Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s Nations Championship Test against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, as he continues to rotate his squad amid a demanding international schedule.
Erasmus’ selection reflects his intention to give a wider group of players exposure at Test level this season, while maintaining continuity from last week’s 45–21 victory over England.
Despite the changes, 10 players from the match-day 23 that featured against England have been retained, with five players keeping their starting positions.
Jesse Kriel, Damian Willemse, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Paul de Villiers and Ruan Nortje all remain in the run-on side, with Du Toit continuing as captain following Siya Kolisi’s late withdrawal last weekend.
Willemse also reached a personal milestone by earning his 50th Test cap against England, while De Villiers made his international debut in the same match.
Canan Moodie has been promoted from the bench into the starting XV, while Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Zach Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon and Grant Williams are included among the replacements.
The Springboks will field a reshaped backline, with Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe and Moodie forming the back three. Kriel partners Willemse in the midfield, while Handré Pollard and Embrose Papier form the halfback pairing.
In the forwards, Boan Venter, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw start in the front row, with Cobus Wiese joining Ruan Nortje in the second row.
The loose trio consists of Evan Roos, Du Toit and De Villiers, who continues his rapid rise after making his Test debut last weekend.
On the bench, Erasmus has opted for a six-two split, with Wessels joined by Ntuthuko Mchunu and Porthen as front-row cover. Dixon, Vincent Tshituka and Elrigh Louw provide additional forward options, while Grant Williams and Quan Horn cover the backline.
Several senior players remain unavailable due to injury and workload management, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker.
Speaking ahead of the match, Erasmus said the rotation policy is aimed at strengthening squad depth while preparing for a long season.
“We have good depth in our squad, and this will be a great test for the team,” Erasmus said. “We told the players from the outset that we would give as many of them a chance as possible to play this season.”
He added that Scotland will pose a significant challenge, particularly given their recent form.
“They had a good Six Nations campaign and come off a strong win against Argentina away. They will be highly motivated,” he said.
“Matches against them are always tough. They are well coached and will test us in all areas. We need to be accurate and make the most of our opportunities.”
South Africa hold a dominant record against Scotland, having won 25 of their 30 previous Tests. The Springboks have also won their last nine meetings, dating back to 2010.
Saturday’s clash will be the first Test between the two nations in Pretoria. Kick-off is scheduled for 17:40, with live coverage on SuperSport.