DURBAN – As expected, Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has stuck to the team that comprehensively beat France in Pretoria last week for Saturday’s second Test against the Tricolores in Durban, although he had to make one enforced change at outside centre.
Lionel Mapoe of the Lions replaces concussed Jesse Kriel.
Otherwise it is the same squad, and Coetzee said that it was all about continuity and building momentum.
There had been some speculation that Coetzee would be tempted to bring in veteran Frans Steyn at 12 and move Jan Serfontein from that position to 13, but Coetzee said that had never been a serious consideration among the coaching staff.
“Why reshuffle the midfield when you can make just one change at 13?” he asked rhetorically. “Jan is showing he is coming into best form, and he is a specialist 12, while Lionel has proved for the Lions that he is one of the true specialist 13s in the country.
“It was a no-brainer to make just the one change in the midfield, and we then have Frans Steyn who can play off the bench and cover virtually every position in the backline.”
Springbok Team
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronjé, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Bench:16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Dillyn Leyds.