Springboks ring changes for Wales with four new caps

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Springboks ring changes for Wales with four new caps

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World champions South Africa have made 10 changes to their starting side to face Wales in the Nations Championship on Saturday.

Head coach Rassie Erasmus has included four uncapped players, with wing Jaco Williams, fly-half Vusi Moyo, lock Ruben van Heerden and prop Carlu Sadie all making their Test debuts in Durban.

Flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit will again captain the side in the absence of Siya Kolisi, while the bench is packed with quality such as Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse and Herschel Jantjies.

Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Andre Esterhuizen, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard and Ox Nche are all unavailable because of injury.

South Africa are looking to make it three wins from three in the new tournament’s first block of games, having beaten England 45-21 and Scotland 42-28.

Only skipper Du Toit, flanker Paul de Villiers and centre Jesse Kriel have started all three games for the Springboks.

Wales began their campaign with an encouraging 39-24 victory over Fiji, but were overpowered by Argentina in Saturday’s 35-21 defeat.

The previous occasion the two sides met, Wales suffered their heaviest-ever home defeat in a 73-0 humiliation less than eight months ago.

“We told the players from the start of the season that if everything played out well, we would give everyone in the squad a chance to play in the competition, and we are excited to see what the uncapped players, as well as those who have not been in the mix for a while, bring to the team,” said Erasmus.

“This squad shows an exciting mix of youth and experience, and while we are under no illusions about the threat Wales poses, we are looking forward to seeing what these players can do.”

Erasmus added Wales are a team “on the rise” and “will come out with a point to prove this weekend”.

Steve Tandy’s squad arrived in South Africa on Monday after a 5,000-mile flight from Argentina, and are due to announce their team on Thursday.

How they line up

South Africa: Fassi; Williams, Kriel, de Allende, Arendse; Moyo, Reinach; Steenekamp, Marx, Sadie, C Wiese, van Heerden, de Villiers, PS du Toit (capt), J Wiese

Replacements: Venter, Wessels, Louw, Dixon, van Staden, Jantjies, Libbok, Willemse.

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