The Springboks have made wholesale changes to their team that will face Romania on Sunday with just one player, Damian Willemse, retaining his position in the starting XV.

Bongi Mbonambi starts at hooker and will captain the side. Willemse, who has retained his spot, moves from fullback to flyhalf.

It was never a secret that there would be changes to the side to face Romania, the weakest team in the pool, as coach Jacques Nienaber has always said the team would be rotated and that everyone would get to see action.

Eben Etzebeth and Malcolm Marx were both ruled out with injuries. The injury to the latter means that veteran Deon Fourie, will act as cover for the hooking berth. Fourie, who started his career as a hooker retreaded himself as a flank in 2018 and has excelled here ever since.

Fourie insists that there is nothing to worry about. “I’ve played more years as a hooker than as a flank. I’ve got that experience. At training, I still do the lineouts and the scrumming. I’m doing everything the other hookers are doing,” he told IOL.

The other key talking point from the team announcement is the inclusion of four scrumhalves. Kobus Reinach will start at nine while Grant Williams will wear the number 14 jersey. Jaden Hendrikse and Faf De Klerk are both on the bench with the latter expected to provide flyhalf cover.

Commenting on his team selection Nienaber said: “People were surprised when we picked four scrumhalves in the squad, but we knew they offered us the skills and versatility to provide backline options to manage the challenges that tournament rugby gives you.

“They are all excellent scrumhalves, but Grant and Cobus can play wing and Faf has experience at No 10 – as do Cheslin and Willie. We have the same versatility among our forwards.

“Grant played school rugby on the wing, and he has come on at wing before for us, so we are excited to give him this opportunity to start there and for him to gain international experience in the position.

“Faf is also one of our back up flyhalves in the squad, and the same applies to him, as it will be valuable for him and the team to get some game time in the position.

“We have been rotating and testing players in different positions since last season to put us in the fortunate position to have a group of 33 players in France that are closely matched in terms of their quality of play and skills, and who have been pushing one another for places in the last few months. It has allowed us to select a top-quality team for this match.”

The full team is as follows:
Willie le Roux; Grant Williams; Canan Moodie; Andre Esterhuizen; Makazole Mapimpi; Damian Willemse; Cobus Reinach; Duane Vermeulen; Kwagga Smith; Marco van Staden; Marvin Orie; Jean Kleyn; Vincent Koch; Bongi Mbonambi (capt); Ox Nche
Replacements: Deon Fourie; Steven Kitshoff; Trevor Nyakane; RG Snyman; Jasper Wiese; Jaden Hendrikse; Faf de Klerk; Jesse Kriel