South Africa have made one change to their starting XV for their final Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday (2.30pm, Sky Sports Mix) with prop Ox Nche returning to the frontrow as the Springboks seek to retain their title.
Nche missed last weekend’s rollicking 67-30 victory over Argentina in Durban that has put the Springboks in pole position at the top of the table, and will be a significant boost to the scrum as he replaces Boan Venter.
South Africa will retain the title with a bonus-point victory over Argentina no matter what happens in the other match in Perth between Australia and New Zealand (10.45am Irish time). Australia have an outside chance while Argentina are out of contention.
If New Zealand get a bonus-point win and South Africa collect four points, it will come down to points difference and the Springboks are currently +55 with the All Blacks -6.
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Coach Rassie Erasmus is taking no chances in what is likely to be a fiery affair against the Argentines, after tempers boiled over on several occasions in Durban.
The mesmeric Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu keeps his place at outhalf after he scored a Springboks record 37 points last weekend, including a hat-trick of tries.
Cobus Reinach is at scrumhalf with Damian de Allende and Canan Moodie in the centre, and wingers Ethan Hooker and Cheslin Kolbe make up a back three with Damian Willemse.
Nche will pack down in the frontrow with Thomas du Toit and hooker Malcolm Marx, and Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje are in the secondrow.
Captain Siya Kolisi is part of a backrow selection alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit and number eight Jasper Wiese.
Erasmus has again selected a 5-3 split between forwards and backs on the bench, with hooker Bongi Mbonambi, scrumhalf Grant Williams and centre Jesse Kriel among the replacements.
“Ox and Grant could have played last week if we really needed them, but Boan and Morne (van den Berg) did really well, while Jesse was rotated in the last two matches and is raring to go,” Erasmus said.
Wallabies scrumhalf Tate McDermott will miss the game against the All Blacks and almost certainly Australia’s end-of-season tour after suffering a serious hamstring injury.
Rugby Australia said on Tuesday that the injury McDermott suffered early in last week’s loss in Auckland would require surgery and “an extended period of time on the sidelines throughout his recovery”.
Jake Gordon is expected to be fit after his own hamstring issue to replace McDermott in Saturday’s return match against New Zealand with Ryan Lonergan looking set to win his second cap off the bench.
Nic White, who put off his retirement to help the Wallabies cope with the absence of Gordon earlier in the Rugby Championship, will help the squad prepare for the match.
The Wallabies face Japan, England, Italy, Ireland and France on their end-of-season tour in late October and November.
SOUTH AFRICA (v Argentina): Damian Willemse; Cheslin Kolbe, Canan Moodie, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach; Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit; Eben Etzebeth, Ruan Nortje; Siya Kolisi (capt), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok, Jesse Kriel.
