South Africa have completely revamped their starting XV for the upcoming one‑off Test against the Wallabies in Perth, introducing thirteen fresh faces to the field. Only two players – veteran lock Eben Etzebeth and promising wing Ethan Hooker – retain the positions they held in the side that defeated the All Blacks 43‑28 in Baltimore, clinching the inaugural Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series with a 3‑1 lead. Etzebeth, now on his 147th cap, will further extend his record as the most‑capped Springbok in history. The new front row will feature a trio of newcomers: prop Jan‑Hendrik Wessels, prop Zachary Porthen and hooker Johan Grobbelaar, all of whom will combine to form a re‑engineered scrum unit.
In the halves, two‑time World Cup champion fly‑half Handre Pollard returns from a calf injury and will partner with scrum‑half Herschel Jantjies, who has recovered from his own fitness setback. This renewed half‑back pairing is expected to bring fresh creativity and stability to South Africa’s attacking platform.
Centre Andre Esterhuizen has been handed the captaincy, becoming the 68th player to lead the Springboks. His appointment signals a shift toward a more dynamic, ball‑carrying centre who can also organise the defensive line.
Lock Franco Mostert, who has not featured in a Test since the November clash with Wales, is also back in the squad, adding experience and line‑out expertise to the second row. Despite the scale of the overhaul, only three members of the starting fifteen have fewer than ten international caps: wing Edwill van der Merwe, lock Paul de Villiers and prop Zachary Porthen.
The rest of the lineup is composed of seasoned campaigners, ensuring a blend of fresh talent and proven performance. Coach Rassie Erasmus explained the rationale behind the massive changes, noting that Australia presents a distinct style of play compared with New Zealand. "Australia poses a completely different threat to New Zealand in the way they play, so we believe these combinations would be best suited for the challenge that we will face against them," Erasmus said.
He added that the Springboks must adapt to a side that has been in good form, winning four of their last five matches and drawing with the Pumas in Argentina. Erasmus also confirmed that veteran stalwarts Pieter‑Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende will be rested and sent home to spend time with their families after a grueling schedule.
"They had a heavy workload in the last few months, and they deserve a break," the coach remarked, underscoring the importance of player welfare and recovery in a demanding international calendar. On the Australian side, head coach Les Kiss is expected to announce his lineup on Friday, with strong speculation that dynamic centre Joseph Suaalii will be given a starting berth on the wing, adding further intrigue to the contest.
The confirmed Springbok starting XV reads as follows: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Herschel Jantjies; 1 Marco van Staden, 2 Elrigh Louw, 3 Paul de Villiers, 4 Franco Mostert, 5 Eben Etzebeth, 6 Zachary Porthen, 7 Johan Grobbelaar, 8 Jan‑Hendrik Wessels. The bench includes Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager, Jasper Wiese, Morne van den Berg, Sacha Feinberg‑Mngomezulu and Quan Horn. The match is scheduled for Sunday, 27 September, with kickoff at 10:45 am. It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+, offering fans around the world a chance to witness a high‑stakes encounter between two of rugby’s most storied nations.
The one‑off Test not only serves as a showcase of talent but also as a strategic litmus test for both coaches as they fine‑tune their squads ahead of upcoming international fixtures. South Africa’s willingness to experiment with a largely new lineup demonstrates Erasmus’s confidence in the depth of the Springbok talent pool and his desire to find the optimal combination to counter the Wallabies’ distinctive brand of rugby. Overall, the fixture promises a compelling clash of styles: the Springboks’ physical, forward‑driven approach versus the Wallabies’ more open, attacking flair.
With a blend of seasoned veterans and emerging stars on both sides, the game is set to deliver high‑intensity rugby, tactical nuance, and the kind of drama that defines Test match history.