South Africa have selected Damian Willemse at fullback and opted for a 6-2 split between forwards and fullbacks on the bench for the defense’s first match of the Rugby World Cup against Scotland on Sunday at Marseilles.
Willie le Roux, the Springboks’ longtime number 15, is among the replacements. The versatile Willemse is favored against Scotland, who are expected to take the game against South Africa with the ball in hand.
Wingers Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe form a speedy back trio, while Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel change the center pair from the team that crushed New Zealand by a record scoreline of 35-7 in of his last preparation match in London.
Jasper Wiese replaces 37-year-old Duane Vermeulen on the bench at number eight, but the rest of the pack remain unchanged, with the only backs among the substitutes being scrum-half Grant Williams and Le Roux.
L’équipe d’Afrique du Sud : 15-Damian Willemse, 14-Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13-Jesse Kriel, 12-Damian de Allende, 11-Cheslin Kolbe, 10-Manie Libbok, 9-Faf de Klerk, 8- Jasper Wiese, 7-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6-Siya Kolisi (captaine), 5-Franco Mostert, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Frans Malherbe, 2-Malcolm Marx, 1-Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16-Bongi Mbonambi, 17-Ox Nche, 18-Trevor Nyakane, 19-RG Snyman, 20-Marco van Staden, 21-Duane Vermeulen, 22-Grant Williams, 23-Willie le Roux.
