Springboks Squad v Australia: Vermeulen and De Klerk Back From Injury

Duane Vermeulen will make his first appearance for the Springboks since the 2019 Rugby World Cup final when South Africa resume their Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign on Sunday against Australia at the CBUS Super Stadium in Gold Coast.

Scrumhalves Faf de Klerk (leg strain) and Herschel Jantjies (hip pointer), and flank Marco van Staden (ankle) are also back from injury as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made 13 changes to his matchday squad for the match – seven in the starting lineup and six on the replacements bench.

Five of the changes to the starting team that defeated Argentina 29-10 in the second round of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay were amongst the forwards. Vermeulen takes over from Jasper Wiese at the back of the scrum, and Eben Etzebeth comes in for Marvin Orie at lock, while a new front row of Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe (both props) and Bongi Mbonambi (hooker) will be in action.

The two changes in the backline are on the right-wing, where Sbu Nkosi replaces Cheslin Kolbe who took a knock to the leg in training, and scrumhalf, where De Klerk returns for the first time since the second Test against the British & Irish Lions in place of Cobus Reinach.

Springbok Matchday Squad v Australia

15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 66 caps, 60 pts (12t)

14 – Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks) – 12 caps, 40 pts (8t)

13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 19 caps, 20 pts (4t)

12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 51 caps, 30 pts (6t)

11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 18 caps, 80 pts (16t)

10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 53 caps, 521 pts (6t, 82c, 105p, 4d)

9 – Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks) – 32 caps, 25 pts (5t)

8 – Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Bulls) – 53 caps, 15 pts (3t)

7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 44 caps, 5pts (1t)

6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 56 caps, 30 pts (6t)

5 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 50 caps, 25 pts (5t)

4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 90 caps, 15 pts (3t)

3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 43 caps, 5pts (1t)

2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 41 caps, 40 pts (8t)

1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 52 caps, 5pts (1t)

Replacements:

16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 39 caps, 35 pts (7t)

17 – Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks) – 4 caps, 0 pts

18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 24 caps, 0 pts

19 – Marco van Staden (Leicester Tigers) – 6 caps, 0 pts

20 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 12 caps, 5 pts (1t)

21 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 5 caps, 0 pts

22 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 14 caps, 25 pts (5t)

23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps, 5pts (1t)

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