Springboks, England recall stars for crucial Test
World champions South Africa have made a mammoth 12 changes to their starting side for Saturday's match against England at Twickenham.
Only lock Eben Etzebeth, hooker Bongi Mbonambi and prop Ox Nche have retained their places in the side that kicked off last Sunday's 32-15 win over Scotland, with Etzebeth, who led the side in Edinburgh, playing the whole 80 minutes at Murrayfield.
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Siya Kolisi returns to captain the team, in a back-row also featuring former world player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit, while wing Cheslin Kolbe is also named in the side.
Grant Williams, a replacement at Murrayfield, partners the recalled Manie Libbok at half-back.
South Africa, who this year added the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship title to their back-to-back World Cup crowns, have opted for a more conventional five-three split between forwards and backs on the bench against England after deploying their celebrated 'Bomb Squad', featuring seven forwards among the replacements, at Murrayfield.
Grant Williams, a replacement at Murryfield, partners Libbok at half-back in a whole new backline, with Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard and Lukhanyo Am the three backs among the replacements as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus tries to minimise the effects of just a six-day preparation week.
"The thinking (about making wholesale changes between the Scotland and England matches) was done three weeks ago, prior to us getting on to the plane," Erasmus told reporters after announcing his side at the squad's London hotel on Thursday.
"We've been rotating the whole year. We are trying to create depth and quality in depth so that if we get two or three injuries, the third guy isn't totally new to our system.
"Out of all the teams (in the November internationals), England are the only team that don't have a six-day turnaround (between any of their matches).
"To handle their kicking game and defence, that will have a heavy load on our backs, so that's why we have gone 5-3 on the bench."
Meanwhile, England have recalled full-back Freddie Steward and scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet as they look to revive their November campaign.
George Furbank has been omitted from the matchday 23 in a move that paves the way for Steward's return at No. 15, while scrum-half Ben Spencer has also been dropped, with Van Poortvliet set to make his first Test appearance for more than a year.
Furbank and Spencer both started against New Zealand and Australia in England's opening two November internationals, which ended in agonising late defeats.
Those reverses have increased the pressure on coach Steve Borthwick, with England now on a run of four straight losses.
Borthwick has made two other, injury-enforced, changes to his starting 15 after wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and flanker Tom Curry were ruled out because of concussions suffered during a 42-37 defeat by the Wallabies.
Ollie Sleightholme, who came off the bench to score two tries against Australia, is given his first start on the left wing, with Sam Underhill chosen at openside flanker.
"We're excited to challenge ourselves against the world's top-ranked team and back-to-back World Cup champions, said Borthwick.
"Test matches against South Africa are always thrilling contests and I'm sure Saturday will be no exception."
England (15-1): Freddie Steward; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme; Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet; Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Chandler Cunningham-South; George Martin, Maro Itoje; Will Stuart, Jamie George (capt), Ellis Genge
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford, Tom Roebuck
South Africa (15-1): Aphelele Fassi; Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Manie Libbok, Grant Williams; Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt); RG Snyman, Eben Etzebeth; Wilco Louw, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am
