Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard is back in the side after more than a year out as the Boks take on Tonga in their Rugby World Cup pool match in Marseille on Sunday night. Picture: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
Handre Pollard makes a return to the Springbok starting line-up for the first time since August last year as one of 12 changes to the team that lost to Ireland last time out, with them up against Tonga in their final World Cup pool match at the Stade de Marseille on Sunday night.
Other notable changes see Deon Fourie in as the starting hooker and Marco van Staden backs him up on the bench with Bongi Mbonambi rested, while scrumhalf Grant Williams is back on the wing and Duane Vermeulen comes in at No 7.
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The bench is another big talking point as the Boks have gone with a 5-3 split of forwards to backs, after they went with the controversial 7-1 split against the Irish.
The entire Bok backline has been overhauled from the past weekend’s clash, with Canan Moodie and Andre Esterhuizen continuing their impressive budding centre partnership, Willie le Roux is back at fullback, Makazole Mapimpi slots in on the left wing and Cobus Reinach comes in at scrumhalf.
In the forward pack captain Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and Jasper Wiese are the only players to retain their spots, as Ox Nche and Vincent Koch come in as the props and Marvin Orie slots into the second row.
On the bench Steven Kitshoff and Trevor Nyakane cover the front row, while Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith cover the rest of the pack, with Jaden Hendrikse, Jesse Kriel and Manie Libbok the three backline subs.
“This is a strong and physical team, which is exactly what is need against a side like Tonga that plays with passion and force,” explained Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.
“Each one of us understands the importance of this match with an eye on qualifying for the quarter-final, so accurate execution, physicality and doing our basics right will be vital to get the desired result.”
The Boks need a big bonus point win over Tonga to possibly secure their place in the quarterfinals of the World Cup and they will need a big effort from the players to give them the best chance of progressing to the next round.
“They (Tonga) will enter with the mindset that they have nothing to lose after going down in their opening two matches of the tournament, so they won’t hold back,” added Nienaber.
“They had impressive moments in their matches against Scotland and Ireland, so this will require a full 80-minute effort. The emphasis for us will be on doing what we need to do to progress out of the pool stages and to bounce back from last week and build momentum.
“We are still in the World Cup, and we know we have the players and skills to defend our title. We now need to transfer all the hard work at training into producing a top-quality performance.”
Springbok team:
Willie le Roux, Grant Williams, Canan Moodie, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi (c), Marvin Orie, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Deon Fourie, Ox Nche
Bench: Marco van Staden, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Jaden Hendrikse, Jesse Kriel, Manie Libbok
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