Springbok prop, Boan Venter, will start today’s Rugby Championship clash against the Pumas in Durban, with Marco van Staden being drafted onto the bench, following the withdrawal of Ox Nche from the team yesterday due to a niggle.

According to SA Rugby: “Nche’s withdrawal necessitated the move of Venter, who was initially named among the replacements, to the starting front row alongside Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit, while Jan-Hendrik Wessels will serve as the back-up prop, with Van Staden providing hooker cover off the bench…Similarly to Wessels, who can switch equally efficiently between prop and hooker, Van Staden can shift comfortably between flanker and hooker, which he proved at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.”

South Africa go into this evening’s clash as strong favourites following their record-breaking win over the All Blacks at Wellington two weeks ago.

The updated Springbok team for tonight is as follows:

15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 43 caps, 66 pts (6t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)
14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 44 caps, 121 pts (20t, 3c, 5p)
13 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 18 caps, 40 pts (8t)
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 91 caps, 55 pts(11t)
11 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 3 caps, 0 pts
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 13 caps, 58 pts (17c, 8p)
9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 44 caps, 75 pts (15t)

8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 37 caps, 10 pts (2t)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 91 caps, 60 pts (12t)
6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 96 caps, 65 pts (13t)
5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps, 0 pts
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 136 caps, 35 pts (7t)
3 Thomas du Toit (Bath) – 28 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 82 caps, 120 pts (24t)
1 Boan Venter (Edinburgh) – 4 caps, 5 pts (1t)

Replacements:

16 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 30 caps, 15 pts (3t)
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 7 caps, 10 pts (2t)
18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 22 caps, 0 pts
19 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 44 caps, 15 pts (3t)
20 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 57 caps, 55 pts (11t)
21 Morne van den Berg (Lions) – 3 caps, 10 pts (2t)
22 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 22 caps, 128 pts (1t, 42c, 13p)
23 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 23 caps, 10 pts (2t)