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In the second fixture for both Namibia and South Africa the two African countries will clash in Toyota on Saturday. Having fallen to Italy and New Zealand respectively this is a must-win match for both teams.
Namibia Head Coach Phil Davies has made ten changes. Only captain Tjiuee Uanivi, Cliven Loubser, JC Greyling, Chad Plato, and Johan Tromp have been retained.
Earning his 68th cap for the Welwitschias will be Eugene Jantjies. No place has more appearances for Namibia. He will join Cliven Loubser in the halves. Outside Loubser will be PJ Walters who is to make his test debut.
In the forwards prop AJ De Klerk will play his fourth RWC match but his first in the starting line-up. He is to pack down together with Desiderius Sethie, and Louis van der Westhuizen in the front-row.
South Africa go into the game with a fresh side featuring 13 changes. Captaining the springboks will be 38-year-old hooker Schalk Brits. He is to do so out of position at N8.
The starting hooker will be Mbongeni Mbonambi who joins Tendai Mtawarira, and Vincent Koch in the front-row. Tall timber will be behind them in the engine room with RG Snyman, and Lood de Jager locking the scrum. Completing the starting forwards will be Francois Louw, Kwagga Smith, and Brits in the back-row.
In the backs Herschel Jantjies, and Elton Jantjies will form the halves combination. Veteran center Frans Steyn will play outside the fly half while Lukhanyo Am is to be the starting outside center. In the back-three Makazole Mapimpi will be joined this time by S’Busiso Nkosi on the right wing, and Warrick Gelant at fullback.
Not considered through injury is center Jesse Kriel. Having suffered a hamstring injury against New Zealand he is instead targeting fitness for South Africa’s subsequent pool matches against Italy, and Canada.
Despite being neighboring countries there have been just two previous test matches between Namibia and South Africa. The first was a warm-up match ahead of RWC 2007 with South Africa winning 105-13 in Cape Town. The second was at RWC 2011 with South Africa winning 87-0 in Auckland, New Zealand.
This is a match in which South Africa are destined to win and collect a bonus point. Namibia are certain to miss out on a losing bonus point making their mission to be finding a way to score four tries. South Africa enter as favorites to win by 60 points.
TEAMS
NAMIBIA
1 Desiderius Sethie, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 3 AJ de Klerk, 4 Johan Retief, 5 Tjiuee Uanivi (capt.), 6 Thomasau Forbes, 7 Max Katjijeko, 8 Adriaan Booysen, 9 Eugene Jantjies, 10 Cliven Loubser, 11 Lesley Klim, 12 PJ Walters, 13 JC Greyling, 14 Chad Plato, 15 Johann Tromp
Replacements: 16 Obert Nortjé, 17 André Rademeyer, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Prince Gaoseb, 20 Janco Venter, 21 Wian Conradie, 22 TC Kisting, 23 Johan Deysel
SOUTH AFRICA
1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Vincent Koch, 4 RG Snyman, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Francois Louw 7 Kwagga Smith, 8 Schalk Brits (capt.), 9 Herschel Jantjies, 10 Elton Jantjies, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 12 Frans Steyn, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 14 S’bu Nkosi, 15 Warrick Gelant
Replacements: 16 Steven Kitshoff, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Eben Etzebeth, 19 Siya Kolisi, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Damian de Allende, 23 Cheslin Kolbe
Date: Saturday, September 28
Kick-Off: 18:45 local (02:45 Pacific, 05:45 Eastern, 06:45 Rio de la Plata)
Venue: City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Australia), Andrew Brace (Ireland)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
