DHL Stormers Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have been named in the Springbok matchday squad for their Castle Lager Incoming Series match against Ireland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Tighthead prop Malherbe will run out in the starting line-up, while lock Moert and utility back Feinberg-Mngomezulu will make their presence felt from the replacements bench.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named an experienced squad featuring 20 Rugby World Cup-winners – the entire starting 15 and five players on the replacements’ bench – for what is expected to be a humdinger of an encounter between the top two ranked teams in the world.
The three players in the match-day 23 who did not participate in the international spectacle in France, where the Springboks claimed their second successive RWC title, are Gerhard Steenekamp (prop), Moerat (lock) and Feinberg-Mngomezulu (utility back), who are elevated to a selection featuring a six-two bench split in favour of the forwards.
Twelve of the starting XV for Saturday’s showdown (six forwards and six backs) started in the 12-11 RWC final victory over New Zealand, with the other three (Willie le Roux, Kwagga Smith and Ox Nche) coming off the bench in the final.
The selection of previously unavailable players means that the team shows eight changes to the one that defeated Wales by 41-13 in London 10 days ago as Erasmus welcomed back captain Siya Kolisi, Le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Handre Pollard, Marco van Staden, RG Snyman and Steenekamp.
