Bath Rugby’s Francois Louw will run out against the USA on Wednesday, as Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer goes for continuity for the Springboks’ final Rugby World Cup Pool B match.
The starting line-up shows only two changes from the team that played in the 34-16 victory over Scotland on Saturday.
As a result Frans Malherbe will start his first match of the season for South Africa while Rudy Paige could make his Test debut off the bench against the USA.
Malherbe comes in at tighthead prop for Jannie du Plessis in the only change to the pack. The backline shows only one personnel change as well, at wing where Lwazi Mvovo takes over from JP Pietersen, with Bryan Habana moving over to the right wing.
“Wednesday’s match against a much-improved USA team is a must-win for us if we want to progress to the quarter-finals which is one of the reasons why we decided to go with continuity,” said Meyer.
“We also have a number of players who returned to action from injuries recently and it’s important to give them game-time against an opponent who will physically challenge us this week.
“The performances against Samoa and Scotland were satisfactory, but we will have to make another step up against the USA.”
Springbok team to face USA
15 Willie le Roux
14 Bryan Habana
13 Jesse Kriel
12 Damian De Allende
11 Lwazi Mvovo
10 Handré Pollard
9 Fourie du Preez ( c )
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Schalk Burger
6 Francois Louw
5 Lood de Jager
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Frans Malherbe
2 Bismarck du Plessis
1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements
16 Schalk Brits
17 Trevor Nyakane
18 Coenie Oosthuizen
19 Pieter-Steph du Toit
20 Willem Alberts
21 Rudy Paige
22 Morné Steyn
23 Jan Serfontein
