Hendrikse brothers link up as Boks make seven changes for Wales

Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse will become the 36^th set of brothers to represent the Springboks when they take to the field as the halfback pairing for the team’s final game of their end-of-year-tour against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday night.

Loose forward Cameron Hanekom will become the 12^th Springbok to make his Test debut this season when he enters off the replacements bench during the match, while the only other two players yet to feature on tour, hooker Johan Grobbelaar and lock Jean Kleyn have both been named in the starting XV.

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus once again surprised many, this time by not making as many changes to the team as expected from the one that beat England 29-20 in London over the weekend.

Changes

He made 11 changes to the team that faced Argentina in their final game of the Rugby Championship, to the one that opened their tour with a 32-15 win over Scotland, and then made 12 changes for the England clash.

Coming up against Wales, who are the weakest team that the Boks are facing on tour and are currently on a dreadful run of 11 straight losses, Erasmus was again expected to make a raft of changes.

But he has instead named a strong side, sticking with a powerful backline of Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and Kurt-Lee Arendse, with the Hendrikse brothers the only changes made.

Amongst the forwards Ox Nche, captain Siya Kolisi and Jasper Wiese have remained, while Grobbelaar, Thomas du Toit, Kleyn, Franco Mostert and Elrigh Louw have come into the starting side.

Jaden (scrumhalf) and Jordan (flyhalf) are the first set of brothers to appear together since Dan and Robert du Preez featured against Wales in Washington DC at the start of the 2018 season.

Starting brothers

The last time a set of brothers were included in the starting team, was in the Rugby World Cup pool match against Scotland in 2015, when front rowers Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis ran out in tandem in Newcastle.

“This is our last match of the season, and we are determined to finish the year on a positive note,” said Erasmus.

“We selected a squad that shows a good mix of experience and youth, which is crucial as we look to maintain some consistency in selection, while at the same time giving guys like Jordan and Cameron, who have been exceptional at training on tour, a chance to show us what they can do.

“Jordan played against Wales in June, and we are very excited to see how he dictates play with Jaden alongside him, and we are also delighted that Cameron is getting a chance to play after showing his class at training throughout the tour and for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship.

“Cameron also offers us a few options at loose forward as he can play No 6, No 7 and No 8, and that will be valuable with two locks on the bench.”

Springboks

Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Jasper Wiese, Elrigh Louw, Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert, Jean Kleyn, Thomas du Toit, Johan Grobbelaar, Ox Nche. Bench: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman, Cameron Hanekom, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard