Taking a closer look at the Springbok squad to face Australia at Ellis Park

The Boks' 2025 season is about to get a lot more spicy. With all due respect to the Incoming Series, which certainly had its moments, the real action for the Springboks starts on Saturday, when they kick off the defense of their Rugby Championship title against a battle-hardened Wallabies side at Ellis Park.

While the Aussies have been a diminished force in recent years, there were definite signs of improvement for Joe Schmidt's men in their recent series against the British & Irish Lions - a team that wasn't exactly short on quality - and while the Lions ultimately came away with a 2-1 series victory, it was a closer battle than many had anticipated.

The Springboks, meanwhile, are coming off a series of Tests against far lesser opposition, using matches against the Barbarians, Georgia and Italy to blood some new talent and test out a number of different combinations. A revitalized Wallabies side is sure to pose a much sterner challenge than anything they've faced so far.

With the stakes higher than ever, Rassie Erasmus has turned to his core group of seasoned Springboks - albeit with a few surprises thrown in here and there.

Manie Libbok and Aphelele Fassi get the nod

Two of the biggest question marks heading into this year's Rugby Championship from a Springbok perspective were always going to be Erasmus' selections at fullback and flyhalf.

Would he give the No 15 jersey to Aphelele Fassi, a fit-again Damian Willemse, or veteran Willie le Roux? And who would start at No 10 - World Cup-winning sharp-shooter Handre Pollard, exciting young talent Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu or the mercurial Manie Libbok?

Well, we now know that Erasmus has gone with Fassi and Libbok, two massive calls in two key backline positions to kick off the Boks' Rugby Championship campaign.

Fassi has apparently done enough in Erasmus' eyes to get the nod over Willemse, who it could be argued is still on the comeback trail following a series of injuries that kept him out of action for the entire 2024 season. Fassi took full advantage of the World Cup winner's absence last year, starting in eight matches for the Boks and doing his reputation no harm at all.

Willemse returned to Bok duty looking like his old self against Italy, however, and will take his place on the bench for Saturday's match, where he is likely to feature in the second half as the battle for the No 15 jersey no doubt continues.

Meanwhile, the call at flyhalf is even more seismic, as most Bok fans probably thought the two main contenders for the No 10 jersey were Pollard and Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Instead, the latter two do not even make the bench and it's Libbok who gets the nod, with Willemse seemingly his only realistic backup in the squad.

The decision is perhaps not as surprising as one might think - the inexperienced Feinberg-Mngomezulu looked erratic at times in his only start of the season against Georgia, while Libbok looked more assured in his appearances against the Barbarians and Italy - although question marks over his kicking under pressure are sure to remain. Meanwhile, elder statesman Pollard is likely to feature again at some point, particularly against the All Blacks when goal-kicking might become a more valuable commodity.

Injuries force backline changes

Bok fans would no doubt have been surprised to see backline stalwarts Cheslin Kolbe and Damian de Allende missing from the matchday squad. Erasmus revealed that both players had picked up niggles - serious enough to keep them out of action this weekend, but not enough to rule them out for any longer than that.

Their absences have opened the door for Edwill van der Merwe and Andre Esterhuizen, who take their places at right wing and inside centre respectively - an opportunity both men will be eager to grab with both hands.

Van der Merwe is a superb replacement for Kolbe, having given clear evidence of his talent during a highly productive Incoming Series.

​Esterhuizen is a similarly strong and dependable stand-in for De Allende, while Canan Moodie has been named on the bench, probably a clear indication that the youngster also remains firmly in contention for more time in the green and gold, after a couple of very impressive performances for the Boks this season.

Still, Kolbe and De Allende have been such dependable and important pieces of the puzzle for the Boks in recent years that their collective absence is sure to be felt. Thankfully, the Boks have the depth to deal with their loss.

Siya Kolisi shifts to No 8

Another major selection talking point ahead of this weekend was Erasmus' choice for the loose trio - and, in particular, the No. 8 jersey. With his usual favourite, Jasper Wiese, off on yet another of his regularly scheduled foul-play vacations, Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom both sidelined by injury, and Evan Roos still on the outside looking in, it wasn't exactly clear which direction Erasmus would take.

The Bok coach has opted for a unique solution, moving regular openside flanker Siya Kolisi from his usual spot to eighth man to make room for Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marko van Staden on the flanks.

It's not a call that comes totally out of left field, as Kolisi was regularly employed in the No 8 role for the Sharks during the 2024-2025 season, most notably in their 39-21 victory over Exeter Chiefs in the Investec Champions Cup last December, where he scored two tries and was named man of the match.

His performances for the Sharks showcased his effectiveness as a ball-carrier and offloader at the back of the scrum, and Kolisi himself has expressed enthusiasm for the position, stating it allows him more involvement in the game. Expect the Bok skipper to do just fine in the role.

New faces on the bench

Erasmus has also made a couple of bold selections on the bench by including two inexperienced props in Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, addressing the void left by the retirement of loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff and the long-term injury to tighthead prop Frans Malherbe.

Ntlabakanye, who debuted against Italy last month, and Wessels, a versatile front-rower, have been thrust into the spotlight following intensive training under scrum coach Daan Human.

Ntlabakanye notably shed 15–18 kg to meet Springbok fitness standards, and it's clear the coaches see a bright future for the newcomer - though Saturday's Test will present a far bigger challenge than anything he's faced before.

Conclusion

While Erasmus' team for Saturday's massive clash at Ellis Park is not without surprises, every selection is backed by clear purpose and solid reasoning.

The team is packed with leadership and experience, but also embraces fresh energy and versatility - key ingredients in any team that wants to continue to be successful.

​As the Springboks prepare to embark on a Rugby Championship campaign that is sure to define their 2025 season, every player will have to rise to the occasion if they hope to secure back-to-back titles.

South Africa - 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit , 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Canan Moodie, 23 Damian Willemse.