Siya Kolisi returns as Springboks make 13 changes for Argentina Test

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will return from injury against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday, with Rassie Erasmus also restoring a number of other experienced players to his matchday squad.

Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Morne van den Berg are also included in a strong South Africa team after recent injury absences. Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker, who both suffered knocks during the Nations Championship last month, have also been brought back into the starting side.

Erasmus has made 13 changes to the team that began South Africa’s most recent Test, a 43-0 victory over Wales in Durban.

Only seven players from that match retain their places in the 23-man squad. Of those, just two start on Saturday: full-back Aphelele Fassi and scrum-half Cobus Reinach.

The other five – Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese and Gerhard Steenekamp – have been named among the replacements. Wessels, Dixon, Van Staden and Wiese are utility forwards, while Steenekamp provides cover at prop.

South Africa will field an entirely new forward pack in the starting line-up. Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit will join Johan Grobbelaar in the front row, while Etzebeth and De Jager form the second-row partnership.

Kolisi returns as captain and will line up in the back row alongside Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom.

The backline sees Reinach paired with Feinberg-Mngomezulu at half-back. Esterhuizen comes into the midfield alongside Canan Moodie, while Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe and Fassi make up the back three.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s return is one of the notable features of the selection, with the young playmaker included at fly-half. Van den Berg is also back in the squad and will provide scrum-half cover from the bench.

South Africa’s starting XV is:

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter.

The replacements are:

16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Handre Pollard.

The Test in Buenos Aires is the next significant assignment for a Springbok side that has made a wholesale reshuffle following its dominant win over Wales. Kolisi’s return provides South Africa with an experienced leader, while the inclusion of Etzebeth, De Jager and Feinberg-Mngomezulu strengthens the team in all three areas of the field.