By Marco Jacobs | Kairos Sport
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named a formidable match-23 for South Africa’s opening fixture of the second leg of the 2026 Nations Championship, with the world champions set to face Italy in Turin on Saturday.
With the Nations Championship Finals Weekend approaching, Erasmus has opted for a largely settled combination, placing his faith in experience and continuity as the Springboks look to maintain their position at the top of the Southern Hemisphere standings.
The only player in the starting XV making his first appearance in the green and gold this season is lock Salmaan Moerat, who returns after missing the opening leg of the competition and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series through neck and toe injuries.
Moerat partners Ruan Nortje in the second row, while the front row features Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit and Malcolm Marx.
Captain Siya Kolisi leads a powerful loose trio alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese.
The backline also reflects Erasmus’ preference for continuity, with Morne van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu forming the halfback pairing. Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel combine in midfield, while Ethan Hooker, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse complete an exciting back three.
Experience and continuity key to Bok approach
The Springboks have accumulated significant experience in their starting line-up, with 835 Test caps between the 15 players.
The forwards account for 478 caps, while the backline contributes 357. The replacements add another 208 caps, giving Erasmus considerable experience to call upon during the contest.
Erasmus believes the combination of players who have been together for much of the season and those returning from club commitments provides the right balance for the European tour.
“We have three challenging matches ahead if we want to advance to the last game of the Finals Weekend, so our next three matches are going to be vital to lay a strong foundation for the tour,” said Erasmus.
The coach confirmed that the squad had begun preparations in Italy, with the Japan-based players arriving earlier to work with members of the coaching staff.
“All our energy is focused on the match against Italy for now,” Erasmus said.
“With the majority of the squad having played together for most of the season, we are confident that the players who participated in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and French Top 14 will ease into things seamlessly this week at training.”
He added that the players arriving from demanding franchise and club campaigns would provide valuable match sharpness, while others would bring fresh energy to the squad.
Six uncapped players still in contention
Although Erasmus has opted for experience in his starting XV, the six uncapped players included in the travelling squad remain part of his plans for the tour.
Markus Muller, Emmanuel Tshituka, Luan Giliomee, Riley Norton, Sebastian de Klerk and Yaqeen Ahmed have all joined the squad in Italy.
The coach indicated that the newcomers would be exposed to the Springbok structures during the week, with opportunities potentially arising in the remaining matches against France and Ireland.
“They are special players, who all bring something different to the team, and we have full faith in their talent and skillsets,” said Erasmus.
The inclusion of the six players reflects the Springboks’ ongoing commitment to developing squad depth ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Italy expected to provide stern challenge
Despite being ranked 11th in the world and occupying the bottom position in the Northern Hemisphere standings, Italy will enter Saturday’s encounter determined to make the most of their home advantage.
The Azzurri have shown they can trouble the Springboks in previous encounters, and Erasmus expects a highly motivated opposition.
“Italy are a quality team who will enter this match with immense motivation with an eye on trying to start their home leg on a positive note in front of their home crowd, and they have challenged us well before,” said Erasmus.
The Bok coach also pointed to Italy’s quality across the park, warning that the hosts would be eager to impress with the 2027 Rugby World Cup less than a year away.
“They have quality forwards and backline players, and although they are missing a few key players due to injury, they have a talented squad with players who will certainly want to make their mark.”
For South Africa, the emphasis will be on execution, discipline and maintaining intensity throughout the contest.
“The vital factors for us, however, will be to be accurate in our execution and to play for the full 80 minutes, especially given the high stakes at the end of these three pool matches,” Erasmus added.
Springboks eye strong finish to Nations Championship
South Africa currently leads the Southern Hemisphere standings on 15 points, level with New Zealand but ahead on points difference.
Following Saturday’s encounter, the Springboks travel to Paris to face France on Friday, 13 November, before concluding their pool campaign against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, 21 November.
The results will determine their position heading into the Nations Championship Finals Weekend, which concludes in London on Sunday, 29 November.
With three challenging Tests ahead, Erasmus knows that a strong start in Italy could prove decisive in South Africa’s quest to finish the league phase at the top of the standings.
The Springboks face Italy at 13h40 South African time on Saturday, with the match broadcast live on SuperSport.
Springbok team to face Italy
15 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 55 caps
14 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars) – 35 caps
13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 94 caps
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 103 caps
11 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 14 caps
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 25 caps
9 Morne van den Berg (10bet Lions) – 11 caps
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 50 caps
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 102 caps
6 Siya Kolisi (captain) (DHL Stormers) – 107 caps
5 Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears) – 24 caps
4 Salmaan Moerat (Stade Rochelais) – 11 caps
3 Thomas du Toit (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 37 caps
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 94 caps
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 53 caps
Replacements:
16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok.
Springbok record against Italy
The Springboks have enjoyed a dominant record against Italy, winning 18 of their 19 previous encounters.
- Played: 19
- Won: 18
- Lost: 1
- Points scored: 883
- Points conceded: 233
- Tries scored: 117
- Tries conceded: 21
- Highest score: 101-0
- Win percentage: 94.7%
South Africa’s only defeat came in Florence in 2016, when Italy secured a memorable 20-18 victory.
The teams will meet in Turin for the second time, following the Springboks’ 32-14 victory in the city last year.
Milestones in sight
Saturday’s match could also bring significant milestones for two experienced Springboks.
Jesse Kriel, currently on 94 Test caps, needs five more appearances after this encounter to reach the landmark of 100 Tests.
Malcolm Marx, the 2025 World Rugby and SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year, is also closing in on the century mark, requiring just five more Tests to join the exclusive group of Springboks with 100 international appearances.
For Moerat, the match represents an important return to the international stage after an injury-disrupted season.
The Springboks will be looking to combine their experience with the energy of their returning players as they begin a crucial European campaign.
Kairos Sport | By Marco Jacobs