Boks wrap up pre-season training — now who will take on the Wallabies?

Having completed their pre-season training at a camp in Pretoria on Thursday afternoon it is now go, go, go for the Springboks.

Jacques Nienaber’s men get their 2023 season underway with a Test against the Wallabies in Pretoria next Saturday, and that’s followed by two more matches in the shortened Rugby Championship before all focus shifts to the World Cup in France, starting early September.

The big question now is, who’ll run out for the Boks in the opening Test of 2023?

Nienaber has already said that up to 15 players in the training group will head to New Zealand next week to acclimatise and get used to conditions ahead of the Test against the All Blacks the following week, ruling those players out of the Wallabies Test.

Eddie Jones’ Wallabies

So, just who will run out then at Loftus against Eddie Jones’ Wallabies side?

The good news is that though Handre Pollard and Siya Kolisi have been ruled out of the Rugby Championship, and there is still some concern about Eben Etzebeth and Jaden Hendrikse, because of injuries, Nienaber and Co actually have a fairly big and fit squad to pick from.

Damian Willemse is over his niggles, while former Ireland lock Jean Kleyn has been cleared to play for the Boks after World Rugby cleared him to play for his country of birth.

For the Loftus Test next Saturday, expect both Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie to start on their home ground, probably with Willie le Roux at fullback, while in the centres there is talk of Lukhanyo Am perhaps captaining the side next to Damian de Allende.

Willemse or Libbok will be at 10 and it’s anyone’s guess who’ll don the No 9 jumper. Henrdrikse isn’t available but Faf de Klerk, Herschel Jantjies, Cobus Reinach and Grant Williams will all feel they should be the Boks’ first choice scrumhalf.

Big decisions up front

Picking just three loose forwards out of the Bok training group also won’t be easy.

Will it be Duane Vermeulen at 8 or Evan Roos, or Jasper Wiese, will the blindside flank be Pieter-Steph du Toit, Franco Mostert or Jean-Luc du Preez, or one of the mentioned No 8s, and who between Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith and Deon Fourie will wear the No 6 in Kolisi’s absence?

Only Etzebeth among the locks is unavailable, but could this be Kleyn’s big opportunity to impress the Bok bosses and will the Boks unleash a fit-again RG Snyman?

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The Boks are also well covered at prop and hooker so there will be no surprises whoever Nienaber backs to feature against the Wallabies.

“We’ve had a productive three weeks in Pretoria, and we’re pleased with where the players are, going into the first Test next week,” said Nienaber.

“We have a clear picture now of the players who are fit and those who are on the road to full recovery to participate in the competition in the next few weeks.”

The Boks will have the weekend off and gather again late Sunday. Nienaber will announce his team to face Australia on Tuesday.

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