Springboks Stars Show No Smiles As ‘Final’ Squad Poses Ahead of Cape Town Test Against All Blacks

• Handre Pollard was ruled out of Saturday's second Test after picking up a calf niggle during training on Wednesday
• Cheslin Kolbe was cleared to return after recovering from the injury that forced him off in the first Test in Johannesburg
• Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was handed the starting flyhalf jersey as the Springboks look to level the four-match series

The Springbok squad arrived at their official team photograph on Friday with stern expressions and clear intent, as coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed two late changes to the starting XV ahead of Saturday's second Test against the All Blacks at Cape Town Stadium.

The most significant alteration comes at flyhalf, where Handré Pollard has been withdrawn after sustaining a calf niggle during Wednesday's training session. The decision to rule him out was confirmed on Friday morning following a further assessment.

**Feinberg-Mngomezulu Steps Into the Spotlight**

With Pollard unavailable, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu inherits the starting flyhalf role. The 23-year-old has previous experience in the position at Test level, having started there against Argentina and again in last week's opening Test against New Zealand in Johannesburg. He will now be responsible for directing the Springbok attack as they chase a series-levelling result.

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Cheslin Kolbe returns as Handré Pollard ruled out of All Blacks Test

Manie Libbok has been named among the replacements to provide flyhalf cover, while Morne van den Berg is also included on the bench.

The second change sees Cheslin Kolbe restored to the match-day squad after being cleared of the knock that cut his involvement short during the first Test. The 32-year-old wing's return comes at the expense of Kurt-Lee Arendse, who has been dropped from the squad entirely.

**Series Level Still the Goal**

The Springboks head into the Cape Town clash trailing 1-0 in the four-match "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" series, making Saturday's fixture a must-win. The All Blacks arrive with the opportunity to extend their advantage and put the series largely beyond reach.

A home crowd at Cape Town Stadium is expected to back the Springboks, with Erasmus hoping the return of an experienced winger and the promotion of Feinberg-Mngomezulu will provide the spark needed to produce a sharper performance than the one that saw them fall to defeat the previous weekend.

Source: Briefly News