance the game time within the group, while at the same time maintaining continuity in selection, and we believe this is the team that will be best suited for what we want to achieve against Italy,” said Erasmus.

“We are also fortunate to have a few experienced players back from injury, who will be keen to make their mark in the game.”

Commenting on Kolisi’s injury, Erasmus said: “Siya unfortunately picked up a niggle, but Marco did a good job at flanker last week and he is one of the core players in our team, so we are blessed to have such depth in the squad.”

Erasmus added: “If one goes through this team, there are so many leaders, and we were impressed with how Jesse accepted the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband last week. He is a player who leads by example on and off the field, and he thoroughly deserves this honour.”

The Bok coach was also delighted for Tshituka, who delivered a strong performance against the Barbarians last week in which he scored two tries in his first game in the Bok jersey.

“Vincent has fitted into our structures really well and he showed last week that he has the potential to play Test rugby, so we are excited to see what he can do against Italy and to see him make his debut,” said the Bok coach.

Commenting on what he expected against Italy, Erasmus said: “They are a quality team with a strong pack and quality backs, and their passion for the team and their country is incredible, so we expect them to throw everything at us.

“They also play an exciting brand of rugby, so it will be important for us to stick to our structures and deliver a quality performance all around to get the desired result.”

The match kicks off at 17h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.



Springbok team to face Italy in Pretoria:

15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 39 caps, 56 points (4t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 40 caps, 111 points (18t, 3c, 5p)
13 Jesse Kriel (captain, Canon Eagles) – 79 caps, 90 points (18t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 87 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps, 90 points (18t)
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) – 80 caps, 772 points (7t, 109c, 168p, 5dg)
9 Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 2 caps, 0 points
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 34 caps, 10 points (2t)
7 Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – uncapped
6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 25 caps, 10 points (2t)
5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 66 caps, 25 points (5t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 131 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 16 caps, 0 points
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 76 caps, 105 points (21t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 39 caps, 0 points

Replacements:

16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 77 caps, 70 points (14t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 5 points (1t)
18 Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 61 caps, 0 points
19 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 40 caps, 10 points (2t)
20 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 78 caps, 20 points (4t)
21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 51 caps, 45 points (9t)
22 Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 58 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5p)
23 Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 98 caps, 75 points (15t)

Stats and facts:

Springbok record against Italy:

Played 16; Won 15; Lost 1; Points for: 764, Points against: 195; Tries scored 102, Tries conceded 16; Highest score 101-0; Biggest win 101 points. Win % 94%.

Miscellaneous:
  • The Boks have played Italy seven times in South Africa, but this will be the first Test between the sides at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, where the hosts have a 78% win record (32 wins from 41 Tests).
  • Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok to 132 caps when he takes the field.
  • Damian Willemse will play his first match for the Springboks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand, which the Boks won 12-11.
  • Should Willie le Roux take the field, it will mark his 99th Test match for the Springboks, putting him in line to become only the eighth Springbok centurion in history. He made his Test debut against Italy in Durban in 2013.
  • The Springboks have faced Italy 16 times and won 15 of those matches. Their only defeat was in Florence in 2016 where Italy pipped the Boks by 20-18.
  • In the 15 matches the Springboks have won against Italy, they only scored fewer than 30 points on three occasions.
  • The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 738.
  • There are 351 caps in the backline, with 377 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 466 caps.
  • The average caps per player in the backline is 50, the forwards 47, while the players on the bench average 58.
Click to expand...
Excellent team!
 
bwana said:
Tshituka to make Test debut for Boks against Italy

Vincent Tshituka will make his Test debut in an experienced match-23 named by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus for Saturday’s Castle Lager Incoming Series opener against Italy in Pretoria, with Jesse Kriel captaining the side for the first time in a Test.

Erasmus named a squad that feature 13 players who defeated the Barbarians 54-7 in Cape Town, and with regular Springbok captain Siya Kolisi out after picking up a niggle last week, Kriel retains the captaincy, making him the 67th Springbok captain. Eben Etzebeth, who is back from injury, will serve as vice-captain in the clash.

The Test will mark a significant occasion for Damian Willemse, who returns to the Bok fold for the first time since the Rugby World Cup final after a series of injuries curtailed his 2024 season, while a suspension for a dangerous tackle saw him miss the outing against the Barbarians.

To Erasmus’ delight, Faf de Klerk, who last wore the green and gold jersey against Ireland in 2024 before his season was cut short by injury, will also return to the field along with Jasper Wiese.

Erasmus opted for largely the same backline that played against the Barbarians, with the only new players being Rugby World Cup winners Willemse at fullback and Handre Pollard at flyhalf, where the latter will pair up with exciting scrumhalf Morne van den Berg.

Willemse, meanwhile, will form an exciting back three with wingers Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Damian de Allende and Kriel retain their places in the midfield.

There are three personnel changes in the forward pack, with Wiese replacing Jean-Luc du Preez, whose wife is expecting a child, while Etzebeth takes over from the injured Jean Kleyn in the engine room, and Wilco Louw will start at tighthead prop in a front row with Ox Nche and Malcolm Marx.

Erasmus opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench, where experienced hooker Bongi Mbonambi will provide front row cover with props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Vincent Koch, along with lock RG Snyman and utility forwards Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith.

The two backline players on the bench are De Klerk and Willie le Roux, who will earn his 99th Test cap if he takes the field, taking him one Test closer to joining the exclusive club of Springbok centurions.

“We have a big squad, and we would like to balance the game time within the group, while at the same time maintaining continuity in selection, and we believe this is the team that will be best suited for what we want to achieve against Italy,” said Erasmus.

“We are also fortunate to have a few experienced players back from injury, who will be keen to make their mark in the game.”

Commenting on Kolisi’s injury, Erasmus said: “Siya unfortunately picked up a niggle, but Marco did a good job at flanker last week and he is one of the core players in our team, so we are blessed to have such depth in the squad.”

Erasmus added: “If one goes through this team, there are so many leaders, and we were impressed with how Jesse accepted the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband last week. He is a player who leads by example on and off the field, and he thoroughly deserves this honour.”

The Bok coach was also delighted for Tshituka, who delivered a strong performance against the Barbarians last week in which he scored two tries in his first game in the Bok jersey.

“Vincent has fitted into our structures really well and he showed last week that he has the potential to play Test rugby, so we are excited to see what he can do against Italy and to see him make his debut,” said the Bok coach.

Commenting on what he expected against Italy, Erasmus said: “They are a quality team with a strong pack and quality backs, and their passion for the team and their country is incredible, so we expect them to throw everything at us.

“They also play an exciting brand of rugby, so it will be important for us to stick to our structures and deliver a quality performance all around to get the desired result.”

The match kicks off at 17h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.



Springbok team to face Italy in Pretoria:

15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 39 caps, 56 points (4t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 40 caps, 111 points (18t, 3c, 5p)
13 Jesse Kriel (captain, Canon Eagles) – 79 caps, 90 points (18t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 87 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps, 90 points (18t)
10 Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) – 80 caps, 772 points (7t, 109c, 168p, 5dg)
9 Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 2 caps, 0 points
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 34 caps, 10 points (2t)
7 Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – uncapped
6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 25 caps, 10 points (2t)
5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 66 caps, 25 points (5t)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 131 caps, 35 points (7t)
3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 16 caps, 0 points
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 76 caps, 105 points (21t)
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 39 caps, 0 points

Replacements:

16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 77 caps, 70 points (14t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 5 points (1t)
18 Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 61 caps, 0 points
19 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 40 caps, 10 points (2t)
20 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 78 caps, 20 points (4t)
21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 51 caps, 45 points (9t)
22 Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 58 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5p)
23 Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 98 caps, 75 points (15t)

Stats and facts:

Springbok record against Italy:

Played 16; Won 15; Lost 1; Points for: 764, Points against: 195; Tries scored 102, Tries conceded 16; Highest score 101-0; Biggest win 101 points. Win % 94%.

Miscellaneous:
  • The Boks have played Italy seven times in South Africa, but this will be the first Test between the sides at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, where the hosts have a 78% win record (32 wins from 41 Tests).
  • Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok to 132 caps when he takes the field.
  • Damian Willemse will play his first match for the Springboks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand, which the Boks won 12-11.
  • Should Willie le Roux take the field, it will mark his 99th Test match for the Springboks, putting him in line to become only the eighth Springbok centurion in history. He made his Test debut against Italy in Durban in 2013.
  • The Springboks have faced Italy 16 times and won 15 of those matches. Their only defeat was in Florence in 2016 where Italy pipped the Boks by 20-18.
  • In the 15 matches the Springboks have won against Italy, they only scored fewer than 30 points on three occasions.
  • The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 738.
  • There are 351 caps in the backline, with 377 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 466 caps.
  • The average caps per player in the backline is 50, the forwards 47, while the players on the bench average 58.
Click to expand...
So we might see Faf in his SA underpant.
 
Owen Farrell has been called up to the Lions squad. What odds on him featuring in the first test?
 
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