In the picturesque city of Bloemfontein, South Africa Springboks is set to lock horns with Portugal in the final test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series this Saturday.
The Springboks, who recently faced a heart-wrenching defeat against Ireland, are eager to showcase their strength and resilience on the field.
The clash against Ireland last week was a rollercoaster for South Africa. After trailing 16-6 at halftime, the Springboks staged a remarkable comeback to lead 24-19 with just ten minutes remaining.
However, their reputation as great closers was tarnished when Ireland’s Ciarán Frawley nailed two drop goals, resulting in a narrow 25-24 victory for Ireland.
This defeat marked South Africa’s second loss in their last 14 matches, both at the hands of Ireland, leaving the Springboks with a point to prove before the Rugby Championship kicks off next month.
Ahead of their encounter with Portugal, South Africa’s head coach, Rassie Erasmus, has taken a strategic approach by making significant changes to his squad.
In the previous match, Erasmus made 14 changes to his starting XV, emphasizing the need to test his squad’s depth. “It’s important to select a quality team with experienced players while also growing our squad depth by naming a few debutants,” Erasmus explained.
This week, seven players are poised to make their debut, including flanker Phepsi Buthelezi, hooker Johan Grobbelaar, and prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
The bench also features potential debutants Ruan Venter, Morné van den Berg, Quan Horn, and replacement hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, the son of legendary Springbok loose forward André Venter, making them the 16th father-son combination to represent the Springboks.
Lock Salmaan Moerat will captain the team for the first time, becoming the 66th different Springbok captain.
Adding to the historic nature of this match, Scotland’s Hollie Davidson will become the first woman to officiate a Springbok game, marking a significant milestone in rugby history.
Portugal, on the other hand, is not just in Bloemfontein to make up the numbers. The Portuguese team has been making waves in the rugby world, climbing from 27th place in the IRB rankings in 2019 to their current 15th position.
Their recent World Cup campaign was a testament to their progress, highlighted by a historic 24-23 win over Fiji and an 18-18 draw against Georgia.
These achievements have shown that Portugal can defy the odds, having also covered the pre-match handicap in their 28-8 and 34-14 defeats to Wales and Australia respectively.
Simon Mannix’s men have been in fine form, winning four of their last five games, including a 37-22 victory over Namibia. Mannix has made five changes to his starting XV for this week’s challenge.
Notably, last week’s captain Nicolas Martins is replaced by Diego Pinheiro on the flank, with fellow loose forward Vasco Baptista coming in for João Granate.
Nicolas Fernandes replaces António Rebelo de Andrade at lock, while Joris Moura and Simão Bento take up positions at flyhalf and fullback respectively. The team will be captained by centre Tomás Appleton.
Key players to watch in this encounter include Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok, who is eager to improve his goalkicking and needs just 13 points to reach a century of points for his country. For Portugal, winger Rodrigo Marta, who has scored in his last two test matches, will be looking to make an impact.
With both teams having much to prove, this match promises to be an exhilarating showdown, full of passion, skill, and historic moments.
As the Springboks aim to bounce back from their recent setback and Portugal looks to continue their ascent in the rugby world, Bloemfontein is set to witness a thrilling clash of rugby titans.
