Esterhuizen, Mapimpi set to start as Springboks mix and match
The Springboks ended the Rugby Championship in style, with the strongest available team packed with World Cup winners securing a resounding win over Argentina as they claimed the southern hemisphere crown.
It was a reminder of the Springboks’ power when at full strength, but that hasn’t stopped Rassie Erasmus from sticking with a policy of managing players’ game-time, exposing some newcomers to the Test arena and experimenting with selections at times this year.
In various Tests throughout the 2024 season we have seen Erasmus happily mixing and matching with his selections, and there is every indication that this is set to continue for this Sunday’s end-of-year opener against Scotland.
Word from the camp in Edinburgh suggests that Andre Esterhuizen and Makazole Mapimpi are two of the players set to start this weekend as the Springboks prepare to announce their team publicly on Friday.
It will also be interesting to see if there could be other starting opportunities for the likes of Thomas du Toit, Elrigh Louw, Lukhanyo Am and Grant Williams.
The Springbok team announcement will take place on Friday (just before 16:00 SA Time).
Do you think an ‘experimental’ Springbok team would be a good call?
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The Springboks will play three Tests on their end-of-year tour to the United Kingdom.
Those fixtures are:
Sunday, 10 November vs Scotland at Murrayfield, Edinburgh – 18:10 (SA time)
Saturday, 16 November vs England, Allianz Stadium, London – 19:40 (SA time)
Saturday, 23 November vs Wales, Principality Stadium, Cardiff – 19:40 (SA time)
Updated squad for the Outgoing Tour:
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls).
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), RG Snyman (Leinster).
Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls), Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Flyhalves: Jordan Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls)
