Reinach Earns 50th Test Cap in Final Match Against Wales

Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will earn his 50th Test cap when South Africa faces Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. This will be the final match of the Springboks’ European Tour, set to kick off at 17:10 South African time.

Coach Rassie Erasmus makes nine changes from the team that defeated Ireland 24-13 in Dublin last week.

Several players have returned to their clubs and provincial unions as the match falls outside the international window. In total, eight personnel changes and one positional switch have been made to the starting XV, while the bench has also been revamped.

With key players like World Rugby Men’s 15 Player of the Year Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager, and Cheslin Kolbe unavailable, Erasmus’s hand was forced somewhat and he brought in several members of the “Bomb Squad,” alongside seven players who started in Dublin.

Notable names retained in the starting lineup include captain Siya Kolisi, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, centre Damian de Allende, and fullback Damian Willemse.

Erasmus also opted for a seven-one forward-heavy bench, with Reinach the only backline player. The bench will feature hooker Bongi Mbonambi and props Zachary Porthen and Asenathi Ntlabakanye, along with lock cover from Eben Etzebeth. Additional forward cover will be provided by Marco van Staden, Ben-Jason Dixon, and Kwagga Smith.

Erasmus expressed confidence in his selection, despite the challenges posed by the absence of several players. "We’ve been rotating our players throughout the year, and this group has been together for close to five weeks, so many of these combinations are fully settled," he said. He also praised Reinach for his 50-Test milestone, acknowledging his consistency and team-first attitude over the years.

Of Wales Erasmus said: "They have a balanced squad with a few seasoned players and several younger guys who will be desperate to make a statement. So, we are expecting them to come out firing and to throw everything at us."

Springbok team to face Wales in Cardiff:

15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers); 14 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks); 13 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights); 12 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks); 11 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls); 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers); 9 Morne van den Berg (Lions); 8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks); 7 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat); 6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks); 5 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls); 4 Jean Kleyn (Munster); 3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls); 2 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls);
1 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls)

Replacements:

16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks); 17 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers); 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions); 19 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks); 20 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls); 21 Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers); 22 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs); 23 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers)