André Esterhuizen to captain new-look Springboks against Australia as Rassie rings changes

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named a new-look team for their one-off Test against Australia in Perth on Sunday, with significant milestones in store for No 8 Jasper Wiese and hybrid back André Esterhuizen.

Wiese will earn his 50th Test cap off the replacements bench, while Esterhuizen will become the 68th player to captain South Africa when they run out at Optus Stadium (11.45am kick-off).

Erasmus has made 13 changes to his starting team, with only lock Eben Etzebeth and wing Ethan Hooker retaining their places in the run-on side from the 43-28 victory against the All Blacks in Baltimore just over a week ago, which saw them clinch the inaugural Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry title.

The changes see a new front row of props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Zachary Porthen, alongside hooker Johan Grobbelaar, while Etzebeth will join forces with Franco Mostert in the engine room.

Paul de Villiers, Elrigh Louw and Marco van Staden complete the forward pack as the loose trio, while Erasmus has also opted for a new halfback pairing of Herschel Jantjies and Handré Pollard.

Pollard has recovered from the niggle that sidelined him during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry and returns at flyhalf, while Esterhuizen will partner Canan Moodie in the midfield.

Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe and Aphelele Fassi form the back three.

In total, nine of the players in Erasmus’ match-23 featured in the final Test against the All Blacks in the USA.

The trio of Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché and Wilco Louw will provide front-row cover, with Lood de Jager offering lock cover and Wiese covering the loose forwards. The three backs on the replacements bench are Morné van den Berg, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Quan Horn.

“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 Handré 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,” Erasmus said.

“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.”

Springboks team to face Australia

Starting XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 André Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ox Nché, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Quan Horn.