Brisbane: Francois Hougaard has been selected on the wing as one of three changes in a revamped South African backline for their Rugby Championship test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday. Still smarting from the 26-24 loss to Argentina in Salta last time out, coach Allister Coetzee has named a new centre pairing of Juan de Jongh and Jesse Kriel.
The inclusion of Hougaard, who won an Olympic Sevens bronze medal last month, for the injured Ruan Combrink was enforced and means veteran Bryan Habana switches from left wing to the right. De Jongh, another who played at the Rio Olympics, and Kriel replaced Damien de Allende and Lionel Mapoe.
“Francois covers two positions for us, on the wing and scrumhalf and apart from that he has other good attributes,” Springbok coach Allister Coetzee said in a news release from the South African Rugby Union yesterday.
“He is very competitive and his defensive work is solid because he contests very hard on the ground and is a good finisher,” he added. “Juan’s ability to organise at 12 and his calmness in that role will help to guide Elton (Jantjies) in his flyhalf duties.”
In the only change in the forward pack, tight-head prop Lourens Adriaanse will earn his first start for the Springboks in place of Vincent Koch. Lock Eben Etzebeth will become the youngest player to reach the milestone of 50 tests for South Africa at 24 years, nine months and 12 days, beating the previous mark of flyhalf Pat Lambie by three months.
Coetzee has opted for six forwards in the bench, including locks Franco Mostert and Pieter-Steph de Toit, as well as prop Trevor Nyakane, who has recovered from an ankle injury.
“Our bench has made a real impact in each match we’ve played this season,” the coach said.”After looking at the Australia versus New Zealand matches, we realise the physical intensity of the forward exchanges, and that’s why we feel that a fresh tight five can sustain the physical intensity.”
Loose-head prop Tendai Mtawarira will play his 81st test, becoming the most capped prop in Bok history after twice World Cup winner Os du Randt. South Africa won their opening Rugby Championship match at home to Argentina 30-23 before their loss in Salta.