South Africa has announced the Springboks team that will face Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions in the second Test of the three-game series on Saturday.
Head coach Jacques Nienaber has made three changes to his starting XV and a further three to the bench ahead of this weekend’s pivotal clash.
Two of these changes are in the front-row, where Kitshoff – who made his Test debut against Ireland in 2016 – will make his 50th cap next to Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe in a new-look combination for the hosts.
First Test loosehead Ox Nché was ruled out due to the neck injury he picked up but fortunately for Nienaber, Mbonambi’s hamstring strain has recovered sufficiently for him to start the match.
Leicester Tigers’ Jasper Wiese earns his first Test start after making his debut off the replacements bench against Georgia earlier this month.
Handre Pollard is in line to equal and possibly break Jackie Snyman’s record of six career penalty goals against the British & Irish Lions when he starts at fly-half.
Nienaber has opted for a six-two split on the bench, which sees Trevor Nyakane and Vincent Koch provide cover at prop, while Marco van Staden takes over from Rynhardt Elstadt as loose forward cover along with Kwagga Smith.
Herschel Jantjies and Damian Willemse will provide support in the backline.
This comes after their unexpected switch to a 5-3 split last week for the first Test.
South Africa Team v Lions 2nd Test
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 63 caps
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse) – 15 caps
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 16 caps
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 48 caps
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 15 caps
10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 50 caps
9 – Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks) – 31 caps
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 1 cap
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers) – 57 caps
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 52 caps
5 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 41 caps
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 87 caps
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 40 caps
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 38 caps
1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 49 caps
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 35 caps
17 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 44 caps
18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 21 caps
19 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 46 caps
20 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps
21 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 8 caps
22 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 8 caps
To see the Lions squad, click here.
