Canan Moodie will run out at outside centre for the Springboks when they take on the All Blacks in a Rugby World Cup clash warm-up match at Twickenham in London on Friday night.
The Paarl-born speedster is the one positional switch from the Springboks’ team who beat Wales after scoring a brace of tries on the right wing. Coach Jacques Nienaber has also made eight personnel changes to his starting line-up, as the Springboks continue to fine tune preparations for their opening Rugby World Cup clash against Scotland.
There is still not a place in the team for flyhalf Handre Pollard, who is in the United Kingdom with the Springboks. There weere rumours that he may come off the bench against the All Blacks after making good progress from his calf injury.
Nienaber retained five of the pack that defeated Wales on Saturday in a front row of Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe (props) and hooker Malcolm Marx, as well as loose forwards Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Flyhalf Manie Libbok and Moodie also start again, with Faf de Klerk resuming at scrumhalf in a new halfback pair, while there are new combinations elsewhere as Nienaber continued to carefully manage game time among the squad.
There is a new lock pairing of Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert, while veteran No 8 Duane Vermeulen starts in the back row (after coming off the bench in Cardiff).
Makazole Mapimpi and Kurt-Lee Arendse are named on the left and right wings respectively, with Damian Willemse starting at fullback. Moodie makes a first Test start at outside centre in a midfield combination with Andre Esterhuizen.
The Bok coach again opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the bench, where locks Jean Kleyn and RG Snyman and prop Trevor Nyakane will provide an impact alongside Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Ox Nche (prop), and Marco van Staden (flanker). Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and fullback Willie le Roux, meanwhile, will provide backline cover.
“The All Blacks will provide a different challenge to Wales, and we believe this group of players is the right mix for this match,” said Nienaber.
“New Zealand play a high-tempo game, and they turn on the intensity from the starting whistle as they showed in Auckland, so it’s vital that we start well this week.
“We took the lessons from that match, and we’ve built good momentum since, so this will be a fantastic test before we enter our Rugby World Cup campaign.”
Commenting on the changes to the team, Nienaber said: “Our objective since the beginning of the season was to strike a balance between performance and managing player load with only six Test matches to get ready for the World Cup, and we are pleased with the way we have developed in that regard.
“In the last five matches we’ve given everyone, with the exception of the injured players, valuable game time, which is vital going into the World Cup, and we are satisfied with the way we have been building as a team.”
Springbok for Twickenham:
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Willie le Roux.
IOL Sport