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Springboks captain Kolisi makes first appearance of season / Photo: © AFP
Springboks captain Kolisi makes first appearance of season
Captain and flanker Siya Kolisi will make his first appearance of the season when Rugby World Cup holders South Africa face Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday in a one-off Test.
A stiff neck ruled the two-time World Cup winner out of an exhibition match win over the Barbarians in Cape Town last month.
Kolisi then sustained an Achilles tendon "niggle" and head coach Rassie Erasmus opted not to risk the veteran in a 2-0 Test series victory over Italy this month.
He returns as the Springboks seek to maintain a 100 percent record against the Lelos, having beaten them comfortably in a 2003 World Cup pool match in Australia and a 2021 Test in Pretoria.
"We wanted to make sure that Siya is 100 percent fit before selecting him, so it is great to have him back in the squad," said Erasmus after naming his matchday 23.
Props Boan Venter and Neethling Fouche as well as hooker Marnus van der Merwe will all make their Test debuts in the northeastern city.
"Boan, Marnus, and Neethling have been training hard and deserve their chances," said Erasmus, a key coaching figure in the 2019 and 2023 World Cup triumphs.
"Marnus and Neethling played against the Barbarians, so they have an idea of what international rugby is about.
"Boan has shown great potential at club level (for Edinburgh) and with the squad in the last few weeks, and we are looking forward to seeing him play.
"Building squad depth has been one of our pillars as a squad since 2018, and they are all undoubtedly ready to make the step up."
The starting team shows 10 changes from last weekend's 45-0 victory over Italy in Gqeberha.
South Africa had to play 58 minutes with 14 men after number 8 Jasper Wiese was red-carded for head-butting prop Danilo Fischetti.
Automatically ruled out of the Georgia Test as a result of his ill discipline, his place is taken by young brother Cobus Wiese, who debuted off the bench last weekend.
Winger Edwill van der Merwe, who scored two tries in Gqeberha in his first appearance for 13 months and won the player of the match award, is one of five starters retained.
The others are outside centre Canan Moodie, scrum-half Grant Williams, flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and lock Ruan Nortje.
Team (15-1)
Aphelele Fassi; Edwill van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Grant Williams; Cobus Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt); Ruan Nortje, Eben Etzebeth; Neethling Fouche, Marnus van der Merwe, Boan Venter
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Handre Pollard, Damian Willemse
Coach: Rassie Erasmus (RSA)
L. Brown--BTZ
