Here is the South Africa team, and what a side it is South Africa will be without their rapid winger Kurt-Lee Arendse for Saturday’s sold-out clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium due to a concussion that he suffered in last weekend’s win over Italy.
Canan Moodie replaces Arendse on the wing, but, despite having his red card rescinded earlier this week, second-row Franco Mostert was not considered for selection due to his “disciplinary hearing this week to avoid the outcomes of those decisions impacting on the team’s preparations for the match”.Leinster lock RG Snyman is set to win his 50th cap off the bench. Ruan Nortje will start in the second-row, while the versatile Kwagga Smith also returns among the replacements.Moodie starts in the back-three along with fellow winger Cheslin Kolbe and full-back Damian Willemse. Ex-Munster centre Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel link up in midfield. Electric out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu partners Cobus Reinach at half-back.
Props Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit will form the front-row, with hooker Malcolm Marx. Eben Etzebeth and Nortje will start at lock, while captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese complete a powerful forward pack.
Rassie Erasmus has gone with a 6/2 bench, including ‘the bomb squad’, although hybrid player Andre Esterhuizen will cover back-row and centre.
South Africa team to face Ireland: D Willemse, C Moodie, J Kriel, D de Allende, C Kolbe; S Feinberg-Mngomezulu, C Reinach; B Venter, M Marx, T du Toit; E Etzebeth, R Nortje; S Kolisi (capt), P-S du Toit, J Wiese. Reps: J Grobbelaar, G Steenekamp, W Louw, RG Snyman, K Smith, A Esterhuizen, G Williams, M Libbok.