Rugby Championship 2023

new zealand v South africa

All Blacks match day 23 (Test caps in brackets) * debutant 

1. Ethan de Groot (14)

2. Codie Taylor (77)

3. Tyrel Lomax (24)

4. Brodie Retallick (100)

5. Scott Barrett (59) 

6. Shannon Frizell (26)

7. Sam Cane (captain – 87)

8. Ardie Savea (71)

9. Aaron Smith (115)

10. Richie Mo’unga (45)

11. Mark Telea (2)

12. Jordie Barrett (49)

13. Rieko Ioane (60)

14. Will Jordan (21)

15. Beauden Barrett (113)

16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (21)

17. Tamaiti Williams *

18. Nepo Laulala (46)

19. Tupou Vaa’i (19)

20. Dalton Papali’i (23)

21. Finlay Christie (15)

22. Braydon Ennor (7)

23. Caleb Clarke (16)

Springbok team to face New Zealand:

15 – Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 84 caps, 65 pts (13t)

14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 23 caps, 74pts (11t, 2c, 5p)

13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 32 caps, 30 pts (6t)

12 – Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights) – 70 Tests, 45pts (9t)

11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 36 caps, 110pts (22t)

10 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 28 caps, 36 pts (2t, 4c, 4p, 2d)

9 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 46 Tests, 41pts (5t, 2c, 4p)

8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester) – 20 caps, 5pts (1t)

7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 63 caps, 15pts (3t)

6 – Kwagga Smith (Blue Revs) – 31 caps, 20pts (4t)

5 – Lood de Jager (Panasonic Wild Knights) – 65 caps, 25pts (5t)

4 – Eben Etzebeth (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 110 caps, 15pts (3t)

3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 59 caps, 5 pts (1t)

2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 57 caps, 60 pts (12t)

1 – Steven Kitshoff (Ulster) – 72 caps, 10pts (2t)

Replacements:

16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 59 caps, 70pts (14t)

17 – Thomas du Toit (Bath) – 16 caps, 0 pts

18 – Vincent Koch (Stade Francais) – 42 caps, 0 pts

19 – RG Snyman (Munster) – 24 caps, 5 pts (1t)

20 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 67 caps, 30 pts (6t)

21 – Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby) – 66 caps, 15 pts (3t)

22 – Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) – 2 caps, 0 pts

23 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 4 caps, 19 pts (8c, 1p)

No place in the Kiwi side for the two chiefs main players of the season in DMCK and Narawa. Telea, who has been in fantastic form, in instead of Narawa. Telea is more of a hungry winger who comes in off his wing and gets involved. He can offload in a shoebox, though hasnt the out and out pace that Narawa has. He has nearly 5 inches on kolbe but wouldn't be known for his aerial prowess. On the other wing will jordon against mapimpi is intriguing in itself.

South Africa will certainly be confident they can take the ABs up front. it will be a big ask of debutant tamati Williams to deal with veteran vincent koch for the last 30 mins. When you look at the pure size and bulk of 19, 20 and 21 off the bench for SA its genuinely intimidating. At 19 and 20 NZ are giving up 13 cms and 6 kgs alone (to go alone with the 5cms and 4 kg theyre already down at blindside)

The bookies started at -8 before the teams were named, and are at -5 to NZ now. A double result of NZ - SA at 9/1 is looking mightily attractive.