Manie Libbok will start in place of the injured Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half for South Africa against England after the Springboks named their team more than five days before Saturday’s kick-off.
Libbok sees off competition from Handre Pollard, who started the Boks’ Rugby World Cup final wins in 2019 and 2023, to take the 10 shirt in a formidable side.
Libbok’s inclusion is one of four changes to the South Africa side that beat Ireland 24-13 in November in their most recent full-strength run-out.
Grant Williams comes in at scrum-half, while Kurt-Lee Arendse, another dangerous runner, is back on the wing.
Ox Nche is at loosehead with Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit, who is on his way to the Sharks from Bath this summer, completing the front row. Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit are also part of an experienced pack. While coach Rassie Erasmus has named a more conventional set of replacements, with five specialist forwards rather than the seven he has experimented with in the past, former Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen has been deployed as a flanker off the bench in the past.
Cheslin Kolbe and Damian Willemse will both win their 50th caps as part of the starting line-up. “England are a quality outfit, and we are expecting them to give everything they have in this match, so it was important to select a squad with experience combined with a few younger players, who have proved that they have what it takes to perform at this level,” said Erasmus, whose team beat a Barbarians side 80-31 in a warm-up fixture on 20 June. England’s team announcement is expected towards the end of this week.