The Springboks team to face France. Photo: SA Rugby website
This is your one-stop shop to find out everything you need to know ahead of the Springboks-France clash in Marseille on Saturday.
The Springboks team to face France. Photo: SA Rugby website
Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber has named a team showing five changes and two positional switches from the side that ran out against Ireland last weekend as South Africa target what would be an eighth successive victory over France.
The second Test on the Outgoing Tour kicks off at 22h00 (SA time) at the Stade Vélodrome.
The Springboks have also been forced into another late change which sees Kwagga Smith take over from Jasper Wiese (concussion) at No 8, while Deon Fourie comes onto the bench.
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In terms of the world rugby rankings, any of the current top four nations could notably end the weekend ranked number one. For the Springboks, they will return to top spot if they beat France and Ireland fail to beat Fiji.
If Ireland win then the Springboks will still swap places with Les Bleus to occupy second spot.
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The ranking currently look like this:
Leading permutation highlights:
Played 44; Won 27; Lost 11; Drawn 6; Points for: 939, Points against: 662; Tries scored 105, Tries conceded 59; Highest score 52-10; Biggest win 42 points. Win % 61%.
Milestones:
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Miscellaneous:
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Springboks – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Subs: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Deon Fourie, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Makazole Mapimpi.
France – 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Yoram Moefana, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (c), 8 Gregory Alldritt, 7 Charles Ollivon, 6 Anthony Jelonch, 5 Thibaud Flament, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Cyril Baille.
Subs: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Sipili Falatea, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Bastien Chalureau, 21 Sekou Macalou, 22 Maxime Lucu, 23 Matthieu Jalibert.